Eleanor and Park, a Parallelism to Romeo and Juliet

My only love sprung from my only hate. This is a famous quote from Romeo and

Juliet, describing the situation of the two star-crossed lovers in the play. Star-crossed lovers

are lovers whose relationship is doomed to fail. Eleanor and Park, the two main characters

and star-crossed lovers in Eleanor and Park, have many similarities with Romeo and Juliet

from Romeo and Juliet. Eleanor and Park has multiple allusions to Romeo and Juliet because

Romeo and Juliet is considered as a representative of tragic love stories.

In the novel, Romeo and Juliet is directly discussed when Eleanor and Parks English

class has a chance to talk about Romeo and Juliet. Eleanor doesnt feel any pity of Romeo

and Juliets deaths and their unfortunate situation (66). Eleanors sarcastic attitude effectively

acts as a foreshadowing of her relationship with Park. Her rational response indicates that she

is very prudent and practical, which could later be an obstacle in dating Park. Unlike Eleanor,

Park thinks Romeo and Juliet survived because people wanted to remember what is likes to

be young and in love (68). Parks response indirectly implies the feeling Park and Eleanor

have towards each other. His reply helps the plot of the story move on and makes Eleanor and

Park closer. The author probably wants her audience to remember Romeo and Juliet

whenever they read about Eleanor and Park.

Aside from direct allusions, Eleanor and Park has plots like Romeo and Juliet. First,

Eleanor is not even allowed to talk to boys (169). This implies that Eleanor and Park are

star-crossed lovers like Romeo and Juliet because it would be hard for them to date like

normal people. Richies negative attitude towards dating means that Eleanor and Parks

romance would not be welcomed in Eleanors household, analogous to Romeo and Juliets

relationship. Also, the lovers in Eleanor and Park have peer pressure to overcome, just as

Romeo and Juliet had family feud as their obstacle (157-159,196). Park is cool and popular,
but Eleanor is merely a weird redheaded girl being bullied on a daily basis. Eleanor and Park

are reluctant to let others know that they are dating because they are both afraid of what their

friends would think, just like Romeo and Juliets situation. Therefore, Eleanor and Park are

alike Romeo and Juliet in numerous ways.

In conclusion, Eleanor and Park has many parallel plots to Romeo and Juliet. Not

only are elements in Romeo and Juliet mentioned a few times throughout the story, but

Eleanor and Park also have many similarities with Romeo and Juliet. If the novel continues to

have allusions and connections to Romeo and Juliet, it is highly likely that Eleanor and Parks

relationship would end tragically because Romeo and Juliet had a sad ending to their

romance.