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astorytellerforthatgirl · 6 years

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Maine as a Bearer of Light

Maine Mendoza becomes a household name in both the world of social and mainstream media for her numerous feat—-viral dubsmash videos, various local and international brand ads, 5th most tweeted celebrity worldwide in Twitter last 2017, #1 best selling author for NBS non-fiction section for some months, Favorite Pinoy Personality at Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards back in 2016, and Mac Cosmetics’ beauty influencers to name few of these feat spanning from 2015 to early 2018. Needless to say, she successfully traversed print, broadcast, mainstream, digital, and social media in that short time frame for a celebrity.

Yes, self-confessed fans showed their love and care while non-supporters express their admiration and respect for Maine, for That Girl due to these achievements. Aside from her magnificent milestones too in her career, a lot of people vouch for her self-discipline and for her pure heart.

As a random storyteller and a silent observer myself, I read articles, heard interviews and stories about people from the entertainment industry whether they are artists, directors, production staff, executives, etc of how she values her work ethics so much. She appears for a scheduled commitment way ahead of the call time. In addition, she’s very fun-to-be-with as they claimed. She’s one of the most genuine ones in the industry for her unassuming character. Also, fans who have luckily encountered Maine shared how she is so humble, warm, and outgoing personally. If only she can talk to everyone who wants to see her, I feel she will do so. This is how a pure heart Maine is.

But more than the Maine Mendoza everyone knows, what I want to emphasize here is how she become a bearer of light for anyone who needs it. Before I proceed further with this blog entry, allow me to explain first what I meant by a bearer of light. Light here, in its metaphorical context, means inspiration, motivation, encouragement, uplifting, enthusiasm, passion, love, care, and warmth. To be a bearer, one should have a pure heart that will make him or her credible to share and radiate this light. The bearer should have the ethos or authentic character, the pathos or the emotional appeal and connection, and the logos or rational and intellectual approach. In short, the bearer of light should have a discerning mind and a compassionate heart to be a true inspiration for anyone.

How does Maine Mendoza become a bearer of light?

First, she taught us how to conquer our fears and doubts. In the audition clip of Maine for Eat Bulaga, she was asked if she sings or dances into which she answered both with a No. That answer along with her timid body language reflects someone with doubts and limitations still hindering her. Fast forward to present time, how many times did we already witnessed Maine singing some songs and even dancing energetically to them? She is not as talented as the other mainstream artists out there but she conquered her earlier doubts and fears that she doesn’t sing or dance. She shared her skills too in playing the drums even if she feels she needs more practice. There’s no harm in trying for we have nothing to lose but everything to gain, that’s how Maine did it.

Second, she taught us to be true to ourselves and speak out the truth at the right time. Out of the many reasons why she trended in Twitter without an organized hashtag, the open letter she released last Nov. 26 is one of the most talked about. Polarizing reactions spurred out since then. It is expected because of the different focal lens each tried to use to comprehend that letter. It feels like I’m seeing an actual application of a Reader-Response literary theory, wherein the meaning of the text lies in how the readers perceived it subjectively due to their schema, emotions, and other related factors. Maine know the possible aftermath of what she did…she is willing to lose it all at that moment just to send her message of truth across everyone. That “kahit sampu na lang matira” is a testament to her assumption she’ll be hated by all for speaking the truth. Yes, there are several interpretations after but from my personal observation, the open letter did help Maine to release every unsaid words in her heart. She has finally explained the truth without using euphemisms or sugarcoating. In fact I am impressed she still has a calm tone in the open letter and not letting her emotions to take full control of her. It takes a lot of guts to do that mind you. “Speak the truth even if your voice is shaky”, she reminded us of that.

Third, she taught us to stand up for our beliefs even if we are the lone messenger in a given circumstance or situation. Remember the depression issue with another host Joey de Leon? In that “Juan for All, All for Juan” segment, a brief exchange of conflicting opinions persisted. De Leon has a different take on depression that it isn’t real while Maine insisted in a respectful tone that it isn’t a joke and those who are suffering from it needs support. This is another moment Maine trended in Twitter without an organized hashtag. Netizens rallied behind her for standing up for her beliefs even if she is the lone messenger in that situation. She did not flinch or back down. She knew her silence may mean an indirect agreement with De Leon hence she became firmer in her stand. Some netizens even claimed they are not fans or they barely know Maine but they commend her bravery for speaking up. I’m surprised even my favorite political satirist applauded Maine in his Twitter account for that matter because he rarely tweets about mainstream celebrities. That’s the game changer for you folks. Fight for your belief even if you will fight alone, like how Maine speaks up.

