What’s the significance of Shirley Temple? What meaning does she hold for Lovey?
Lovey watched Shirley Temple movies with Jerry every Sunday before church, although they never get the chance to see the ending so they would make up their own ending during Sunday school. “Shirley Temple sob-talked the best, and I used to wish I was just like her, with perfect blond ringlets and pink cheeks and pout lips, bright eyes and a happy ending every Sunday and crying’ cause of being happy, I mean real happy, so someone watching can cry too.” (Yamanaka 4.) Lovey admired the character of Shirley Temple. It was almost like she envied her because all her movies had happy endings. It would make her cry.
Lovey had an image of her own happy ending. She would come up with a sad story or scene about her and Jerry lost in New York and an ending with tears of joy. They both felt like they weren’t good enough for the same kind of love Shirley had in all her movies. Both Lovey and Jerry perhaps didn’t feel that same kind of love from their family and it’s probably why they looked up to Shirley’s movies, which exaggerates a lot of emotions in the ending with tears of joy. Something you wouldn’t often see in reality. The type of happiness Lovey wanted in her reality.
When I was younger, I use to watch all of Shirley Temple’s movie collection. Something about her character would catch my attention; an innocent little girl with short spiral curls, pouty lips, and alluring bright eyes. Even if I watched all her movies a thousand times, I would still continue to watch it like it was the first time, waiting to see what was going to happen next. To me it never got old. I think in some ways, just like Lovey and Jerry, I loved watching her movies because of her happy endings and tears of joy. They were the type of movies that deserved a good cry. Shirley Temple movies were the only classic movies that had a young child so talented, it’s unforgettable.
Susie,
ReplyDeleteThat's cool that you would also watch all the Shirley Temple movies. This particular story about Lovey must have really brought you back to earlier times in your life. I never really watched many of her movies, but I was well aware that they were around. Movies can alter our mood and change the way we see things. That's what a good film should do at any rate.
Shirley Temple had this effect on Lovey. She inspired her to imagine a better life for herself. We can see just how much significance she held for Lovey. It was almost as if she lived through her. She wasn't satisfied with her own situation and instead opted to imagine a much more dramatic life for herself.
Hello Susie,
ReplyDeleteI also remember watching a couple of Shirley Temple movies when I was young and remember being glued to the television. There was just something about her that was so captivating.
Lovey was envious of Shirley Temple but I think in good way. She turned the envy into hope of being like her and one day possessing the happiness that Shirley portrayed in her movies. This is what got her through her rough times along with having such a great friend in Jerry.
Thanks for sharing,
Mandy Ericson
Hi Susie,
ReplyDeleteI never actualy seen any of her movies, so unfortunately I was not able to relate to Lovey and her experience of watching Shirly Temple. What I have seen was the endless commercials that are shown on television showing a bunch of clips of the movies she had done and they seem like it would be fun to watch.
I understand how Lovey may have had a desire to have her life like Shirley's and have a if not several happy endings throughout her life, however the reality of it all was settling in. I was looking at this as if she were to be loosing compassion or faith that something good will be happening some day. And when that day comes, she will finaly experience her very own happy ending as well as her happy cry. I feel that we should all have some kind of aspiration in our lifes in order to look forward to something. Otherwise, how would we ever know when we reach our happy ending?