Conventions & Expectations of Romance Narratives

PowerPoint Conventions

• Heroine + hero

• Foils and mirrors

• Transformation

• Rivals and helper (gay best friend etc)

• The hero rescuing the heroine/giving something up for her

Setting

• Highschool

• New York

• Small town

Characters

• Quirky girl

• Likable main character

Situation tropes

• Love triangle

• Grand gestures

• Happily ever after

• Fake dating

• Romantic music

• Roadblock to love (parents)

• Meet-cute

• All a bet but they actually fall in love

• One bed

• Rival

• Orphans

• Excessive misunderstanding

• Chosen one trope

• Major lead up event (balls, weddings,etc)

Romance tropes

• Big man x smaller woman (”…he dwarfed her…”)

• Grumpy x sunshine (opposites attract)

• One of us is famous

• City boy/girl x country girl/boy

• Enemies to lovers

• Strangers to lovers

• Friends to lovers

• Childhood best friend’s to lovers

• Brothers best friend’s

• Best friend’s brother

• Bad boy x good girl

• Bad/jock boy vs sweet/nerdy boy