Why obsessively analysing Buffy can be a handy RL skill.

[elisi]

You might remember that I mentioned reading a book whilst on holiday (‘The Girl in a Swing’ - one of my mother’s favourites) and how little I liked it. Well about 1/3 through I decided to just give up, because it irritated me so much. My mother was a bit disappointed, because she had counted on me to be able to explain things to her that happened later on. So instead she just filled me in on the rest of the plot (which btw - *shiver*! I’m am SO GLAD I didn’t continue, just hearing about it freaked me out. Gah!). Anyway, turns out it was all extremely symbolic and stuff - and it took me around 10 minutes to unravel the whole thing. Maybe less.

You see the book relied heavily on metaphors, allegories, symbols, foreshadowing, hidden clues, the way things are connected etc. etc. And having spent the last 3 years contemplating exactly this sort of thing, it was almost absurdly easy (Been there, done the meme, got the feedback...). Not to mention that the central idea was the concept of something Other trying to live in our world, with no real understanding of human morals and the way things work! Sound familiar?

My mother was very impressed. :)

So there - the skills acquired when analysing Buffy can be really useful!

~~~~~~

School starts tomorrow, so hopefully I can get my life back! Today my internet was *ded* most of the day - on the upside I got A LOT of housework done!

Oh and I posted fic yesterday: Goodbye Mr Chip.

Comments

[shapinglight]

School starts tomorrow, so hopefully I can get my life back!

I know exactly what you mean.

[elisi]

I know! Although I've been hopeless at commenting, I *have* been reading your posts.

[shapinglight]

I've been trying not to look too happy this evening. Don't want to annoy M.

[elisi]

That's very tactful of you. I went to bed quite early yesterday (well comparatively), and when Darcy looked all put out reminded him that I had to get up at 6.30...

[shapinglight]

The school bus went past 15 minutes ago - wonderful sense of freedom!

[elisi]

I've just come back from taking them. I won't have to leave again until 3pm! :D

[samsom.livejournal.com]

You have no idea how many things this show has ruined for me, by raising the bar so high and doing it so much better than anyone else.

Another reason I love your metas - the chance to wallow in the show. I just bought Btvs S4, specifically because it begins my absolute favorite period - SPUFFY subtext. So any essays or metas you might want to do for that period, I'm all ears.

::insert shameless begging::

[elisi]

by raising the bar so high and doing it so much better than anyone else.
It's awful, isn't it?

So any essays or metas you might want to do for that period, I'm all ears.
Heeeeee! Well in our re-watch we're now halfway through S3... and hopefully once we're finished Darcy will buy S4 and my Buffy collection will be complete. For S4 foreshadowing (and S2 & S5 as well) can I recommend Spring Summers' Spikecentricity reviews? Fantastic in every way! :)

[avrelia.livejournal.com]

Yeah, Buffy completely ruined for me reading bad books and watching bad movies... I realized it some time ago, and then we talked about it at Writercon and all ladies addmited the same problem.

Not only I now analyze everything I read and watch, I can't hepl myself but try to edit style and grammar while reading!

[elisi]

Buffy completely ruined for me reading bad books and watching bad movies
At least we aren't alone! And I think that being analytical (whilst sometimes a hindrance) is sually a good thing, in that it ought to add to the enjoyment. :)