[meta] Dawn Summers: Fighting for an Alternative Feminist Narrative (2)
What, you think I never watched you?
The Transformative Power of Watching and Voyeurism in the Buffyverse[Herein lies the actual presentation as submitted]The character of Dawn Summers, introduced in the fifth season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, acts as a fan of the story she is on the fringes on. She has her own tv-boyfriend (Xander), her own OTP (one true pairing - Willow/Tara), her own ( Read more... )
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One common - and ridiculous - complaint regarding female characters in other pop culture vampire narratives is: “Why did it take her so long to figure it out?”
YES UGHHHHHH THIS COMPLAINT IS SO STUPID TO ME.
It is one thing to read Simone de Beauvoir or bell hooks in a classroom or even in one’s room while scribbling furious notes or blogging about the beauty of Feminism - it is quite another to not laugh at sexists jokes, to not make them, to not engage in basic slut-shaming, or to stop judging oneself against Michelle Trachtenburg’s impossibly thin frame.
This is so true and gut-punchy.
Regardless, Dawn fights to get back to the battle and when she gets there:
She kicks Buffy in the shin.
Dawn’s narrative is no longer about being marginalized
YES YES YES. POSSIBLY THE BEST DAWN MOMENT EVER? And the idea that she WOULDN'T protest against having that decision forcibly taken away from her is ew.
Dawn’s narrative isn’t about ( ... )
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Oh, cool. Somehow I'd never thought of Dawn as a "fan" in that way. But of course, that analogy is so apt.
I'm so very glad! ((It's the basis for my thesis!))
YES UGHHHHHH THIS COMPLAINT IS SO STUPID TO ME.
Everyone laughed at this when I presented. It was delightful.
Yep. Dawn has no special powers, but she does have autonomy. That's it in a nutshell.
Exactly. She may not be "just a girl" in the sense that ... I don't think anyone would be comfortable being told that's all they are. But the text sure does try to make it seem like this is all she is. And then it doesn't. It completely subverts itself.
She's just like us - she was written by someone else, her role determined for her, and she says "Fuck you" louder than anyone else in this series ever does (on their own, just for themselves).
... This is not an intelligent comment at all, but suffice it to say that I love everything this post chooses to be and I'm glad you exist.This is a perfect comment and BLESS YOU for talking about this with me. Dawn makes me so ( ... )
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Dawn’s narrative is about being sure of one’s own power, even when the system repeatedly tells you that you have none.
YES!
Wonderful analysis of Dawn's character and arc. She's always been one of my favorite characters (and one of my favorites to write), though I've never been able to put my finger on the why. And I think you've done that here. Thanks so much for giving words to what was in my head all along but just couldn't come out.
One of Dawn's actions that you didn't mention here that is one of my favorite Dawn-moments and really helps define her character and her role, is when the rips up the picture of Joyce to - in my interpretation - protect Buffy (emotionally). I love the role-reversal, there. :)
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Thank you!!!
Thanks so much for giving words to what was in my head all along but just couldn't come out.
She's terribly underrated by the universe. I'm so glad you are enjoying my thoughts.
One of Dawn's actions that you didn't mention here that is one of my favorite Dawn-moments
Yes. I love that moment. ((Also everything she does ever when she fights off the ghosty in S7)) For the conference, I had to make sure I streamline and pinpoint just three examples to make sure I didn't get too bogged down.
This will come up in my next post about this - but after I presented, someone asked about Dawn's relationship to magick and whether that could be seen as "picking up the mantle" as well. Which is complicated. Because S6 shows how damaging magick is - from S4 onward, magick (as expressed in Willow's narrative) is a drug. So I said that I felt like that episode - in which Dawn proves to be a pretty badass little wicca - she went through Willow's entire season six narrative in one ( ... )
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Definitely. Also, I think it's important to point out here that Dawn's making a choice to put down a tool that could give her more power, make her more special. Yes, she does recognize how dangerous it is, but I don't think this takes away from her choice. For one thing, the treatment of magick is terribly inconsistent in the 'verse. Tara, someone Dawn greatly admires, is shown to practice Wicca and perform magick in a respectful and moderate way. Even with Dawn's recognition of how harmful magick could be, I feel it wouldn't be out of character for her to continue using magick in a more moderate way, as Tara did. So, I really think her choice to remain "just a girl" is important to point out.
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Everything about this statement fills me with such joy I'm not sure what more to add.
When I was at the conference and mentioned to a room full of scholars and academics how I felt about this - that Dawn proved in a single episode to not only be incredibly proficient at powerful magick, but also set aside that power; everyone sort of stared blankly at me. Because that so rarely comes to mind (?) when this episode is discussed - yet "Potential" is lauded as being so very important to Dawn's development... and yet it shows something so very different. In this moment, she chooses and seeks out power, rather than it being given to her from an outside source, and then sets it down.
I also brought up the teeny, weeny scene in S7 in which Dawn translates alone an Ancient text, Willow mentions there's already a translation, and Dawn shrugs it off. I noted that had it been Willow dealing with this text - we would have SEEN Willow struggling with the ( ... )
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And what's struck me about her is that she's ALWAYS been wanting to gain power? In Fool For Love, she asks Buffy when she gets to patrol. Throughout the next seasons, she keeps asking to help research or patrol, she takes action when it's necessary and when there's no one around to hold her back, and the minute she's home alone she starts playing with Buffy's crossbow ( ... )
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And what's struck me about her is that she's ALWAYS been wanting to gain power?
Yes, Dawn is always trying to push back against the System and become a part of the Scoobies. I think a lot of viewers see that as a naivete, of her not understanding the consequences of Slaying, but it is the same as a child asking to drive before they are legally able - a parent that just says "no" without educating and explaining to their child the dangers and responsibilities of driving. In her current circumstances, Dawn learns by copying her sister - she "learns by watching" ... just as many children do to an extent. And if your sister is the Slayer, the way you approach Power will be significantly different.
And yes, her multi-language acquisition is another fascinating aspect of her personality (and will be covered in part 3 - as soon as I'm back from this short family holiday)
And yes, the fact that the narrative so often suggests that girls and women like Dawn aren't part of the club is a severe ( ... )
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I'm sorry, I don't have very much to say when I read powerful and inspiring meta. I'm just absorbing your words right now. Such interesting reading!
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I watched BtVS in 2008-2009 and had no idea about all the Dawn Hate until I joined fandom later in 2010. It kind of boggles my mind.
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I also joined fandom late (right around the same time - maybe as early as 2009) and the Dawn-hate REALLY confused me as well.
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