“Love Sick” (2022-2023)

Against my better judgment, I chose to write about The Souvenir arbitrarily and without any prior knowledge of the director, plot, or actors. Fortunately, I appreciated this film immediately, and as I began writing, I came to love it. I loved how images of distance and reflection operated on multiple levels in the film—physically, symbolically, and emotionally, and I was restless to illustrate why particular details (perhaps overlooked by typical audience members) were significant. I wanted everyone to see how this film was so cleverly and tastefully executed. 

I had much to say, but I was still developing the technical tools to do so in a way that would interest an audience. I struggled to represent scenes and their note-worthy elements—aesthetic quality, dialogue, energy, mood, plot, and other commonly unnoticed details—in a concise, clear, and stylish manner. It was difficult to translate my interpretation of a scene into written word without a bridge, so I relied heavily on speaking my thoughts aloud to my peers, at the Writing Center, in conference with my professor, and even on the phone with my mom before writing them down. This practice was essential in structuring my thoughts, and I want to extend my gratitude to those who were willing to listen.

I greatly valued the feedback I received from my peers, the Writing Center, and my professor. As a result, this essay underwent significant rewriting at multiple stages. In the (very humbling) process of revising one particularly frustrating sentence, I thought of this Leonardo da Vinci quote: “Art is never finished, only abandoned.” I believe that drafting an essay, like other art forms, is an ongoing process in which one should expect neither absolute completion nor perfection. 

Libby Ronon, ‘25, is from Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania and studies drama at the Tisch School of the Arts. Although she is pursuing a degree in performance art, Libby believes that the foundations of acting and essay-writing are notably comparable and has enjoyed exploring how these two art forms inform each other. Her essay speaks to her interests in cinema, gender dynamics, human behavior, psychology, and fine art.