Fraser's emotional state - some thoughts
This 'essay' actually came about from reading comments by people in relation to another character from another show but I thought it illustrated the point that people form different groups will look for characters on TV that share their tendencies. Now whilst I haven't actually seen anyone discuss this I am sure that some out there might think Fraser has autistic tendencies of sorts.
For example he is nervous around women, seemingly innocent and naive, he pursues his goals seemingly without regard as to the consequences, he's logical and analytical, he doesn’t show affection much etc.
However I feel that this isn't the case. I said seemingly and I think that's important. Fraser can clearly read other people's emotional states, he is able to tell an Inuit story to disarm a situation choosing an anecdote that focuses in on their situation. He couldn't do that if he was unaware of their emotions (a key aspect of aspbergers or autism).
Fraser might be nervous around women and their come ons but he lived in the middle of the frozen wilds of Canada. He simply isn't used to the aggressiveness of Chicago women. He never shows any unease with other people, talking to and befriending people on the street and in his apartment building.
His heartfelt talks with his father in VS and BITH show he does feel and that he wanted to be demonstrative but with his father that was never an option. It became a habit and old habits die hard. Once he was set in his ways Fraser stayed there.
He does show emotion though. We see him laugh and smile with Ray. Their banter clearly shows Fraser can hold a conversation with Ray which has emotional subtext like the teasing. He understands it is teasing and plays along.
Fraser has a strong sense of right and wrong, of duty and justice. You could say this is his passion and when people are passionate about things they made disregard the consequences. Plus Fraser while he may not realise how many times he has risked his life and Ray's perhaps has not seen it as a risk being confident in both their abilities. He just sees it as part of the job.
Then of course there is the madness he exhibited when it came to Victoria. He lost himself in his emotions. PG has been quoted in an interview as saying if Fraser didn't keep such a tight rein on his emotions he'd be a psychopath. However you want to take that the fact remains that Fraser feels so strongly he doesn't trust himself a lot of the time and so reins everything in. This is more Vulcan-like than aspbergers.
Plus he has suffered a lot of death in his life. The death of his mother at an early age must have affected him. To keep emotion under tight control would be a coping mechanism to that. As I have already said he doesn't always shut himself down completely. He is a human being and we see a lot of that with Ray.
So Fraser is stoic rather than anything else. At first glance you might be tempted to call him autistic or having aspbergers syndrome and who knows he might have very mild tendencies toward that direction but really he just a man with a strong sense of right and wrong who likes to keep his emotions in check.
For example he is nervous around women, seemingly innocent and naive, he pursues his goals seemingly without regard as to the consequences, he's logical and analytical, he doesn’t show affection much etc.
However I feel that this isn't the case. I said seemingly and I think that's important. Fraser can clearly read other people's emotional states, he is able to tell an Inuit story to disarm a situation choosing an anecdote that focuses in on their situation. He couldn't do that if he was unaware of their emotions (a key aspect of aspbergers or autism).
Fraser might be nervous around women and their come ons but he lived in the middle of the frozen wilds of Canada. He simply isn't used to the aggressiveness of Chicago women. He never shows any unease with other people, talking to and befriending people on the street and in his apartment building.
His heartfelt talks with his father in VS and BITH show he does feel and that he wanted to be demonstrative but with his father that was never an option. It became a habit and old habits die hard. Once he was set in his ways Fraser stayed there.
He does show emotion though. We see him laugh and smile with Ray. Their banter clearly shows Fraser can hold a conversation with Ray which has emotional subtext like the teasing. He understands it is teasing and plays along.
Fraser has a strong sense of right and wrong, of duty and justice. You could say this is his passion and when people are passionate about things they made disregard the consequences. Plus Fraser while he may not realise how many times he has risked his life and Ray's perhaps has not seen it as a risk being confident in both their abilities. He just sees it as part of the job.
Then of course there is the madness he exhibited when it came to Victoria. He lost himself in his emotions. PG has been quoted in an interview as saying if Fraser didn't keep such a tight rein on his emotions he'd be a psychopath. However you want to take that the fact remains that Fraser feels so strongly he doesn't trust himself a lot of the time and so reins everything in. This is more Vulcan-like than aspbergers.
Plus he has suffered a lot of death in his life. The death of his mother at an early age must have affected him. To keep emotion under tight control would be a coping mechanism to that. As I have already said he doesn't always shut himself down completely. He is a human being and we see a lot of that with Ray.
So Fraser is stoic rather than anything else. At first glance you might be tempted to call him autistic or having aspbergers syndrome and who knows he might have very mild tendencies toward that direction but really he just a man with a strong sense of right and wrong who likes to keep his emotions in check.