Movie Analysis: A Walk to Remember

A Walk to Remember is a film based on the romance novel by Nicholas Sparks that centers on the unlikely relationship of two teenagers. Set in North Carolina, Landon Carter is a popular student who is constantly getting into trouble. In the opening scene of the movie Landon is part of prank that goes terribly wrong and results in a student going to the hospital. Jamie Sullivan on the other hand is the local reverend’s daughter who is unpopular but kind, and completely committed to her faith. Throughout the course of the film Landon unexpectedly falls in love with Jamie much to the mortification of Landon’s friends. Jamie shares with Landon a list of things she wants to do before she dies, and when a heart-breaking secret is revealed, Landon commits to making all of Jamie’s wishes come true. This is one of my all-time favorite movies perhaps because of the unique display of complete devotion to pleasing and protecting Jamie that Landon demonstrates, which makes this story a modern day fairy tale. It’s the kind of movie that makes teenage girls envious of Jamie and her reformed prince charming.

Scene One: Landon Protects Jamie:

This scene opens with Jamie being confronted with fliers featuring a model dressed and positioned provocatively, but the model’s face has been replaced with a photo of Jamie’s face and the words ‘Virgin Mary?’ Jamie looks around the cafeteria as her peers are all laughing and mocking her. Just as she finally turns around to run away Landon, now her boyfriend is there and holds her. He then proceeds to punch his best friend Dean in the face as punishment for the flier. Dean declares that their friendship is over forever, Landon shrugs and retorts that that is fine with him and walks to Jamie to make sure she is ok before escorting her out of the cafeteria.

Gender roles within a relationship seem to be paramount in this scene. Jamie the female of this relationship is presented as defenseless and scared, the modern day damsel in distress. When Jamie first sees the flier there is a full twenty seconds in which she stands frozen in place breathing heavily and fighting back tears as she looks around at her peers before she decides to turn and run. This excruciatingly long moment highlights Jamie’s vulnerable state; she is completely unable to defend herself, as she stands unable to move and ultimately decides to turn and run away just in time for Landon to be there to hold her. In this instance, the male in the relationship, Landon, is there to ‘catch’ the vulnerable Jamie, as she is about to crumble.

            The proceeding action in which Landon punches Dean to punish and defend Jamie exemplifies the male role as protector. This interaction communicates that the male should be aggressive and strong in a relationship and is expected to protect and defend the woman, while the woman is supposed to be defenseless, innocent, emotional, and the object that needs to be protected. After demonstrating extreme male aggression toward Dean, Landon immediately turns tenderly to Jamie placing his hands on her face asking if she is ok and leading her out of the cafeteria. The contrast between the way in which Landon interacts with Dean and Jamie illuminates that while males can be aggressive toward fellow males especially in honor of their significant other, within their relationship the male should treat the woman with care, protection, and tenderness. This seems to communicate that a woman is fragile and thus requires a man to treat them with care. 

In Holz’s (2009) study of gendered relationships in television they described dominance as “assertive, forceful, domineering, firm, self-confident” and submissive traits as “timid, meek, unbold, unagressive, forceless, and unauthoritative (p. 173-174).” Landon and Jamie seem to reflect these traits perfectly, Landon emulating the dominant male and Jamie functioning as the submissive female. Furthermore, the study’s coding scheme included showing, “physical force/aggression/violence” as an indicator for dominant acts and “cries (sheds tears, with or without sound; includes wiping eyes to remove tears), shows fear (exhibits anxiety, alarm, or apprehension)” as indicators for submissive acts (Holz, 2009, p. 181-182).  The contrasts between the way in which Landon and Jamie react to the flier exemplify the strikingly different expectations for each gender. Landon demonstrates the dominant qualities identified in Holz’s (2009) coding scheme as he responds with physical aggression and violence by pushing and then punching Dean. While Jamie responds in accordance with submissive indicators by demonstrating extreme fear and anxiety as she fights back tears before turning to run away (Holz, 2009). This scene communicates that males should act as the dominant protector in the relationship while women should act submissive and vulnerable in need of the male’s protection. Finally, one particularly interesting aspect of this scene is Landon’s dismissal of Dean’s threats that their friendship is “over forever!” His seemingly unaffected response to losing one of his best friends communicates that a romantic relationship should take precedent over friendships.

