Adele's character graph was inconsistent

I feel like you make an interesting analysis, but I see the reduction in Adele's artistic pursuits as being probably intentional. Sometimes, the looming pressures of adulthood can be so great to bear, that a person with a lot of artistic potential will find themselves in a very businesslike job just to earn a living. Similarly, did you notice the way Adele's working class family shunned Emma's desire to be a graphic artist or painter? Adele's father can barely conceal his disdain for Emma and he even says something along the lines of "it's practically impossible to financially support yourself as an artist". I'm sure there was pressure on Adele to adopt a standard, systemic career that wasn't at all artful or expressive. Adele, being a lover of education, probably saw teaching as the next best thing in her life. Ultimately, she adopted a way of living that probably did smother her at times, but it was realistic: she cooked, she cleaned, she made love, and she worked. Similar to the regular adult, I guess.

Or perhaps Adele wasn't the type to express herself. Or didn't have the confidence or freedom like Emma. Maybe she just wanted to be a good teacher, and educate her young pupils, projecting her love of reading and writing onto them. Either way, I do agree with you, it's a sad state of affairs to see that Adele chose to leave her artistic talent (she had a passion for literature and creative writing, if I remember rightly) to live a "normal" existence, probably more so because of the pressures of society and her family who are clearly very work orientated.

I agree.




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"Your mother puts license plates in your underwear? How do you sit?!"

Emma would have completely agreed with you: she didn't seem to understand Adele's choice of not pursuing an artistic career.

I saw Adele's love for books more as a desire to explore and appreciate than some creative need. Most books lovers or film lovers out there are not aspiring writers / directors. I think Adele was quite happy with her work, she never seemed annoyed at her children, and talked with joy of how it feels helping the ones behind.

But I really like your point about how we almost see her as two different people before and after she fell in love with Emma. My take on it is that Adele didn't at all change, she kept reading, but she felt stupid and reduced around Emma and her friends discussing painters, philosophy, and symbolism. It takes them one question to write her off - 'What do you do?', no follow ups. Then they move to the profound thesis of some fine arts scholar and Adele's out of her depth.

I think that some of those artistic/ creative impulses were satisfied once Adele fell in love with Emma. Adele at first had so much yearning to experience more out of life, but once she was in her relationship, she didn't need to explore or express as much. She didn't know that she could be fulfilled in other ways.

Also, I think it's kind of insulting to say she was "just" a teacher - the vast majority of people aren't artists and writers but that isn't to say their lives don't have less meaning or that they're less fulfilled. In Adele's case, she found fulfillment in teaching and relationships, and if that's enough for her, then great.

Who was the school girl who first kissed Adele sitting on the steps?????

I kind of feel the same way as the OP.

yajji's response is well put, though, and that could serve as a good explanation for her radical shift. Also, the Trivia Section on IMDB says there was a rather crucial scene that was deleted from the film - her parents catch her in bed with Emma and kick Adele out. Which explains why we suddenly see Adele (still a high school student) already out there in the work force, much earlier than expected.

She may have chosen the teaching field as the next best practical thing, as she now has to make a living. And it could be a commentary on how social pressures stifle many loftier dreams.

One disappointment I had, though, is that much of the dialogue in this film was improvised. I never really got the sense Adele was a precocious, voracious reader. She had academic curiosity according to the earlier scenes, but that's also different from being well read. Her dialogue throughout the film sounded straightforward...sometimes even trite.

If anything, Emma and her friends were the ones who sounded like they read a lot. Admittedly, those actors were all older. But still, it's possible to see a vivacious intelligence in someone around 15-18 (they speak and think well beyond their years). I never really got that from the character of Adele, even though Emma constantly talked about how great a writer Adele was.