Fourth, she taught us fight back again despite of the challenges. What happened after the open letter? Swarms of clashing opinions flooded from different camps. Others did not like what Maine did while there are also those who applauded her. Speculations came from nowhere said she might consider quitting. Her one month hiatus was the longest time to endure for her fans. No one knows what will be her next plan of actions. December passed and while she got back on her social media accounts, it is still a mystery back then how will Maine come back after this most challenging part of her career to date. The Maine who returned on Eat Bulaga is one with a more positive, more cheerful, and more relaxed aura. Her sunshine smile and expressive eyes dazzled that day. She was finally free of the inner turmoil in her heart brought by the challenges. She did not let anything stopped her from returning and it feels like seeing a Maine Mendoza with a clean and brand new slate—a perfect way to greet the new year for sure. We can’t control how people will react or how big is the magnitude of the challenges but we can learn how to go through it all with a resilient spirit. Thank you for this reminder Maine.

Fifth, she taught us how to be grateful for everything. From the most simple things, actions, gestures, efforts to the outpour of blessings, Maine showed her gratitude for it all. From a perspective of a fan, her biggest gestures of recognizing the support she got is by the allowing us to see her for who she is through various forms like in her social media accounts, her blog, and her autobiography. For a mainstream celebrity like her who has tons of commitment, it’s heartwarming to see she exerts efforts to reach to the fans in her own special way. Add to these are the humbling personal interaction with Maine by some lucky fans. Her heart is overwhelmed indeed with gratitude that at times, she’s trying to contain herself and holding back her tears—pure bliss indeed. We have to be thankful for everything we have in our life now as how Maine has shown as well.

Sixth, she taught us to smile and laugh amidst all problems. Her dubsmash videos, witty catchphrases, funny replies in ask.FM, and wacky pictures are some of her subtle reminders to always find the sunshine despite the cloudy or stormy days in our life. Can you recall that clip from “I Can See Your Voice” she shared? She mentioned there “para sa mga nalulungkot…” Maine just want to remind us always to smile, laugh, and find happiness in any possible way. We don’t need to look far for it is our choice to let ourselves be infected with that contagious happy virus. Life is greater with happiness in our hearts. *

Seventh, she taught us to empathize with others. Despite being a mainstream celebrity and a daughter of a Class B family, Maine wholeheartedly accept the taong grasa social experiment before in Eat Bulaga. She was incognito as a rugged beggar asking for help. She didn’t mind going through the streets being avoided by everyone. It was an Eye-opener for her and made her more empathic for the less fortunate. Likewise, in some of her retweets for Jan 2018, she noticed those who are asking for assistance for their medical concerns. There are fans who responded too after she retweeted them. That ripple of empathy and compassion from her was passed on to her fans like how a light gets through a dark room. Again, this is another way that Maine is a bearer of light.

Eighth, she taught us to give it all we got. One of her most unforgettable performances on “Eat Bulaga” was that Dabarkads challenge wherein she and Ryan Agoncillo became a tandem. I didn’t know the song “Alarma” is now a stimulus for me to reminisce those heart-stopping performances. (KASI NAMAN DI PA AKO NAGKAROON NG IDOL NOON NA BINABALIBAG, HINAHAGIS,INIITSA!!!???? SI MAINE LANG!!! HAHAHA!!!) How far can she really go? Not even the sky is the limit for Maine. She wants to always give better than the best expectations from her. If she did feel fear or hesitation in those jaw-dropping productions, I wouldn’t know for she stamped them all with her enthusiasm and passion. Go for the gold. All or nothing. Go home or go big. Maine wants to give her all more than just her best because her best is just a part of her all. Let’s take that cue from her.

Ninth, she taught us to freely express our ideas and never suppress it. Even before the open letter, Maine is very expressive in her blog. For me, it feels her blog is like a diary in reverse. She writes down her experiences, stories, and just about anything that crosses her mind. The difference with a diary though is these blog entries are not in secret and she let us read them too. This random storyteller became a fangirl of Maine because of her blogger side. She has a knack for writing but she needs to develop more techniques to add depth in her style. Nevertheless, even if Maine didn’t take up creative writing as her major in college, she has a distinct tone in her writing. (Para sa akin yun ang tono na kapag binasa mo ang sinulat ni Maine, parang maririnig mo mismo ang boses niya, ramdam mo ang puso niya sa lahat ng blog entries niya) Maine can be a good writer for creative non-fiction as her strongest genre. I can see her the potential of writing not simply “I went to the beach” but rather describing it like “The salty smell of the cerulean sea soothes me as the gentle breeze and morning sun touches my skin. My feet are magnetized to the fine white sands. I love coming back to this faraway home.“ I’m excited to see Maine trying more in her writing skills especially for creative non-fiction, poetry, or flash fiction. She’ll do well for sure. Just like her, let us find ways how to express ourselves in the most comfortable medium for us.

