You reminded me of something Whedon said during that recent Cultural Humanist Q&A - when asked about intent and the contradictions in his stories. The person asking the question - wanted to know how an athesist and existentialist reconciled the "magic snow" scene in Amends with say "Objects in Space" or the scene in Epithany - Angel S2. Whedon responded that he is telling a story and there are multiple voices and perspectives in his head. What you see on the screen are all those voices arguing with each other. I don't often know. And as a story teller, if I picked just one, it would become didatic not story.
I agree with your take on ITW. I think people forget that it is told through Buffy's pov mainly, then Xanders and finally Riley's. We are getting multiple perspectives.
What I have always found amusing about posts on ITW and Xander/Anya, is the irony that everyone appears to be missing. Xander's speech to Buffy is a huge projection. Every word he says could be applied to his relationship with Anya. And Buffy calls him on it. Which motivates him to tell Anya she is amazing and further his relationship with her. He even proposes. Yet, look what happens in Hell's Bells - he basically does to Anya what he is accusing Buffy of doing to Riley. He's never honest with her or himself. He doesn't see their relationship clearly until Hell's Bells. Xander has also to a degree romanticized Riley and Buffy. He hasn't heard her side, so much as Riley's and he doesn't know everything regarding Riley. He thinks he is being a good friend, but he isn't. His speech is selfishly motivated. As the writer shows later in both AYW and in Hell's Bells. It's great - because what it shows us is that even though our friends may be well-meaning, their advice is not always in our best interest. We have to make our own choices.
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Date: 2009-09-30 01:39 am (UTC)Epithany - Angel S2. Whedon responded that he is telling a story and there are multiple voices and perspectives in his head. What you see on the screen are all those voices arguing with each other. I don't
often know. And as a story teller, if I picked just one, it would become didatic not story.
I agree with your take on ITW. I think people forget that it is told through Buffy's pov mainly, then Xanders and finally Riley's. We are getting multiple perspectives.
What I have always found amusing about posts on ITW and Xander/Anya, is the irony that everyone appears to be missing. Xander's speech to Buffy is a huge projection. Every word he says could be applied to his relationship with Anya. And Buffy calls him on it.
Which motivates him to tell Anya she is amazing and further his relationship with her. He even proposes. Yet, look what happens in Hell's Bells - he basically does to Anya what he is accusing Buffy of doing to Riley. He's never honest with her or himself. He doesn't see their relationship clearly until Hell's Bells. Xander has also to a degree romanticized Riley and Buffy. He hasn't heard her side, so much as Riley's and he doesn't know everything regarding Riley.
He thinks he is being a good friend, but he isn't.
His speech is selfishly motivated. As the writer shows later in both AYW and in Hell's Bells. It's great - because what it shows us is that even though our friends may be well-meaning, their advice is not always in our best interest. We have to make our own choices.