The 2012 popular romantic film The Vow, directed by Michael Sucsy, and 2005 well regarded Australian novel The Story of Tom Brennan, written by J. C. Burke, both capture and explore similar key themes. The Vow follows Leo and his wife Paige after a tragic car accident causes Paige to lose all her memory of her life with Leo. The Story of Tom Brennan follows Tom whose brother, Daniel, is sent to jail after causing a car accident while under the influence of alcohol. Both texts, that display the destructive nature of car accidents on families, deal with the similar themes of loss, identity and moving on from the past.
The theme of loss is shown throughout both the novel and the film through the characterisation of both Tom and Leo. Tom feels loss in his life after his brother is sent to jail, leaving his distressed family behind to pick up the …show more content…
Both texts follow the characters after the car accidents meaning that the audience does not know what has occurred beforehand. Throughout The Story of Tom Brennan, the night of Daniel’s accident is gradually explained through descriptive flashbacks. These flashbacks help to show the theme of the past as they represent how the memories of this night constantly haunt Tom’s thoughts. These flashbacks help to show Tom’s want to move but the difficulty that he is facing in doing so. Likewise, flashbacks are used in The Vow to show the audience what Leo and Paige’s life was like before the accident give the viewer an understanding of the sorrow that Leo is feeling. Cinematic techniques such as acting and costume help to emphasise that these events have happened in the past and that it was a happy and exciting time for both Leo and Paige. These breaks in the story help to portray the constant reminders of the past that Leo faces and his struggles to let them
The theme of loss is shown throughout both the novel and the film through the characterisation of both Tom and Leo. Tom feels loss in his life after his brother is sent to jail, leaving his distressed family behind to pick up the …show more content…
Both texts follow the characters after the car accidents meaning that the audience does not know what has occurred beforehand. Throughout The Story of Tom Brennan, the night of Daniel’s accident is gradually explained through descriptive flashbacks. These flashbacks help to show the theme of the past as they represent how the memories of this night constantly haunt Tom’s thoughts. These flashbacks help to show Tom’s want to move but the difficulty that he is facing in doing so. Likewise, flashbacks are used in The Vow to show the audience what Leo and Paige’s life was like before the accident give the viewer an understanding of the sorrow that Leo is feeling. Cinematic techniques such as acting and costume help to emphasise that these events have happened in the past and that it was a happy and exciting time for both Leo and Paige. These breaks in the story help to portray the constant reminders of the past that Leo faces and his struggles to let them