Scene Two: Star naming:

In the scene above Landon brings Jamie to an old graveyard at night. He has come prepared with a thermos of hot coffee and a blanket. Jamie is surprised by all of Landon’s planning and he explains that he hoped for this night. In playful banter Jamie cautiously asks if Landon is trying to seduce her, he asks if she is seducible and she responds by grinning and shaking her head no. Landon explains that he thought so and then reveals the second blanket he brought for her. He then asks her if she can find a particular star in her telescope and explains that he had the star named after her, this was one of the things Jamie had on her list of things to do before she died. Surprised and happy Jamie tells Landon with great seriousness that she loves him and then leans in to kiss him.

            One of the opening moments of this scene that is particularly interesting is Jamie’s initial hesitation and suspicion of Landon’s intentions. As he begins to set the scene by revealing the thermos and blanket she immediately asks if he has an alternative motive of seducing her. Her apprehension exemplifies an underlying understanding that males are expected to always be attempting to have intercourse with the female in the relationship. Kim (2007) identifies men as the sexual initiators in the relationship who are expected to go to great lengths in order to have intercourse as part of the coding that reflects sex as a defining part of masculinity (p. 147). Along with Jamie’s acknowledgment of this Landon reinforces this idea by asking if she is seducible, and only after she shakes her head no signaling that she will not be having intercourse with him does he reveal the second blanket for her. This short moment communicates the message that men are expected to try to seduce the woman into having sex with him and that the woman is expected to be sexually conservative. This message is reflected in the coding for good girls in Kim (2007) study of the heterosexual script on Primetime Network Television, which describes women as being responsible for setting sexual limits and thwarting the sexual advances of men (p. 148). Because Landon waits until Jamie says she is not seducible to reveal the second blanket it appears that he is eager and willing to have sex. Jamie however is clearly the one responsible for setting the limits of their sexual relationship as he quickly abides by her wishes to refrain from intercourse. Furthermore, her quick display of apprehension toward Landon’s planned efforts for the night being attempts to seduce her and exclamation that she is not seducible reflects the notion that a good girl is expected to thwart men’s sexual advances.

            Landon demonstrates his true love for Jamie by going to the great lengths of having a star officially named after her. This extreme display of affection communicates a message that a male should go to great lengths when courting a woman. Kim (2007) references the expectation of men buying gifts as acts to assert their power in the courting ritual (p. 148). Landon doesn’t simply buy Jamie a normal gift but goes to the greater depth of officially having a star named after her, which he demonstrates in the scene by revealing the official paper work. In this sense, Landon has displayed the depth of his feelings for Jamie by reflecting that in the extreme lengths he has gone to court her. Jamie responds to this gift by declaring her love for Landon and kissing him. Her display of gratitude and thanks suggests that women should repay the male for his efforts by asserting their feelings for the male and demonstrating their affection physically. In a sense, this scene seems to communicate that if a man goes to great lengths for a woman that woman is expected to demonstrate her gratitude both verbally and physically.

            Similar to the findings in Markle’s (2008) analysis of the sexual scripts within the popular television show Sex and the City Jamie receives little to no repercussions for turning down Landon (p. 54). In fact, Landon declares that he didn’t think she was seducible and shows no signs of disappointment and makes no efforts to pressure her but instead reveals the second blanket that he brought for her. Markle (2008) notes that a plethora of research indicates that women often find declining sex to be challenging due to feelings of guilt, and fear of being rude or seen as a tease (p. 55). Jamie, like the women in Sex and the City, seems to oppose these findings by seeming unperturbed by their decline for sex. This communicates the message that women should not feel guilty or ashamed by declining sex and men should not pressure women to have sex and should respect a woman’s decision not to have sex. However, this display of gender roles may be very unrealistic to how women and men behave in reality.

Scene Three: Telescope at night:

            Prior to this scene Landon has been featured working endlessly to put together a telescope for Jamie to see the comet she had mentioned wanting to see earlier in the film. In this scene Landon has finished the telescope in time for the comet’s arrival and Jamie and Landon stand out in the night looking in amazement at the comet through the telescope. Landon then asks Jamie if she loves him and she signals yes with a soft moan and smile. He then asks her if she will do something for him and she tells him she will do anything. Landon asks Jamie to marry him and she responds yes by kissing him.

