"EVERY GIRL OR FELLOW WHO EVER KEPT A “BLIND DATE”"
The Shop Around the Corner - Symbolism & Philosophy
Symbols & Motifs
The Letters
The letters symbolize the idealized and intellectual side of romance. They represent the pure, unfiltered connection of minds, divorced from physical appearance and daily irritations. They are a vessel for dreams and vulnerability, containing the perfect versions of Alfred and Klara that they wish to be.
The entire plot is driven by the anonymous letters exchanged between Alfred and Klara. The contents of the letters are discussed frequently, highlighting their shared love for literature and culture. The moment Klara reads a letter from her pen pal aloud to Alfred (who secretly wrote it) is a pivotal scene of dramatic irony.
The Musical Cigarette Box
The musical cigarette box, which plays "Ochi Chërnye," represents a point of commercial and personal contention, symbolizing bad taste versus potential profitability. Initially, it's a source of conflict between Kralik and Matuschek, and later, it's the item that Klara successfully sells to get her job, proving her sales acumen. It symbolizes how subjective value and perception can be, both in commerce and in relationships.
Mr. Matuschek wants to stock the cigarette boxes, but Kralik thinks they are tacky and will never sell. Klara enters looking for a job and, through clever reframing, sells one as a candy box to a customer who finds it delightful, securing her position at the shop.
The Shop (Matuschek & Co.)
The shop itself is a microcosm of society and a sanctuary for its employees. It represents the world of work, economic anxiety, and daily routine. However, it's also the stage where all the film's drama, comedy, and romance unfolds, ultimately symbolizing a surrogate home and family for its workers, particularly for the lonely Mr. Matuschek.
Nearly the entire film is set within the confines of Matuschek & Co. The opening scene establishes the shop as the center of the characters' lives as they wait for it to open. The heartwarming final scene, where Alfred reveals his identity to Klara, also takes place in the shop on Christmas Eve, solidifying its role as the heart of the story.
A Red Carnation and 'Anna Karenina'
These items serve as the designated signals for the pen pals' first meeting. They symbolize literary romance and the high-minded ideals the correspondents expect from each other. The book, a tragic romance, adds a layer of irony to the comedic and awkward situation that actually unfolds.
When Alfred and Klara decide to meet, they agree that she will be carrying a copy of Tolstoy's "Anna Karenina" with a red carnation tucked inside it as a bookmark. Alfred sees Klara with these signals in the Cafe Nizza, which is how he discovers that his irritating co-worker is his beloved pen pal.
Philosophical Questions
Can we truly know another person, or do we only fall in love with our idea of them?
The film uses the central conceit of anonymous letter-writing to explore this question. Alfred and Klara fall in love with the curated, intellectual versions of each other they present on paper. Their real-life interactions, filled with flawed human moments like pride and irritation, are a stark contrast. The narrative suggests that true intimacy is achieved not by finding a perfect ideal, but by integrating the idealized version with the messy, complicated reality of a person. The journey from loving the "dear friend" in the letters to loving the annoying coworker in the shop is the film's answer to this question.
What is the nature of identity, and how does it shift between our private and public selves?
In their letters, Alfred and Klara reveal their private selves—sensitive, literary, and vulnerable. At work, they project their public personas—professional, defensive, and competitive. The film illustrates the chasm that can exist between these two identities. Kralik's journey, after he learns the truth, is about trying to merge his and Klara's public and private selves. He attempts to bring the warmth of their correspondence into their daily interactions, proving that identity is not fixed but fluid, shaped by context and the willingness to be vulnerable.
Core Meaning
At its heart, "The Shop Around the Corner" is an exploration of the contrast between the ideal and the reality of love and human connection. Director Ernst Lubitsch uses the premise of anonymous letters to comment on how people often fall in love with a romanticized idea of a person rather than the complex, flawed individual they truly are. The film suggests that true love requires looking past surface-level irritations and preconceived notions to discover the "inner truth" of another person. It champions the idea that genuine affection can blossom in the most unexpected places, even amidst daily workplace squabbles. Furthermore, the film is a touching portrayal of the workplace as a surrogate family, where personal and professional lives are deeply intertwined, and the small dramas of everyday life—job security, personal pride, and loneliness—are treated with warmth and humanity. It's a celebration of ordinary, middle-class people and the extraordinary emotions they experience.