The Feminist Filter: Becoming 2
Since my apartment didn't get destroyed by a tornado yesterday, I may as well celebrate by finishing up the next feminist filter outline. Let's get analyize-y with Becoming 2.
Mission Statement:
This series is intended to outline the feminist text of each episode so as to provoke and encourage open discussion. It's not so much about making value judgments about events and/or characters but about analyzing the series from a feminist framework so as to see what patterns and themes emerge.
Rules:
1. If you do not consider yourself a feminist or do not see the point of dissecting a TV show from a feminist perspective, this is not the meta series for you. I don't mean this in a hostile way, however the intended audience of this series is feminists who want to turn a critical eye to the show.
2. This meta series is written well beyond a 101 level of feminism. If you are new to feminism, I ask that you please take a look at this blog for an introduction to concepts that will be discussed heavily here.
3. If you begin to feel yourself getting defensive on behalf of a character (or the show), take a break from commenting. The outlines as posted are not meant to condemn either the characters or the show, but to contextualize the dialogue and events within the patriarchal cultural in which they reside.
4. BtVS is a constructed media. The characters are not actual people but are written, dressed, and directed by a team of outsiders. Criticizing a character for, say, having sex could be a sexist insult or it could be a legitimate criticism of the writers who chose to go that route with the storyline. There are nuances here when discussing a television show, and I ask that everybody be careful about exactly what's being discussed. A couple helpful terms are Watsonian and Doylist. "Watsonian" indicates that the discussion is taking place within the Buffy universe as if the characters are real people. "Doylist" indicates that the discussion is focused on the construction of the narrative and, as such, deals with the decisions of the writers and/or producers.
5. The key goal here is open discussion. I'm not presenting you guys with any brilliant insights; I'm just laying out what's in the episode. Feel free to discuss or disagree with me and others. Also feel free to answer other commenter's questions. The comment section is an open floor.
2.22 Becoming 2
I. The Tallies
Criteria for Bechdel Check: The episode must have a) two women in it b) who talk to each other c) about something besides a man.
II. Agency
Criteria for Agency: Do the female characters a) exert power or influence over the plot b) through decisions based on their own characterization? Agency means more than providing information or support that helps the (usually male) characters resolve the conflict.
The Plot: Angelus tortures Giles for information as to how to activate Acathla. Meanwhile, Buffy, wanted for murder and expelled from school, goes to stop him.
The Big Question:
If Buffy were taken out of this episode, would events occur in much the same fashion? No.
If Willow were taken out of this episode, would events occur in much the same fashion? No.
If Cordelia were taken out of this episode, would events occur in much the same fashion? Yes.
If Drusilla were taken out of this episode, would events occur in much the same fashion? Yes.
If Joyce were taken out of this episode, would events occur in much the same fashion? No.
III. The Feminist Fine-Toothed Comb
Criteria: Do any of the characters engage in sexist dialogue or action, whether overt or subtle? Does it receive an explicit rebuke or does it pass uncommented on? Further, what can be deduced from the various gendered comments that are made by the characters?
IV. Points to Consider
This entry was originally posted at http://gabrielleabelle.dreamwidth.org/368890.html. There are
comments on the DW side. Comments are welcome on either side. Due to massive SPAM issues on LJ, anon comments are only on the DW side.
Mission Statement:
This series is intended to outline the feminist text of each episode so as to provoke and encourage open discussion. It's not so much about making value judgments about events and/or characters but about analyzing the series from a feminist framework so as to see what patterns and themes emerge.
Rules:
1. If you do not consider yourself a feminist or do not see the point of dissecting a TV show from a feminist perspective, this is not the meta series for you. I don't mean this in a hostile way, however the intended audience of this series is feminists who want to turn a critical eye to the show.
2. This meta series is written well beyond a 101 level of feminism. If you are new to feminism, I ask that you please take a look at this blog for an introduction to concepts that will be discussed heavily here.
3. If you begin to feel yourself getting defensive on behalf of a character (or the show), take a break from commenting. The outlines as posted are not meant to condemn either the characters or the show, but to contextualize the dialogue and events within the patriarchal cultural in which they reside.
4. BtVS is a constructed media. The characters are not actual people but are written, dressed, and directed by a team of outsiders. Criticizing a character for, say, having sex could be a sexist insult or it could be a legitimate criticism of the writers who chose to go that route with the storyline. There are nuances here when discussing a television show, and I ask that everybody be careful about exactly what's being discussed. A couple helpful terms are Watsonian and Doylist. "Watsonian" indicates that the discussion is taking place within the Buffy universe as if the characters are real people. "Doylist" indicates that the discussion is focused on the construction of the narrative and, as such, deals with the decisions of the writers and/or producers.
5. The key goal here is open discussion. I'm not presenting you guys with any brilliant insights; I'm just laying out what's in the episode. Feel free to discuss or disagree with me and others. Also feel free to answer other commenter's questions. The comment section is an open floor.
2.22 Becoming 2
I. The Tallies
Criteria for Bechdel Check: The episode must have a) two women in it b) who talk to each other c) about something besides a man.
