Mona Lisa Smile: Theme

My favorite theme in the move Mona Lisa Smile is the different views of marriage and divorce between the early 50's and now. It is incredible how much our ideals and the traditions of marriage have changed in such a short time. Back then it was ridiculous to even think about getting a divorce, now it seems like a little less than half of all marriages end in divorce. Not to mention the structure of even dating is different. When you date someone you aren't necessarily looking to get married until it becomes a little more serious. Girls in Mon Lisa Smile are only dating to get married, even though they are only in their early twenties. The way we think about dating, marriage, and divorce has changed enormously throughout the 20th century. Mona Lisa Smile shows the changing times of the 50's and makes clear that some traditions are meant to stay in the past.