outline global efforts to eliminate sexual violence and promote peace [7].
| Function | Description | Example | |----------|-------------|---------| | | Romance forces characters to confront flaws and grow. | Pride and Prejudice – Darcy and Elizabeth overcome pride and prejudice. | | Plot propulsion | Romantic tension drives decisions and conflicts. | Casablanca – Rick’s choice between love and virtue shapes the climax. | | Thematic vehicle | Explores ideas like sacrifice, identity, loyalty, freedom. | Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind – Questions memory, pain, and love’s necessity. | | Audience catharsis | Provides emotional payoff and vicarious fulfillment. | When Harry Met Sally – The “I’ll have what she’s having” resolution. | | World-building | In genre fiction, romance illuminates social rules. | Bridgerton – Courtship rituals reflect class and gender power. |