Tenth, she taught us to be self-independent. She got her internship in New York for 6 months, away from her family and friends in the Philippines. She made that place like her own home and stood on her own feet. When she entered the entertainment industry too, her various commitments demand more places to travel for her. Finding the right balance between responsibility and making the most out of each moment, Maine savors these experiences as room for growth and development. Being self-independent strengthens us more while we enjoy the journey we chose.

Eleventh, she taught us the value of financial literacy. Maine did not let the glamour and luxury of the entertainment industry blind her from financial literacy. A friend of mine who has an idea of approximate ranges of franchises of popular food chains said that McDonald’s needs a huge capital investment. The McDonald’s in Sta.Maria, Bulacan is owned solely by Maine as evidenced from the OR(official receipt) with “NicoMaineDei Corp.” in it. She does not want to see her hard earned money go to vain hence she’s investing it. It’s nice too to learn more about financial literacy for us because at the time where inflation accelerates in our country, saving only is not enough anymore. We also need to invest. Maine is a role model too for this matter.

Twelfth, she taught us to value our education. As sad as I can say but the truth is we live in the times that access to education is a privilege and not a right anymore. Not everyone who wants to go to school can afford to do so, thus, for those who have the opportunity to finish their studies, do well and please don’t waste the chances given. Maine valued her education and she even attained honorary excellence in a specific term back in Benilde. It’s a reminder for her diligence in studying. I won’t be surprised if Maine gets back to studying by enrolling in short courses like filmmaking, communication arts, foreign languages, etc. or even in master’s program. For the youth especially teenagers looking up to Maine, have this as an inspiration as you finish your studies.

Thirteenth, she taught us the significance of family, friends, and loved ones. One of my favorite random moments Maine shared about her family is when her sister passed the CPA board exam. She excitedly shared to Twitter how grateful and celebratory was the atmosphere when they found out about the result. To be happy for a family member’s success means you want the best for them. I remembered too her first TV interview in Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho. It was just few days after she became Yaya Dub. Her parents proudly showed their support in the interview for as long as their daughter is happy, free, and responsibly growing in the entertainment industry. Also, Maine never forgets her friends as well. She finds time to catch up with them despite of her busy schedule. There’s no place like home when we are with our loved ones so we must take every opportunity to express our care for them like the actions of Maine.

Fourteenth, she taught us to not get even but to have love and courage. She knows when to keep mum and when to speak up. The most painful words in the form of fabricated maligning stories, crab mentality, sensationalized intriguing hearsays, below-the-belt allegations coming from loathe, envy, rage, and hatred can easily make anyone, even a celebrity, to think of getting even. Maine remained mum after the open letter for she knew she already said everything she wants to convey there, nothing more and nothing less. Her mark of love and courage emerge in the one-month hiatus she took and even more in the time now that she came back to work. This is one of my favorite defining moments of Maine—she is like a raw metal that the Blacksmith forged under fire into the sharpest sword. God sent her that forging process to test her heart, as painful as it gets but it helped Maine seek more in herself—that she has a pure heart and only love and courage should be the anchor. The bearer of light like Maine radiated brightly in this deep darkness. Like her, we should not let any negativity took control of our hearts and minds, even if we are provoked to do so.

Fifteenth, she taught us how to believe in ourselves and to have faith in God. I read an excerpt of her book from cosmo.ph. (https://www.cosmo.ph/entertainment/maine-mendoza-yup-i-am-that-girl-book-a1205-20171128)

“Things may go from bad to worse and you might feel like it’s never going to change, but believe me when I say it will get better. Everything will be all right, I promise you. We may have our own different battles, but remember there is only one God. He is always looking down on us wherever we go and whatever obstacle we face. You may currently be in a lot of pain, but you never know what God has in store for your future.”

Maine is persuading her readers to believe in themselves and trust God for their battles. No matter how dark, painful, troublesome, and endless the challenges are, there will always be a better tomorrow. All we need is a stronger faith and to always believe in ourselves.

Sixteenth, she taught us to “Fly high with our kite but keep our feet back on the ground”. Maine achieved all these feat in a short time and there are no signs stopping her from soaring further. Since her early dubsmash videos to the present, her humility remains. She isn’t letting anything go into her head. There is always a continuous process of learning and improving for her. She doesn’t let arrogance, narcissism, and ego become her center. In all the opportunities she received, she never forget to thank the people who are with her in this journey. That humility is another distinct mark of a pure heart and a bearer of light.

