It is not always possible to comprehend the true nature of human relationships, especially in families from different cultures and ethnicities. The worth of love and romance may be misunderstood or neglected because of imposed standards and high expectations. The movie Moonstruck by Norman Jewison reminds people about the power of sincere feelings by analyzing an Italian American family at the end of the 1980s. The presence of symbols makes this film a fascinating interpretation of characters and shows how people make decisions and solve problems. Ferraro’s chapter “Romance: Only a Paper Moon?” complements the idea of interpersonal relationships in the movie and reveals a variety of attitudes toward life through the prism of the chosen symbols. In this essay, attention will be paid to three elements, namely a mirror, a wolf, and the moon, and their impact on the development of the relationships in the Castorinis, Cappomagis, and Cammareris. Ferraro’s arguments about romance in Moonstruck contribute to a better understanding of the relationships between Italian American men and women and the importance of using such symbols as a mirror, a wolf, and the moon.
People are free to develop their opinions about the appropriateness of Moonstruck concerning the experience of Italian Americans, but Ferraro’s motive seems to be based on the negative reaction of his friend to the movie. Despite his “intuitive fondness for the film,” the author is bewildered by Ishmael Reed, who is “angry at the film’s Jewish director, its Irish American writer, and its cast full of non-Italian actors” (Ferraro 128). The men cannot come to the same conclusion about how Jewison’s work might properly describe the life of Italian American families. However, Ferraro is motivated to demonstrate to his friend that beyond caricatures and fake settings, Moonstruck remains an “amusing, instructive, and flattering” instance of immigrants’ feelings and interpersonal relationships (129). People need to take more time and look closer at the idea to recognize its underestimated strength. Thus, Ferraro’s article can be used as a booster to clarify the role of symbols in the characters’ fates.
A mirror is one of the strongest symbols in the movie, and it helps Loretta reflect on herself, the world, and the relationships she chooses. In the scene when Loretta looks in the mirror to examine her recent purchase and the result of her beauty parlor’s experience, she enjoys the transformation she has achieved and assesses each detail (Moonstruck). However, the role of the mirrors goes beyond an overall impression about shopping and a new haircut. Ferraro underlines that mirrors reflect “the quest for and ultimate securing of a personal vitality in which outward aspect, ‘the look,’ is in symbiotic relation to inward state” (134). The essence of “an inner being that is itself a matter of public recognition, of loving and of being loved, or recognizing oneself as a lover and of being recognized as a lover” is underlined (Ferraro 134). It is not enough to accept visual changes but to respect the opportunity to be improved from the inside, which is critical for many Italian Americans. The mirror is a chance for the heroine to not only appreciate her uniqueness and femininity but to understand how others can and should see her.
The relationships Ronny develops with other characters in the movie become clearer when Loretta describes him as a wolf to symbolize not his strengths but his fears. According to Loretta, Ronny’s ex-fiancée tried to catch him, and he could not get away, so he “chewed off” his “foot” because it is “what the wolf would do” (Moonstruck). In his turn, Ferraro gives a sound definition of wolfishness: “to be a wolf isn’t to be a sexual predator so much as it is to be a passionate romantic in action” (136-137). He also supports Loretta’s intention to explain wolves’ behaviors and the necessity “to have the strength of character to cut off one’s hand to escape the wrong kind of domestication” (Ferraro 137). However, Ronny does not want to accept this symbol because he thinks such a comparison might scare away the woman, missing the main point that Loretta can be a she-wolf for him. In this case, the relationships between a man and a woman will be equal, supportive, and true, which characterizes most Italian American families.
Finally, the symbol of the moon plays an important role in the film and is properly discussed in the secondary article. In common sense, the moon is one of the natural objects in the solar system that is usually visible at night. Still, Grandpa Castorini adds a new figurative meaning to this concept, like “the moon brings the woman to the man” (Moonstruck). In this sense, there are two possible perspectives of the male-female relationships: the Castorini’s danger of domestication and the Cappomagi’s passion through the ages. Ferraro complements both interpretations from his standpoint, addressing the beauty of Italian American families. For example, Cosmo is afraid that the moon makes him weak and predictable because of the bondage of family relationships when the man’s life “is built on nothing” (Moonstruck). Ferraro mentions Sinatra’s comparison of the moon as “the tender trap” and the inevitability of its domestication (134). That is how it is easier to understand Cosmo’s fears and poor assumptions about love and romance in migrant families because men feel trapped.
At the same time, the worth of the movie is the desire to show another side of the moon when human feelings and emotions get reinforced, like in Cappomagi’s relationships. When all characters observe the full bright moon, they are overwhelmed with personal thoughts. In the bedroom, Rita says that the moon’s light makes her husband Raymond younger (Moonstruck). However, it is evident that it is just a good motive to understand their feelings. In Ferraro’s chapter, the moon is introduced as the characters’ sexual drive for both young and aged people to realize that their relationships are what make them feel young and happy (135). The moon is permanent, but people are not able to notice its impact all the time because of their personal concerns, imposed responsibilities, and fears. Thus, it is a blessing to look at the moon, enjoy its simplicity, and recall the brightest and kindest memories.
In general, a number of interesting and intriguing themes can be found in Moonstruck, and Ferraro’s arguments help better understand the director’s messages and techniques. In the real world, interpersonal relationships in Italian American families are characterized by their stability and unpredictability at the same time. On the one hand, the moon symbolizes constant and deep feelings at different ages. On the other hand, a symbolic introduction of a mirror and a wolf can be interpreted as a need for change, not to lose oneself. Thus, the chosen primary and secondary sources complement each other to prove Moonstruck is a good guide about human relationships, Italian American principles, love, and passion.
Works Cited
Ferraro, Thomas J. Feeling Italian: The Art of Ethnicity in America. New York Press, 2005.
Moonstruck. Directed by Norman Jewison, performance by Cher and Nicolas Cage, MGM/UA Communications Co, 1987.