Research: Universal truths

Continuing to read Eternal. I've been tied up at a conference all week, so I've only been able to read a few pages each night.

Tonight's takeaway (elementary but still important): Most stories reveal the same truths but under different circumstances. In this case, it's the reality of relationships but revealed through an unusual story where one can erase one's memory. The same dialogue could have been in any movie (not to diminish the dialogue here, it's quite good), but it's set in these surreal scenes. For example, what Joel once found charming in Clementine is now annoying as the relationship progresses. Or, the jealousy Joel has upon learning Patrick is seeing Clementine.

Universal truths or common realities or shared fears.

Might be an interesting experiment to take the same dialogue of a movie (word for word) and place in a new setting....