- Bechdel Check: PASS on 5 counts
- Deaths:
Dead boys: 1
Dead girls: 0
II. Agency
Criteria for Agency: Do the female characters a) exert power or influence over the plot b) through decisions based on their own characterization? Agency means more than providing information or support that helps the (usually male) characters resolve the conflict.
The Plot: Angelus tortures Giles for information as to how to activate Acathla. Meanwhile, Buffy, wanted for murder and expelled from school, goes to stop him.
The Big Question:
If Buffy were taken out of this episode, would events occur in much the same fashion? No.
If Willow were taken out of this episode, would events occur in much the same fashion? No.
If Cordelia were taken out of this episode, would events occur in much the same fashion? Yes.
If Drusilla were taken out of this episode, would events occur in much the same fashion? Yes.
If Joyce were taken out of this episode, would events occur in much the same fashion? No.
- Decisive Buffy: The episode starts out with pretty much everybody taken out of commission. Buffy is the one who forms the final plan to rescue Giles and stop Angelus from awakening Acathla.
- Decisive Willow: Willow decides, independently, to do the curse on Angel again.
- Decisive Joyce: Joyce's primary decision is to kick Buffy out of the house, which adds to Buffy's desperation and angst during and after the final fight.
III. The Feminist Fine-Toothed Comb
Criteria: Do any of the characters engage in sexist dialogue or action, whether overt or subtle? Does it receive an explicit rebuke or does it pass uncommented on? Further, what can be deduced from the various gendered comments that are made by the characters?
- Protagonists (Buffy, Xander, Willow, Giles, Cordelia, Oz, and Joyce)
1. In the first act, Buffy meets up with Xander at the hospital. When a couple of police officers walk by, Xander hugs her. Buffy jokes: "Okay, that was about equal parts protecting me and copping a feel, right?"
The joke is that a guy will take every opportunity to touch a girl's body, often to the point of disregarding consent entirely.
2. When Spike explains to Buffy why he wants to help her (because of Drusilla), Buffy comments: "The whole earth may be sucked into Hell, and you want my help 'cause your girlfriend's a big ho?"
"Big ho" being a slut-shaming phrase.
3. During Buffy's speech to her mother, it's interesting to note what she says she'd rather be doing: "I would love to be upstairs watching TV or gossiping about boys or...God, even studying!"
Except for "gossiping about boys", the other two are gender-neutral activities. This is an example of the show not playing with the masculine/feminine dichotomy of the Slayer. For this episode, that theme is not particularly salient.
4. When Willow says she wants to try the ensouling spell again, Xander tries to talk her out of it.
Xander: You don't look okay. (to Cordelia) Does she?
Cordelia: You should listen to him. The hair, it's so flat, and the lips...
Feminine, appearance-focused Cordelia takes to critiquing Willow's look rather than her actual health.
5. As he's being tortured by Angelus, Giles tells him that to be worthy, he must perform the ritual "in a tutu".
In addition to the ridiculousness of this, there's the added connection of a tutu being a woman's outfit. Men wearing women's clothes are objects of derision.
- Antagonists (Angelus, Drusilla, and Spike)
1. At the end of Act Two, Spike greets Buffy: "Hello, cutie."
"Cutie" is outside of Spike's usual affectations, and it acts at once as both a sexualizing and diminutive term for Buffy.
2. During Spike's "Goodbye, Picadilly" speech, he brushes off the apocalyptic aspirations of vamps as "tough guy talk". "Tough guy" implies a certain machismo to the act of talking big, gendering it. Odd considering Drusilla is right there along with Angelus in the plans to end the world.
- The Rest (Whistler, the police officers, Snyder)
1. In the teaser, as one of the officers is leading Buffy away, he says: "You'd do well to keep your mouth shut, missy."
"Missy" being a diminutive term for a young girl.
2. While in Giles' apartment, Whistler notes:
Whistler: (finds a bottle of beer) You know, raiding an Englishman's fridge is like dating a nun. You're never gonna get the good stuff.
"The good stuff" being sex, of course. This plays into traditional gender ideologies of marriage wherein men marry women to "get" sex rather than because they are in love with the actual person. Therefore, marrying a woman who won't have sex - such as a nun - is a disappointment.
IV. Points to Consider
- During Buffy's negotiation with Spike, Joyce asks: "Honey, a-are you sure you're a Vampire Slayer? [...] I-I mean, have you tried *not* being a Slayer?"
It's been noted that this entire scene resembles a gay teenager coming out to their parent. Joyce even later comments: "It's because you didn't have a strong father figure, isn't it?"
What do we make of the parallel drawn between being gay and being the Slayer?
- Is there any connection between the slow disintegration of Buffy's life - being kicked out of home and school, being wanted by the cops, etc - and her taking on the masculine role of the Slayer?
- What about the use of Drusilla, and the subsequent use of Giles' feelings for Jenny, in getting information from him? Women have long been seen as a "weakness" for men while at the same time they've been cast as emotional manipulators. The scene between Drusilla and Giles appears to fit both tropes at the same time.
This entry was originally posted at http://gabrielleabelle.dreamwidth.org/368890.html. There are
comments on the DW side. Comments are welcome on either side. Due to massive SPAM issues on LJ, anon comments are only on the DW side.