Formula Fiction

When it comes to popular culture formula fiction is a form of literature (i.e. books and movies) in which the storyline and plot is reused. It is reused to the extent that the stories have become predictable. It is a label typically used in literary criticism as a way to imply that the story has a lack of originality. Formula fiction is similar to genre fiction which identifies many, specific settings which are reused frequently. Formula fiction is found most often in romantic comedies. When a reader/viewer sees romantic comedy in the title they automatically know that the storyline will be about a guy and a girl that fall in love typically with a little drama mixed in that leads someone to believe the romance is over, but they end with the couple getting back together.

I thought a long time about how this fits with Facebook. I wasn't sure it did at first since Facebook isn't a narrative, but then I realized how it did. Facebook allows users to enter their relationship status as single, in a relationship, married, etc. There is typically someone on a users page that changes their status several times a day. They will go from in a relationship to single and back again. It is almost like clock work. They will have a status about making bad choices and deserve better and change their relationship status. Then a few short hours later they are talking about how in love they are and change their relationship status back. This is as close to formula fiction as Facebook can get. However, I'm sure each romantic instance will eventually end for good and break out of the formula fiction title.

I didn't really gain any insight by applying this theory to my selected topic. I did gain a better understanding of what a formula is and what it means. I also love romantic comedies, but sometimes the plots do get a little repetitive for me and I will mock the plot in some way. Luckily there are other things in the movie that help to keep them new and interesting while following the same storyline as other movies. At least now I have a new term to describe them.

 

Above: Example of romantic comedy with the same storyline.  In the Bounty Hunter the man is the bounty hunter and captures the woman and the fall in love.  In One for the Money the woman is the bounty hunter.  She captures a man and they fall in love.

References

Art & Popular Culture. (n.d.). Formula fiction. Retrieved March 14, 2012 from

http://www.artandpopularculture.com/Formula.