FREE-FOR-ALL META COMMENT-A-THON
Old news: lj is dead. Everyone is crazy busy, or they have other reasons not to be here. No one has time to read those huge meta posts we used to write once upon a time. But maybe we can all find ten minutes to do this:
FREE-FOR-ALL META COMMENT-A-THON!
( Read more... )
FREE-FOR-ALL META COMMENT-A-THON!
( Read more... )
In S1, Caroline literally does not know what has happened to her, and is thereby prevented from accessing the support theoretically offered to 'proper' victims. In S2, vampire 'consciousness-raising' gives her access to the reality of her abuse: she overpowers Damon ('I'm angrier!'); he tries and fails to silence (stake!) her; Stefan starts to identify with her (as opposed to using her as Damon-bait). It's interesting that this knowledge coincides with a period of alienation from her friends and boyfriend. It's also interesting that Damon, through his relationship with her mother, still has access to her house - and she is still visibly afraid of him, he is still keen to control and isolate her ('Don't be his friend').
In S2, Caroline develops her ability to physically dismiss other male violence. She also learns that when abuse is non-sexual, her friends will comfort her. She's able to use her relationship with Tyler to negotiate her responses to various kinds of trust vs. 'sexy danger' (he wasn't non-predatory pre-wolfing, as a werewolf, he's one of the few real dangers left to her, her interest in him is explicitly non-competitive, she takes the role of the experienced mentor). Her new power, her growing distance from the self who was abused, and her effectiveness at forming an equal, mostly platonic relationship with Tyler, all help Caroline heal herself. But they don't in any way 'solve' the problem - personal growth brings new challenges in S3...
Reply
Leave a comment