LOS ALAMITOS, Calif. — It is no secret that love triangles have existed for a long time, dating back to the Bible, Greek Myths, Shakespeare, classic books, movies and television shows. These plots steal the hearts of everyone, especially young adults, in recent years. Whether it’s brothers, best friends, enemies or strangers, these stories show jealousy, love, self-discovery and the value of decisions. 

Some of the earliest examples of love triangles can be found in Greek Myths. One of the most popular love triangles of Greek Mythology is between Aphrodite, Ares and Hephaestus. This story began when Aphrodite married Hephaestus and pursued a relationship with Ares. Once Hephaestus found out, he publicly shamed the two of them. This famous tale hooks readers with emotional love. 

Shakespeare, a famous poet and playwright in the Elizabethan times, featured numerous love triangles in his stories and plays. The most common love triangle of Shakespeare’s work is “Romeo and Juliet.” The disastrous play is about two young lovers from feuding families who find a way to be together, despite Juliet’s already being engaged to someone else. The play focuses on the themes of fate, jealousy and love. 

These stories are only continuing to come out, being more exposed to the public, especially in the past couple of years. Love triangles allow writers to question whether love should be practical or emotional. Numerous books explore the theme of love triangles through different characters and circumstances. Books have played an even bigger role in love triangles. Books can describe the complexity of feelings and emotions better than movies and series. 

A recent popular book with love triangles includes “The Selection,” by Kiera Cass, which tells the story of three different characters coming from different backgrounds. America Singer and Aspen Leger have always been in love. But, when America gets the chance to meet the prince, the story has a plot line of seeing who America will pick in the end, inviting readers to pick a side and debate who is better for the main character. 

Over the past couple of years, some of these popular books have become movies and television shows. The rise of film and television have brought love triangles into pop culture. Love triangles have taken the hearts of any age. One of the most recent and popular being “The Summer I Turned Pretty,” by Jenny Han. The book follows two brothers, Conrad and Jeremiah, and the main character, Belly, whom they have known their whole lives. During the duration of the series and book, fans online have made pages and arguments on which brother is better for Belly.

“Twilight” is another popular book to become an adaptation. In October of 2005, Stephenie Meyer released her first book of the series, “Twilight.” The book follows Edward, Jacob and Bella. Edward and Jacob each compete for the heart of Bella. Five more books were later released in the following years. The first movie came out in November of 2008, becoming a major box office success.  

“I enjoy watching the book-to-movie adaptations and seeing the changes and similarities,” said Los Alamitos High School freshman, Frankie Durate.

Another popular book-to-movie adaptation is “The Notebook,” by Nicholas Sparks, which follows Noah and Allie, two lovers meant to be together but are torn apart by society’s rules and social classes. The triangle is between Allie, Noah and Allie’s fiancé. Throughout the series, Allie decides if it’s better to follow her heart or her family.  This classic book has been made into a play as well. The book was originally released in October of 1996, with the movie coming out in June of 2004.   

In recent stories, love triangles have been changed entirely at the end, with the main character choosing self-growth over romance. Modern stories have been more elaborate in encouraging people not to depend on romance or a partner. Rather than having or stating a clear winner, they choose self-identity and focus more on their career. 

In the beloved show “Gilmore Girls,” the main character Rory is constantly in the middle of a love triangle with different people at different times. During the show’s finale, Rory untimately chooses stay independent and prioritizes her journalism career. 

Now, one of the most common questions regarding love triangles is, “Why are people so drawn to them?” These films and series get fans going and expressing strong opinions on who is right or wrong for the character. These devoted fans create online debates, nicknames, edits and futures for their characters’ choices. Many people have read the books and want to continue and see how the story will evolve and change. Or maybe some people have no idea how the story goes and want to learn about it firsthand. The majority of love triangles show the difference between choosing right and wrong.

“I enjoy watching and reading the stories for drama and being able to talk about it with my friends,” said freshman Lily Jones. 

Regardless of everything, these beloved stories continue to change. The main focus of all is choice. These stories aren’t just for romance, they are used for self-expression, identity, understanding themselves, emotional conflict and choosing a path forward.