Nicholas Law
Humanities
Paper Moon: The Connected Meaning In The Song “It’s only A Paper Moon” there are a few quotes and connections to the character’s lives from the movie “Paper Moon”. The lyrics in the song help depict how the Protagonist Addie changes the life of Moses Pray and how inseparable they become after a short period of time. In the following essay I will also explain what the “Paper moon” symbolizes to the characters metaphorically and realistically. In the movie “Paper Moon” a young girl by the name of Addie is left all alone in a world unknown to her. She is forced into the care of a man name Moses Pray also known as a “con man” and he is guilt tripped into transporting Addie to her aunt halfway across the country. Throughout this long trip Moses and Addie become very fond of one another, and at times even act as a married couple would, bickering and fighting over small trivial things such as money and cigarettes. Although over this trip Addie and Moses Con many people to raise their funds for the expense of the trip and many other things. Through all of the conning they did the quote “But it wouldn’t be make believe if you believed in me” really stands out in a literal and metaphoric sense. In the literal look on the situation the people they con don’t believe it is “make believe” due to the process they use when they con, an example would be taking advantage of the loss of a loved one to sell bibles. The family of the deceased then takes the bait and believes the dead family member had good intentions before his death to buy his wife a bible thus taking the bait. In the metaphoric sense of the quote you could connect Addie’s sense of doubt throughout the movie, as if she’s trying to prove herself to Moses to believe in her that she can hold her own and just live with him instead of her aunt.
A big symbol in this movie and song was of coarse the paper moon which back in the day was considered a romantic symbol, where at carnivals and photo booths you would get a picture of you and your significant other taken sitting in the crescent moon. When thinking romance you think “love” and in “The Paper Moon” realistically Moses and Addie develop a father and daughter love complex. Through the entire movie and even early on Addie would pester Moses “are you sure you aint my pa?” and “we have the same chin”. As the movie progresses the love they have for each other becomes even more apparent through the married type of bickering and also the experiences they share together.
In the metaphorical sense the paper moon can be seen as two lovers sitting high above the sky in a crescent moon above all of the world’s problems. Looking down and thinking how things are so simple as long as they share each other’s company or that all they need is to be together to make it through any problem. Addie and Moses definitely show those qualities with all of the shenanigans they go through but still persevere on, such as when they are chased down, robbed by a dirty sheriff, and left with nothing they still find a way to be confident and sure of themselves that they will make it by and get back to where they need to be.
The song “It’s Only A Paper Moon” and the actual paper moon itself both offer metaphorical and realistic meaning in them. Mostly referring to love and enduring hardships. Realistically the paper moon symbolizes love. Metaphorically the moon symbolizes togetherness and being above the strife of everyday problems, that as long as Addie and Moses are together they can make it through anything.
Sources
“Paper Moon” by Peter Bogdanovich
“It’s Only A Paper Moon”(Lyrics)