Lastly, she taught us to live our life to the fullest. She has her bucket list to fulfill. The “bucket list” as explained to me before by a friend who studies language transformations said that this is a list you want to fulfill before your lifetime ends. It came from the idiomatic expression “kick the bucket” which means to pass away, thus, having a bucket list is like a checklist with your whole lifetime as the time frame. Maine is truly enjoying her life to the fullest as she’s living her dream of becoming a celebrity and checked out some of those in her bucketlist. We must bear in mind that like Maine, our life is more than just work or studies. We have to find the right balance and seize the wonderful moments too.

These 17 are just some marks as to how she becomes a bearer of light coming from a random storyteller like me who silently fangirled for her alone since 2016 up to the release of the open letter. I decided to proudly reveal I am a fan of Maine to void her first assumption that “sampu na lang” will be her remaining fans after she dished out the open letter. I am pretty much certain this list of 17 will be longer for those who are die-hard supporters for they can share more what I just did.

If ever this blog entry reaches you Maine, I in behalf of all your fans, would love to express our gratitude for embracing the role of a bearer of light. Please continue doing so. You have so much more to offer….You even made this storyteller to remember God’s word of self-control, understanding, compassion, and forgiveness by putting it into action. Through you, friendships were formed and initiatives of advocacies started. Because of you, the silent and scared voices starts to speak up for themselves. For all those moments you stayed true to yourself, you become a universal happy pill for everyone who loves you. With your posts and messages, those who are on the verge of giving up felt God is persistently reminding them they are loved and they must hold on and propel in life.

Yes Maine! You are indeed a true bearer of light. :)

This time allow us to recall how worthy you are to be loved in spite of your flaws and imperfections…how worthy you are to be appreciated for your genuine character…how worthy you are to be reminded of your significance for us. This time allow us to be grateful for your mere existence and presence in this lifetime we have. This time allow us to shout with all our might how many of us stayed despite of your earlier fears “kahit sampu na lang matira” whether fans from affiliated groups or fans like me acting like a lone messenger. This time allow us to answer your questions “Ano ba talagang meron sa akin? Ano ba ang ginagawa ko?" Lahat-lahat ng binanggit ko dito Maine ginawa mo, may liwanag ka na nagpasaya sa amin. At kung minsan hindi mo alam kung paano pasasayahin ang sarili mo, hayaan mo, ipapaalala naming paulit-ulit kung gaano ka kahalaga sa amin.

...This time, please allow us to give back to you the light you radiated towards us… :)

And I wish one day, when fate smiles upon this random storyteller and the universe conspires with me, I can smile personally at you, look into your expressive eyes, and say with a cracked voice but a convincing tone:

“Maraming salamat sa lahat Maine, ibabalik ko na yun liwanag na binigay mo sa akin.”

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d6azylnwhr · 4 years

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Consider the first statement delivered by Barack Obama after Sandy Hook Elementary School Shooting.

- What are his goals here?

On December 14th, 2012 Barack Obama delivered a statement from the Briefing Room on the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newton, Connecticut. The most prevalent goal of the speech was to unify the nation and call for love, support and humanity in a moment of great adversity. It was a call to overcome political disputes and other seemingly meaningless differences for the common good. Barack Obama’s speech was tailored to every US citizen, because it revolved around the universal theme of family and grief - topics that are sensitive, emotional and evoke a sense of pathos. Furthermore, the goal of the speech was to blur the line between his powerful presidency and his identity as an American citizen in order to create a bond between himself and the people by finding common ground. One of the most evident goals of the speech was to offer his support and condolences to the ‘brokenhearted’ families and to prompt the nation to come together as one. Although it centered around a tragedy that was likely to evoke feelings of terror, despair and hatred (and he acknowledged the brutality and unexplainable nature of the situation) another one of his goals was to instill a feeling of hope in the audience, spreading the implicit message that despite hate, there is a lot of love in the world that binds people together, and that there is a future prospect of peace and harmony for the people of the United States.

- How are his means suited to the occasion?

Barack Obama uses a lot of emotional language and figurative imagery in his speech, such as metaphors, seen in the following examples: ‘our hearts are broken today’ and ‘their innocence has been torn away’, this really lays the foundation that there is nothing that can be done to reverse time or amend the past and to bring back the deceased, highlighting that the aftermath of this tragedy belongs to an emotional landscape. This kind of language hints that grief and empathy should generate support and compassion for the affected families and for one another, in general. It fits the mood of national shock and grief. The use of pathos is also very prevalent in the situation: ‘they had their entire lives ahead of them -- birthdays, graduations, weddings, kids of their own’. He uses enumeratio to describe the course of human life as one progresses from childhood to adulthood, highlighting that the children killed in the school shooting won’t have the opportunity to experience that, hence they have been stripped from their right to live and enjoy the complexities of a fulfilling life that would be otherwise ahead of them. The death of children always creates a sense of sorrow, despair and existential confusion, so his commentary and the use of asyndeton very much match the tragic, unexplainable nature of the event. The continuous use of the pronoun ‘we’ suits the occasion because it binds the nation together. Obama often touches on the topic of overcoming differences and disputes be that political, social or international for the common good, and this is one of the cases. He mentions that ‘we’ve endured too many of these tragedies’, that ‘our hearts are broken’, and ‘these children are our children’ - showing that US citizens are all connected through their humanity and emotions, and it is these things that should steer them in difficult moments. It’s a call for coalition and almost teamwork to overcome adversity. He highlights that suffering is universal and that it is the people’s responsibility to come together and support one another.

