The Arrangement: An Essay

[hekateras]

This is just a quick gander into the way the relationship between Aziraphale and Crowley progresses in Good Omens throughout the book, probably in not too eloquent a format.

What strikes me is that at the beginning, it is portrayed as very much a matter of necessity/convenience rather than emotional fulfillment: "they wouldn't have chosen each other

Comments

[ladymouse2]

Excellent, thoughtful analysis, both of you!

Enjoyed this essay immensely. Lucid and persuasive; even though I'm not of the physical love aspect school I do think these two would die for each other and, as Gaiman blithely quipped, would also live quite comfortably together on the South Downs. And you both marshal a convincing progression of example.

[hekateras]

Thanks! I know what you mean about the physical aspect. I tend to prefer fascinatingly close platonic relationships in my stories, instead (think Conan Doyle's Holmes and Watson), and I think it makes even more sense for two immortals to whom sex doesn't mean the same thing as it does to us, anyway. Still, the book does pile the hints pretty high for those who want slash as their headcanon, so I thought I'd be remiss not to mention that.

[ladymouse2]

Oh, I don't mind and read plenty of GO that does go there as far as human-style sex and human-style lovers; it's just not where I see them myself. Mostly for the reasons you cited and my own conviction that no matter how "native" either one goes, their unique perspective makes them very much NOT apt to behave as ordinary humans.

I appreciate your specifying "Doyle's" Holmes and Watson since, of course, writers both fannish AND pro have been exploring the slash possibilities since the 70s! I prefer my Holmes and Watson "straight" in all sense of the word--but I'm a traditionalist.

I too enjoy the greater complexity of the close friendship and the nicely balanced tension. In GO I see the "teases" more as metaphor since Gaiman and Pratchett are attempting to explore a relationship that has few reference points for a human reader.

[hekateras]

Yeah, I often get the impression that subtle friendships are often neglected in stories in favour of more dramatic, simpler-to-understand (not to mention easier to depict on the wide screen) romances, and it really is a shame. I think friendship really has something fascinating going for it - I'd even call it one of those things that make humans relatively unique among other animals: the capacity to develop that kind of undying, self-sacrificing devotion to another while potentially getting very little in return: When you're romantically together with someone, there is an implicit promise of them being with you, and only with you, for the rest of your lives - but there's nothing uncommon about a devoted friendship between two people who will eventually have to go their separate ways and might never see each other again. It's a completely different kind of selflessness involved, IMO, when you risk your life to say somebody you're not romantically interested in

[irisbleufic]

Here's the thing about bringing a physical aspect into the relationship, at least from my perspective: it has to be very carefully done, but I don't find it illogical at all. They are, in fact, much more immense than the human characters around them can possibly know, but, at the same time, they're capable of humanity that's so profoundly human (I don't know how else to express it; forgive the repetition) that I was (on first reading), still am, and will forever be completely in awe of them. I seriously doubt that their friendship would ever take that turn before the events of the book, simply because, as you've carefully illustrated, they don't really see each other quite consistently enough until the threat of Apocalypse comes down pretty hard and fast. That's why you'll never see me write a story wherein they're physically involved pre-1990; I'm sure there are many who'd like historical A/C smut from me, but there's seriously no chance of it happening *rueful grin* Can't see it. That's not to say I don't enjoy reading it when

[hekateras]

I'm sorry I dropped it off like that - I've been kind of stressed with exams/moving lately and what free time I had, my fanfic demons were forcing me to use otherwise. X_X Hope you don't mind me coming back to this now

[irisbleufic]

(Oh, God, the fic with the plaster line is the very first piece of GO fic I ever wrote. I've come on a lot since then, I think *wry grin* It's called "The Last Temptation of Crowley," though, and it was relocated to my fic journal back in 2007 or 2008 because I decided to pull all of the things I'd posted directly to this comm in 2005 and have them hosted in my own space instead. The good omens tag on my journal is a pretty good indicator of just how much more I've written in the years since then; it kind of boggles my mind that, of all my fandoms, this one has never wavered in strength, and I've never strayed from it.)

As it turns out, I've seen your art on DeviantArt; I just hadn't seen your Tumblr account. This sketch is particularly wonderful, for some reason. The contrast of their respective weapons really makes me grin.

And wow, so you were the one who prompted the 'cottage' admission...

Very much guilty as charged, and I've been writing in that vein ever since with CoT 'verse. Leave it to Terry to dodge the question

[knacc]

Knaccfornerdiness here, just saying thank you for your kind words. :)