Intercultural Communication and Education
DOI 10.55206/DIBS1740
Kalina Yocheva
Konstantin Preslavsky University of Shumen
E-mail: yocheva@gmail.com
Abstract: This article presents an attempt to analyze the structural elements and characters that make Casey McQuiston’s debut novel Red, White & Royal Blue so popular with readers, as well as the challenges posed to viewers by director Matthew Lopez and the creative team of the eponymous film, which immediately became a cultural phenomenon with many fans among viewers. The novel and its film adaptation follow the relationship between two young men from prominent families against the constraints of a heteronormative society. The article investigates a pertinent and contemporary issue from a social and intercultural perspective. The primary objective is to identify and examine linguistic and communicative characteristics, including the contextual use of words and expressions, within a specific socio-cultural framework as depicted in two distinct art forms: literature and cinema. The analysis incorporates comparative elements by referencing well-known works that address similar themes related to cultural differences, behavioral patterns, stereotypes, prejudices concerning LGBTQ+, queer, cultural dynamics of Generation Z, and the influence of heteronormative societal structures. This text seeks to delineate the boundaries of a new interdisciplinary research field focused on the concept of difference. It aims to propose potential research methodologies that contribute to the development of a comprehensive methodological framework, free from bias. In accordance with the principles of academic correctness, the novel and the film Red, White & Royal Blue are analyzed.
Keywords: Red, White & Royal Blue, RW&RB, new adult fiction, Casey McQuiston, Matthew López, Generation Z, rom-com, LGBTQ+, queer.
Rhetoric and Communications Journal, issue 61, October 2024