- Do you find it effective? Why/why not?

I find Obama’s statement very effective in that it gears away from his political stance and evoke a feeling of national unity and compassion in light of the tragedy. The consecutive use of the pronoun ‘we’ binds the nation together, elucidating the impression that this horrific event is not an individual trauma that must be dealt with privately, but a national tragedy that should affect the lives of every American citizen. I also find it effective, because it instills strong emotions and is characterized by a raw and honest tone. It focuses on the semantic field of family and love, topics that resonate with everybody to some extent, which set this event apart from everyone’s daily routines - makes them realize the drasticity of the situation and puts an end to their desensitization. It raises awareness, calls for empathy and support, whilst simultaneously steering away from hatred and finger pointing. The speech’s short length works in its favour, making it more hard-hitting and powerful. Obama doesn’t sugarcoat the situation in the slightest, or use so-called ‘toxic positivity’ to outshine the devastating nature of the school shooting. He recognizes, as head of state, that this event isn’t something that should be taken lightly and that at this moment no words of condolence or solace will do it justice, because people will be left wounded and ‘brokenhearted’. However, the speech’s effectiveness lies in the fact that it leaves the audience with hope that this state of grief won’t last forever.

- How would you comment on his delivery of the speech?

His delivery of the speech is characterized by prolonged pauses and by a lack of energetic gestures. For some reason, he looks exhausted, burnt out which makes the speech so much more real and also somehow humane, showcasing his emotional, vulnerable side. His other speeches seem full of vigour and life - he embodies the perfect orator in every sense. Here everything seems subdued, as if he’s too shaken for words. It’s hard not to notice the way he frequently bows his head, checking his notes, which results in him talking without making eye-contact or looking at the camera - something that would otherwise not be accepted and would be marked as a major error. Yet here it just makes him look more ‘human’, in the sense that it illustrates his inner turmoil. It’s evident that this event has taken a toll on his mindset and the sorrow presented in his speech makes him seem deeply affected by the school shooting, which creates a bond between him and the audience. It also adds an aspect of humility and nobleness, seeing as his speech isn’t centered around his own persona, but around those affected by the tragedy. It's as if he’s standing in the shadow of the event. The frequent pauses, the longest of which happens after he says ‘the majority of those who died today were children -- beautiful little kids between the ages of 5 and 10 years old’, create the impression that he’s stepping down from his position in the spotlight to honour the lives that have been lost.

Consider the speech made by Barack Obama during the Sandy Hook Prayer Vigil, 17 December 2011 (three days after the shooting).

- Culture, identity and community. How does this text explore ‘aspects of family, class, race, ethnicity, nationality, religion, gender, and sexuality’, and the way these impact on individuals and the society?

• Family

The text explores the aspect of family in great detail, focusing on its universality and relevance to everyone’s lives. This theme of family and love is an effective use of pathos - since family is something that creates emotional appeal due to its sensitive nature. There are a lot of references to parenthood and childhood - and the relationship between parents and children, as seen by the phrases ‘someone once described the joy and anxiety of parenthood as the equivalent of having your heart outside your body all the time, walking around’, ‘this is our first task - caring for children’, ‘there’s only one thing we can be sure of, and that is the love that we have -- for our children, for our families, for each other’. Parents or guardians see their children grow up, go to school, find a job and when that flow of normality gets abruptly put to an end, something feels wrong, uncomfortable, as in the case of the school shooting, where innocent children were killed. Family is shown as something that should be treasured at all costs. It should be an object of love, support, compassion, because in a world full of uncertainties and unanswered questions, family almost acts as a shelter from the many dangers of the outside world. Whatever we define family as, be it blood relations, guardians, very close friends, or fellow citizens, family is a bond often too strong to break and that is something that Barack Obama highlights throughout his speech. The idea of family being perceived as something often undervalued and taken for granted is also prevalent during the Prayer Vigil. The president implies that it takes devastating moments like these to truly raise awareness of how important people are to us and how important it is to love and care for one another in a world full of hatred and spite. Parenthood is described as being vulnerable, of losing parts of yourself to ensure the safety and happiness of your child and as acceptance of knowing that they won’t always be yours to keep. Obama uses family as a method of uniting people and shedding a positive light on the situation - he appeals to the audience’s emotions, encouraging them to strengthen their relationships with those around them. Family is presented, once again as common ground between everybody - and despite its almost fleeting nature, its etherality due to the fact that people come and go, it is something that should be cherished. The effect it has on people is that it evokes strong emotions - the topic of family is sensitive for everyone, possibly because it touches the lives of every individual in a myriad of ways, be that positive or negative. Obama constantly stresses that family is something people can be sure of - it is our rock at the end of the day, that can support us and share our problems, and people have the basic need to belong. It is presented as something of critical importance and something that we should always prioritize.

