Blog 22: Abstract
People fear changing that they hold onto their identity too long to enjoy the shifting world around them. In Angel, “I Will Remember You,” Angel holds too desperately onto his identity as a rescuer that he refuses enjoyment and returns to who he was. By showing Angel becoming what he’s always dreamed of to receive love from Buffy, returning back to a vampire, the creators of Angel are demonstrating that people hold tightly to their identity and will avoid personal change and miss out on the beautiful wonders of the world. Angel defines himself as a saver and helper, when he becomes a human he loses all of that and can no longer save Buffy or anyone else. When he becomes human his identity is lost and he blends into the normal world. He is able to receive love and taste but returns all of this because he is afraid of losing himself. Angel turns down a great opportunity to reinvent himself and experience the world in a new angle. Through Angel, the creators are showing that people refuse the changing world because they hold onto their identity too long. In looking at world examples of personal identity, Brett Favre comes to the surface. Favre was in football for many years and he’s at a point now where he should retire for good. Favre won’t retire because his identity it too attached to life as a football player and now he is missing out on great opportunities around him outside of football. If Favre were to let go of his personal identity he would be able to enjoy the world around him.
Hey Maggie,
ReplyDeleteI think that this is an interesting argument you are making here. I agree that if people hold on to certain things for too long, they will miss out on a lot of things that are offered to them. The only thing is, I believe that people should try to hold on to their identities and always be the person that they want to be. Everyone is going to change. I don't really keep in touch with anyone I was friends with back in middle school, and that is because people change, and I've made a whole new set of friends, but I would still like to think that I am still the same Joel, just a little matured and better than what I used to be.
I am actually a big fan of Brett Favre. I actually respect him a lot for not being able to leave the game of Football. It shows me that he has a love and passion for the sport, it's become a HUGE part of his life, and his success and he recognizes that. Besides, he's still great! He will retire eventually.
yeah i agree with what you're saying, people don't change who they are, but I was more talking about what people identify themselves with. Like if someone is a workaholic they may define themselves by their work. If one day they were fired, they would be lost with out it and desperately try to return when maybe when they were fired it was a good thing and they were able to experience things they couldn't while working. Or when parents identify themselves through their children, and when that's gone they're miserable no matter how wonderful their opportunities were . That's more the point I was making. But, I may have to change switch it back to what you're saying because I'm realizing that the TV episode can back that up more.
ReplyDeleteoh and i know nothing about football. I just asked my friend an example of that and that's what he said.
The thing about Bret Favre and his identity that most concerns me is that it appears that others want to take him down now. I really haven't had much time to look into the charges brought against him about the sexual harassment years ago, but sometimes a person needs to leave his identity and start a new one before it is tarnished beyond repair. I would hate for Bret's memory to be thought of like this.
ReplyDeleteI think it is hard to change, even though change is a good thing. The problem is that it just isn't comfortable and we tend to not do things that make us uncomfortable!