The Vampire Diaries: Metanarratives and the Effects of Framing in the Process of Interpretation

[youcallitwinter]

This arose from a discussion that wheatear, cranmers, and ishi_chan had on the previous 3x20 (non) reaction post, and also many other discussions on the same topic, that I just found fascinating and wanted to contribute to, and then it just turned into this horrifying thing and I cannot even with my life anymore. /fml (But then again, I’m doing a paper on text and the

Comments

[wheatear]

If Elena had had her say first; something like “why would he do that? How could he do that to me?” and then Stefan had done his part; looked down as if her were afraid of her reaction and told her that it was because Damon loved her, and that had been the last word of the scene, then Damon’s action would have been legitimized.

I have to add - fantastic point. It hadn't occurred to me before just how important a character getting the last word is. Your examples here are brilliant - amazing how switching the order of just two lines of dialogue can completely change the meaning of a scene.

This is why the moments where one character silences the other have such an effect - why the writers chose to put Jeremy in a position where he literally could not say anything while Rose gave him her D/E speech, and why Caroline interrupts Elena to give her S/E speech.

[youcallitwinter]

t hadn't occurred to me before just how important a character getting the last word is.

(Actually it totally hadn't occurred to me either, all my arguments are usually formed IN the process of writing, heh). I really do think that structural placement is extremely important, which is why I'm much more a Doylist than a Watsonian, and far too interested in structure :s

This is why the moments where one character silences the other have such an effect - why the writers chose to put Jeremy in a position where he literally could not say anything while Rose gave him her D/E speech, and why Caroline interrupts Elena to give her S/E speech.

That's an excellent point! Because literally silencing someone just completely removes all those alternate discourses that otherwise exists wherever there are multiple characters. And if Elena or Jeremy had gotten the chance to make their objections afterwards, it would've totally undermined the Shipping Manifestos. Alas D:

[wheatear]

I really do think that structural placement is extremely important, which is why I'm much more a Doylist than a Watsonian, and far too interested in structure :s

I love it; I will be looking out for this in the future!

Because literally silencing someone just completely removes all those alternate discourses that otherwise exists wherever there are multiple characters.

Yes, exactly. Especially Jeremy. It's a horrible mistreatment of his character when at no point has he ever been allowed to have an honest conversation with Elena about the vampires in her life. He never talked to Elena about getting his neck snapped. I can't fathom why none of these characters are sitting Elena down and recommending that she cuts all Salvatores out of her life. So many of them have good reason to do it. But that wouldn't fit the 'Elena must be surrounded by Salvatores at all times' agenda.

[youcallitwinter]

It's a horrible mistreatment of his character when at no point has he ever been allowed to have an honest conversation with Elena about the vampires in her life.

I know, right? There totally should be a discussion there D: That's what happens when you send away characters; their view-point just...goes with them. Like, Jeremy is one of the most legit characters to actually talk to Elena about the Salvatores. At this point, it doesn't even seem like They're The Only Guys In The World For Her and She Will Never Love Again. I mean, it does, but only because the show makes it seem so. I would've faulted Caroline's Matt conversation on that angle as well, but she's a teenage girl, so maybe it does seem like it's True Epic Love Forever, so I let that slide.

But that wouldn't fit the 'Elena must be surrounded by Salvatores at all times' agenda.THIS SO MUCH. It's little things that add to this; like Klaus saying something earlier in the season about how he'll hurt everyone if she doesn't ask Stefan to give the coffins back or something;

[wheatear]

They're The Only Guys In The World For Her and She Will Never Love Again.

Ugh, yeah, it shouldn't be like this. They should not be the only options on the table. And I do fault the Caroline-Matt conversation for that; it's just as bad for me because she's actively deterring other healthier options. No Salvatore, no go, apparently.

Since when is the thought of Damon getting killed far more an incentive than the death of her best friends? D:

...Yeah.

[upupa_epops]

far too interested in structure :s

No such thing. Come on, where's the fun of reading if you can't get geeky about the structure?