• Nationality

Nationality is explored in the text, as something that binds people together and as a kind of common factor shared between every American. Their American identity connects them together by an invisible thread - thus making a relatively local tragedy, a national one. Nationality is expressed as something along the lines of a family or a universal support system, as seen in the phrase ‘I can only hope that you’re not alone in your grief’. Furthermore, the use of the pronoun ‘we’ in phrases such as ‘we have wept with you’ and ‘whatever portion of sadness we can share with you to ease this heavy load, we will gladly bear it’ creates a bond between both the President and the audience. It is something that is presented, as a responsibility of compassion and kindness towards one’s neighbours. It’s almost described as something that rids one of loneliness and replaces that feeling with a sense of community, of being heard and seen, and most importantly understood, as seen by the quotation ‘Newtown - you are not alone’. Obama highlights that the school shooting was not a localized tragedy, but a national one, one that should affect the lives of every single American citizen and act as a ‘wake up call’ to take action and to love and appreciate those around us. The phrases ‘we’re all parents’, ‘they’re all our children’, ‘this job of keeping our children safe, and teaching them well, is something we can only do as a nation’ once again illustrate the responsibility that US citizens have of taking care of one another. The President tries to blur the disparity between different groups of people, claiming that factors, such as race, political ideology, or social class should not in any way obstruct the most important similarity they share which is their nationality. Nationality is something that makes every American citizen equal - it is a kind of dependency on one another, a form of mutual respect, a friendship despite all odds. It unites people in moments of importance and when all else fails. That is something that Obama focuses on a lot in his speech through his descriptions of nationality as an unbreakable, unseen bond between people and as a tool to erase prejudice and differences in moments when the only thing left to do is come together and support each other until the pain eases.

• Religion

Religion is an important theme in most of Barack Obama’s speeches and it is especially prevalent in the Sandy Hook Prayer Vigil, since it contains many elements characteristic of a eulogy. Religion in this case is used for national healing and restoring a kind of peace and ease of mind. It offers people an answer to what would otherwise be an unexplainable tragedy that can not be comprehended in any way, causing a great deal of distress. Obama starts with a quote from Scripture, in which the phrases ‘for light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all’, ‘’what is seen is temporary, but it unseen is eternal’ and ‘eternal house’ seem to stand out the most and share a common theme of continuity. Obama’s biblical references fill people with the hope that their struggles will be rewarded with peace and that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. He uses religion also a unifying tool, see in the phrase ‘prayers of a nation’, which highlights that religion is possibly the only thing that can bind people together in this moment of unrest. Obama refers to God as looking over humanity, keeping an eye on everything by using religious language such as ‘God’s grace’, ‘even when we’re trying to do the right thing, we know that much of our time will be spent groping through darkness, so often unable to discern God’s heavenly plans’ or ‘let the little children come to me’ Jesus said ‘and do not hinder them -- for such belongs the kingdom of heaven.’ Religion has a huge impact on the audience - it offers them comfort in a time of pain and confusion. And after a tragic event involving the deaths of innocent children, it provides them a kind of peace of mind, knowing that they are in good hands and that there is some kind of consolation in all of this. Often, people are left so stricken that they are left without the ability to think rationally or logically - they need something else to pin their hopes on, knowing they are being looked after, and religion is almost like their anchor, supporting them when nothing else can. The biblical language used highlights this and draws attention to God’s power and love.

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roguepythia · 7 years

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Meta: Characterizations to Cling to

rose-for-dead-alice replied to your post “Honestly though, I was a hardcore Spuffy shipper. S6 wrecked our shit...”

Honestly yeah as much as I kind of hate the loss of a potential canon gay romance on a hit TV show....At least it isn't like what Buffy did with that attempted rape scene, Buffy got way too sexual and I always felt so violated by that part of the show.

So many people felt the same! And “violated” is the perfect word choice too. It’s exactly how the entire fandom felt.

Putting this under a read more as I meta about Spuffy and Nygmobblepot characterizations, world-breaking, and fandom/show relationships. It’s a long one people, grab a snack first.