            Similar to the nighttime scene in the graveyard in which Landon reveals that he had a star named after Jamie, he has clearly gone to great lengths to make her wish come true by successfully building a telescope in time for her to see the comet. This meaningful gift demonstrates the extreme lengths Landon will go to display his love for Jamie. The belief that men should go to great lengths in their courting of a woman is reinforced in this scene. The expectation that the woman should demonstrate thanks for the male’s efforts to court her are also reflected in this scene as Landon asks Jamie if she loves him after they have looked into the telescope. The notion that you should try and please the one you love is also communicated when Landon mentions that since Jamie loves him will she do something for him, which she responds to by exclaiming “anything.”  It appears that if a man goes to great lengths to court the woman the woman in turn should do ‘anything’ for the man. This interaction seems to communicate to an extent that a woman is in debt to the man if he works hard to court her.

            Landon’s marriage proposal opposes the coding used for masculine commitment in Kim’s (2007) analysis of the heterosexual script on primetime network television. The coding describes men actively avoiding all commitment, monogamy, and marriage as aspects of male commitment in a romantic relationship (Kim, 2007, p. 148). Landon however proposes to Jamie and in effect counters the common stereotype of men not wanting to commit in a relationship. Furthermore, Holz’s (2009) analysis of gendered relationships on television described showing low commitment to the relationship to be a dominant act in a relationship (p. 181). In the findings of the analysis men were significantly more likely to act dominant in a heterosexual relationship. However, Landon’s marriage proposal displays extreme commitment to the relationship and opposes the expectation of men demonstrating low commitment to a relationship and desire for monogamy. Perhaps however this interaction is intended to contrast the normal expectation of the male in the relationship. By displaying Landon as a unique male willing to completely commit to Jamie, A Walk to Remember communicates an almost fantasy-like story in which the male actively desires marriage. In accordance with the majority of men and the findings in Holz’s and Kim’s study Landon is displayed as a rare male and should be cherished by Jamie who is lucky to have found such a unique man who is willing to commit.

            The movie concludes with a poignant monologue in which Landon exclaims that Jamie saved him and taught him everything he knows. Watching Landon transform from ultimate bad boy to prince charming over the course of the film communicates that a woman’s love can transform and ‘save’ a man. Bader (2007) identified that “the love of a good and faithful true woman can change a man from a ‘beast’ into a ‘prince” as a common myth among popular love songs (p. 146). This theme is clearly reflected in the narrative of the film as Landon transforms and reforms his old trouble making ways thanks to the love and support from the religious and angel like character Jamie. This transformation communicates that women are supposed to act as men’s saviors. The extreme lengths to which Landon goes to demonstrate his love for Jamie throughout the film communicates that men are supposed to go to great lengths to court a woman. In response to Landon’s displays of affection Jamie verbally declares her love for Landon, kisses him, agrees to marry him, and says she will do anything for him. Jamie’s responses to Landon’s efforts to court her communicate that women are in debt to men when they go to extreme lengths to court them and should demonstrate their gratitude by committing to the relationship. Jamie and Landon’s relationship ultimately culminates in marriage at the end of the film. This narrative suggests that if a man truly loves a woman he should completely commit to the relationship by marrying the woman. While Jamie functions as Landon’s savior within the narrative of the film his transformation into a committed and faithful man includes Landon becoming dedicated to protecting and pleasing Jamie. This communicates that a man’s commitment to a woman includes protecting her and taking up the dominant role within the relationship, while a woman should expect and require the protection of a man and should take up the submissive role within a relationship by receiving gifts from the man.

References

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love songs. In M.-L. Galician & D.L. Merskin (Eds.), Critical thinking about sex, love, and romance in the mass media. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.

Holz Ivory, A., Gibson, R., & Ivory, J. D. (2009). Gendered relationships on television:

Portrayals of same-sex and heterosexual couples. Mass Communication & Society, 12 (2).

Kim, J. L., C. L., Collins., Zybergold, B. A., Schooler, D., & Tolman, D. L. (2007). From sex to

sexuality: Exposing the heterosexual scripts on primetime network television. Journal of Sex Research, 44(2).

Markle, G. (2008). “Can women have sex like a man?”: Sexual scripts in “Sex and the City”.

Sexuality & Culture, 12(1).

Ward, L. M. (2003). Understanding the role of entertainment media in the sexual socialization of

American youth: A review of empirical research. Developmental Review, 23 (3).