The Feminist Filter: Anne

[gabrielleabelle]

Let's start off S3, shall we?

*waits for norwie2010*

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

Comments

Monday, April 30th

[livejournal]

User rahirah referenced to your post from Monday, April 30th saying: [...] The Feminist Filter: Anne [...]

[local_max]

On your points to consider

[gabrielleabelle]

1. *nods*

I agree with you on Willow's part, though she doesn't do much to actually affect the plot of this specific episode. Her role is more noteworthy in terms of her S3 arc in general.

[pocochina]

I do think that Willow -- not to mention Xander and Oz and Cordelia -- don't necessarily have purely selfless motivations.

Yeah, I mean, you already know I agree with you on this. I think that's a really important point to raise in context of this episode in particular. Anne is deliberately raising the point that people shouldn't be trapped into work that sucks them dry. People are entitled to get something out of their work. And I think for the Scoobies to be measured against that bar of total selflessness, of not even any emotional reward from their dangerous job, is only a couple of degrees removed from that. Like they're supposed to be....uh, trapped into Sunnydale and let themselves be sucked dry, either literally by vampires or emotionally by hating the fight against the vampires.

[ceciliaj]

I have to say that the Gandhi line has never played for me. In that vein, I hope that it doesn't act as commentary on peaceful protests. local-max talks about Buffy's wit above, and I think that it is one of her most admirable qualities, most of the time, but when she crosses the line from wit into ignorance, I think it's a problem. It's especially unfortunate here, because I think the episode has pretty strong political resonance, which is only undermined by the flippant remark about another serious figure of resistance. What could have been an opportunity for us to expand the show's vision of the range of people subject to victimization by demon, turns with this joke to a rejection of broad solidarity. Perhaps one could say that they haven't earned it, and won't til Chosen, and if that is the case, then I would say that the Gandhi line is representative of that regression into the storyworld of mostly white U.S. high school, in which people face serious demons, but can do little more than survive for themselves and a small group.

[gabrielleabelle]

Huh. I was all set to agree with you, but norwie's comment below threw a wrench in my works. Now I'm gonna have to ponder. :)

[ceciliaj]

My take: Considering the show's U.S.-centricity, as well as its fairly uncritical reproduction of U.S. racism, including a condescending and violent attitude toward the rest of the world, a single line articulating that even Gandhi would be moved to violence is problematic regardless of the man's full philosophy. But I do think that, discussion-wise, it is worth thinking more about the line at which violence becomes necessary, which may include a more complex take on Gandhi than the symbolic role played by his name here. I'm not saying this out of any particular commitment to a given interpretation of that moment in history, but rather because I think the line enables a simple "get him!" laughter that makes me nervous.

[gabrielleabelle]

I see what you're saying.

[norwie2010]

:D

[gabrielleabelle]

No worries on being absent. I certainly know RL stuff sometimes has to take priority. :)

Ghandi himself was very clear on his stance on violence: Be peaceful, because that is preferable - but if you don't succeed, then take up arms.

Interesting! I hadn't known that.

[amazing_grace93]

I like Lilly's story from a feminist perspective. She goes from a woman completely dependant on a man to take care of her to a woman who now has the confidence to start taking care of herself. I think it's a nice example of Buffy helping somebody out in a non-slaying way.

[shuukuchi]

And then becomes a woman capable of helping and partially taking care of others in Angel!

[gabrielleabelle]

Good point. :)