BtVS S6 just got so dark, dealing with themes like self-hate and using sex as self-punishment. They had spent the entire season completely objectifying Spike and turning him into basically a giant sex toy. And made it seem all “a-okay” to do cause he’d had his own sex toy for awhile in the Buffybot. Plus, Buffy was the “hero” so she “couldn’t” do any wrong. It was all Spike’s fault that he was willing to put up with it. Either because he loved her so much he was willing to take on her pain or he was a monster that couldn’t tell the difference between love and self-hate therefore didn’t think she was doing anything wrong. Considering his keen ability to see through the bullshit my take was the first. He knew she was hurting and wanted to take that pain from her, if he got his leg over in the process so much the better for him.

And then they pulled the rug out from under us when all of sudden he attacks her. They completely ignore all of their world-building to make him out to be the bad guy that can’t see where the line is, when she’s been crossing it all season. Even though at his most evil self he had limits. And then it’s been proven that Buffy is 10x more powerful than Spike but because she got a little banged up earlier that night, all of a sudden he can overpower her? It was also so completely out of character for both of them. Buffy the “hit first, ask questions later” Slayer begging Spike “Love’s Bitch” to stop rather than just kicking him through the wall. Which she can do as she’s a Slayer. Which leads me to my next point.

The audience reaction. They didn’t make this show in a vacuum. There was an audience and a large fanbase. As a college-aged young woman watching this show, I identified with Buffy. She was for my generation what Wonder Woman is now to this one. We looked up to her. She fought the good fight. She stood up to right the wrongs of the “demons” that tried to take her power. She was a metaphor for girls to say to themselves, “I matter. I have power. I have a voice!” So of course when she gets attacked like that, by someone who claims to love her, we all feel attacked as well.

And the Spike fans were doubly betrayed. We identified with Buffy and Spike. The Heroine and the Outsider. They had been such a powerful team and Spike was on his redemption journey already. He spent the entire summer being The Protector to her younger sister and asked for nothing in return except for someone to buy him Wheetabix every once in awhile. Yes, he was still a demon but he was fighting his nature to be something better than himself. Even without a soul he was still trying. That character development was completely destroyed in one scene. The only way to reconcile what happened was to headcanon that even Spike was so appalled by his own behavior that he sought his soul. He basically said, “THIS ISN’T WHO I AM! Screw this, I’m outta here.” Which as noted by the below, might have been their plan.

The following quotes are from the wiki page on this ep and very enlightening as apparently the scene was shot in such a way as to evoke sympathy for Spike....while he was attempting to rape Buffy. Let that sink in.

In the DVD commentary, James Marsters said that filming the scene in which Spike attempts to rape Buffy was one of the hardest he ever had to do. He has since said that he will never do such a scene again. That scene has also generated controversy between fans and the writers,[2] but writer Jane Espenson says that moment was necessary to set up a powerful motivation for Spike's quest to gain a soul.[3] As James Marsters points out, "How do you motivate him [to] make a mistake that’s so heart-rending that he’d be willing to do that?"[4]

Marsters would later say in 2012 that he understood the idea to have come from "a female writer, [who] had a situation in her life where she was and her boyfriend were breaking up and she decided if she just made love to him one more time, that they wouldn't break up. She ended up trying to force herself on him and decided to write about that. The thing is, if you flip it and make it a man forcing himself on a woman, I believe it becomes a whole different thing... I'm not really sure it expressed what the author was intending and on that score it was not successful." [5]

In her essay on sex and violence in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Gwyn Symonds calls the scene itself "technically and emotionally intricate" in that, unlike most depictions of attempted rape, it "encourages a complex audience engagement with both... the perpetrator and the victim."[6] The action was "very carefully choreographed" according to James Marsters,[4] with the camera alternating between close-ups of Buffy and Spike separately to reinforce the audience's shifting empathy with both Buffy and Spike.[6] Writer Rebecca Rand Kirshner agrees that the viewer "could feel how [Spike's] very innards were twisted into this perversion of what he wanted," and she found that experiencing the scene from his perspective was additionally disturbing.[7]

The above makes it clear that the most egregious crime of that scene was against the fans. Not only was it bad decision making on several levels to portray an attacker as a victim but to also believe that you can swap genders in such a scene without a problem. But the most obscene aspect of all, is the world-breaking. In the Buffyverse, Spike is a Demon. Buffy is a Slayer. They are NOT HUMAN. They don’t live by human rules. But the fans are human and we do live in a sometimes ugly, cruel world. By making these supernatural creatures act within human boundaries, the analogies were broken. It was no longer a metaphor. This brought a show that wasn’t just steeped in supernatural elements but solidly based in them, kicking and screaming into the “real world”.

