WeAreAwake.org

Really nice fan site you have here!!

I know everybody is trying to figure out "the whisper" in the end but what I want to know is, do they exchange addresses, emails to keep in touch. So,...do they keep in contact or what?

No.

Those who really "get" the film don't ask these questions; they accept that whatever was said was between them....though it's still fun to guess!

Literature and film doesn't neccesarily have a "point", that is a moral "lesson" like in fairy tales.

I think it's important to ask questions about films, but perhaps the a better question than "what was said?" would be why did Sofia Coppola decide to leave the whisper ambiguous?

I believe the inaudiable whisper typifies the transcendent relationship Bob and Charlotte have, exchanging knowing smiles, talking about life, etc. Sofia wants the whisper inaudiable because what Bob tells Charlotte is something that is only for Charlotte to interpret.

While the viewer has enjoyed the humorous misunderstanding between the protaginists and the Japanese, it is now the viewer who has been left in the dark. Even if we could discern what Bob whispers, it would be "lost" on us. After all, Charlotte and Bob cannot even communicate their sentiments to their respective spouses.

That is what I love about LIT, unlike so many of its failed predecessors, it doesn't try to rationalize or paraphrase the intanglible.

well said; I am actually more content without knowing and I don't think about it much which makes LIT more fascinating to me. But for all you helpess wonderers out there, I'd like to think that they don't get in contact with each other; makes it seem as it was all an amazing dream between Bob and Charlotte, which they will never forget for the rest of their lives. No fear, Bob has a picture of her though so don't worry it won't be totally dream-like! .

Here's another question to wrap your minds in... Do you think
Bob told Lydia/ Charlotte told John of there amazing week together?
I'd like to think not, but Bob also seems like he wants to
build a stronger relationship with Lydia while he was in Japan; (phone calls) but can't quite voice what he wanted to. (like LITobsession said). But that's just my two cents on it.

Perhaps they start a jazz band.

I as well don't think to much about the whisper, the impact of that last scene would of been just the same if he hadn't whispered anything at all.

I disagree. I think the whisper adds to the power of the final scene.

Yeah I agree, the whisper does have quite an effect on the ending.

its the exclamation mark...the movie would not be the same without it

If ya'll think so, but I start feeling those tears when Bob sees her walking down the street, and he knows he wouldnt ever feel the same if he hadn't gone up to her, hunged her, and kissed her. His expression before he got out of the cab than when he got back in the cab or both totally different. The first couple of times I saw the film I didnt even pay attention to the whisper. But this is just my opinion on the subject.

I agree, as he gets back into the cab you get a sense of solace and conclusion.

If the film ended without Bob and Charlotte's last embace, I would feel dissapointed.

jml98 wrote:its the exclamation mark...the movie would not be the same without it

I don't think it's the exclamation mark, but rather more of a trailing off of the sentence..... which leaves us to fill in the rest with our own desires, thoughts, hopes, dreams, and wishes.

Damnit, the post above me was mine... I just forgot to login.

But, a second thought on keeping in touch:
If they were ever to see each other again, it would go against the very spirit of the film. Read the back of the DVD case, it says that this film "contemplates the unexpected connections we make that might not last-yet stay with us forever". This powerful statement is only on the DVD case, but manages to summarize the basic spirit of the movie. The ambiguity they had, and so deeply appreciated, would be ruined by seeing each other again. The mystery would be gone.

Anonymous wrote: I don't think it's the exclamation mark, but rather more of a trailing off of the sentence..... which leaves us to fill in the rest with our own desires, thoughts, hopes, dreams, and wishes.

nice point - better than mine

I have never thought of this before. The end of the movie leaves you with a feeling of conclusion and you just kind of leave it at that.

But think about it, if you had a relationship with someone like that.. you wouldn't want to keep in touch?

I think it would be heartbreaking not to..

[quote The ambiguity they had, and so deeply appreciated, would be ruined by seeing each other again. The mystery would be gone.[/quote]

If you love a woman what would be more important to you - to preserve the mystery of relations or to see her again?.. For me, he does not love her strongly enough. She's moved him and he is attracted and that's it.

For all we know, Bob could be whispering to Charlotte "keep in touch" or "it gets easier" or "I love you" or any number of things.

The film keeps the whisper ambiguous because what the viewer can imagine is said is more powerful than any dialogue Sofia could have written in its place.

And I would disagree with Guest here and say that Bob does love Charlotte quite deeply, although he has difficulty expressing it at times. You can see it in his face when he's with her and when he's without her. However, Bob realizes that consummating their love would debase the relationship.

Notice that neither Bob nor Charlotte mentions the budding relationship, no hackneyed "I think I'm falling in love with you" or the like. This true, yet fleeting friendship is more profound than all the confessions of love could ever hope to be.

(If you must know, they get back together and start a jazz band. )

This is something I thought of as well. I know the film sort of tells you that anything can happen, because the ending is wide open to suggestions and for life to interfiere and change things in their future plans. All I think of is, they might or they might not keep in touch. Although I thought that good-bye just meant that they were going to let chances and life do the magic.
Bob was famous, or at least had fanmail, so Charlotte might consider doing that one day. Bob already had a connection with Charlie and the other Japansese surfers so he might find one of them somewhere- or just look on the pages- but we don't know her last name, maybe he did though. So, my point is, anything can happen. I want to think they did at least communicate once in a while, but the truth is what do we know? It's not even said ... it's our immagination's job to find out. Truth is we will NEVER know. Only our beloved fictional characters Charlotte and Bob Harris.

A moment of silence wrote:This is something I thought of as well. I know the film sort of tells you that anything can happen, because the ending is wide open to suggestions and for life to interfiere and change things in their future plans. All I think of is, they might or they might not keep in touch. Although I thought that good-bye just meant that they were going to let chances and life do the magic.
Bob was famous, or at least had fanmail, so Charlotte might consider doing that one day. Bob already had a connection with Charlie and the other Japansese surfers so he might find one of them somewhere- or just look on the pages- but we don't know her last name, maybe he did though. So, my point is, anything can happen. I want to think they did at least communicate once in a while, but the truth is what do we know? It's not even said ... it's our immagination's job to find out. Truth is we will NEVER know. Only our beloved fictional characters Charlotte and Bob Harris.

I totally agree with you, A moment of silence, as I pick up this thread 7 months later.

They may, or may not ever connect again in the future. He is famous, so she can easily contact him through his agent. I think we tend to project onto the characters what we would like to happen. For me, I would like to see them continue their intimate friendship, without jeopardizing their respective marriages. A love as this should be allowed to continue.