The fandom reacted. All of a sudden fans were labeled “rape apologists” or had to relive the most harrowing moments of their lives to explain how deeply the show had hurt them. Sometimes both. I don’t think the show or the fandom ever recovered. It was a breech of trust that the show writers could never mend.

Even now as writers for the show head other projects, BtVS fans know who they are and what they’ve done. When I found out Steven S. DeKnight was taking over directing duties for Del Toro on Pacific Rim 2, I wanted to barf. Now the story I love about all of humanity coming together to fight a common foe; full of love and pathos, resolute in its determination to never give up, to go down swinging, to stand up and maybe even pay the ultimate sacrifice to protect those that cannot..... “Today we are cancelling the apocalypse!“ Now it’s in his hands. It’s now going to take a dark and twisted turn full of some type of self loathing and hatred, I’m sure of it. Ug. Fifteen years later and I’m still so appalled at how all this went down.

And if anyone is still reading this long essay at this point, (you get a virtual cookie) but I guess you’re wondering how this all relates to Nygmobblepot. Well, my main point of contention about the above is that they took the characters out of their world. They took supernatural creatures and made them act as if they were human. It wasn’t just that it was OOC for both characters, it wasn’t BtVS either.

The Nygmobblepot and Gotham fandoms are “alive”. Our feelings about the show, the characters, and the fandom itself shift with each new piece of content we receive. And unfortunately, we receive this content in a lot more ways now.

When BtVS was around, we didn’t have “social media”. Facebook didn’t even exist until one year after BtVS concluded. There wasn’t a twitter page dangling our ship in front of us with colored hearts and cute images or coy phrases. There was an on-line presence, yes, but fans only really interacted with fans and fansites. We didn’t have a direct line to the creators and/or actors on the show on a daily basis like we do now. And maybe we were better off? It is a double edged sword. We can now make our voices heard so much easier but then we are subjected to constant pandering to get “all eyes focused here!!” so advertisers can rake in the money every time we click on a site.

But that isn’t part of the show itself. It’s not. It’s the social media arm run by the PR department, whose job it is to generate buzz and a “click this!!” mentality. And it works! Every time we get sucked in and think something said on those sites will have some correlation to what happens on the show. And that’s not the case. We don’t even know if the PR team knows what will happen in the episodes before they post. For all we know, they have no clue. Somehow we’ve forgotten they are two separate things and the creators need to be reminded of this as well. Because looking back through the social media posts is painful. And it didn’t need to be that way.

The show itself has actually managed to do the one thing that BtVS could not, and that is to keep their world in tact. After everything that has happened to Oz and Ed, through it all, they have remained in character. The world hasn’t shifted out from under them, nor us. They are still who they’ve always been at their core. Even Ed, who is searching for his identify, has been handled in a way that stays true to his Gotham characterization.

There is a lot that can be said about how the story unfolded and how it didn’t go the way we wanted. Many sectors of the fandom are legitimately angry. Many of us, myself included, were casual viewers until this ship jumped off the screen at us. And it wasn’t social media that sucked us in. It was Robin and Cory’s portrayal of these two broken, damaged villains finding each other that spoke to us. Knowing that even if you are “irredeemable”, there is still someone out there for you. That there truly is a “lid for every pot”. It was that connection we fell in love with, romance or not. And now this beautiful friendship seems to have been ruined for little to no payoff. But at least the story line still all made some kind of sense. I think I’ll be more upset at this point over a lack of explanation for Isabella than anything else.

And the reason why, is that the show hasn’t broken my trust. Their social media PR team can kiss my ass. But the show stayed true to itself and therefore us. It made Oswald canonically gay but never made him into someone he’s not nor made him do things he’d never conceive of. And poor Edward, who falls so easily and simply can’t help himself at times, continued his decent into madness and villainy. Oswald and Edward remained Oswald and Edward, much to Ed’s consternation.

The show makes it clear that this isn’t “the real world” pretty much on an episodic basis. “This is Gotham” isn’t just a catchphrase, it’s a way of life for these characters. It’s how the show is able to make us care about serial killers and psychopaths that we would run from if we met in “the real world”. Their world is filled with color and flair and the characters continue to reflect that. For all of the show’s purported faults in the story line this season, failure to understand their characterizations isn’t one of them. They have not committed the ultimate sin. At least not yet, not in my eyes. I guess we will see what the finale and S4 holds for us.

#nygmobblepot #gotham #meta #nygmobblepot meta #fandom meta #rose-for-dead-alice #thank you for the comment #it truly sparked a lot of feelings #I don't think I've ever written a meta this long before #wow #not everyone will agree #that's okay #let's just be good to each other

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