[quote] Also, the tendency of both Xander and AlternaXander to handle things themselves ties in to their belief in self-help. And when I say handle things themselves, I don't just mean actions like AlternaXander's vamp hunting (which also can be seen as being driven by his need to overcome his feeling of a lack of control over his environment). [/quote]
This is just fascinating, because I've had an alcoholic parent, and really, the idea one takes away from that is that you can't really depend on anyone other than yourself, since the 'adults' are unreliable (at best) and unpredictable (at worst).
Both Xander and Faith seem to have gotten this notion.
Interesting, the notion of otherXander making the choice to leave the 'friends' that are no longer making him feel welcome, to be with the women who is giving him some sense of worth. Given this logic, it would seem likely that if Xander and Cordelia had not broken up, he would have left with her for L.A. at the end of season three.
Ironically, Willow has also picked up a similar notion, that she has to do everything and make all the grown-up choices, because her absentee parents put her in a similar place, prompted to disregard their rarely-exerted 'authority' and just do whatever she thinks is right, regardless of their vague and useless attempts at setting guidelines for her.
Ditto Buffy, with an absent father who's hardly a role-model, and a mother who's initial solution to unwelcome information is scotch and denial, followed by a foot-stomping tantrum when the scotch and denial are no longer doing the trick...
Final analysis? Joss has parental issues, Joss has parental issues! ["What? Freud would have said the same thing! Only he might not have done the little dance..."]
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This is just fascinating, because I've had an alcoholic parent, and really, the idea one takes away from that is that you can't really depend on anyone other than yourself, since the 'adults' are unreliable (at best) and unpredictable (at worst).
Both Xander and Faith seem to have gotten this notion.
Interesting, the notion of otherXander making the choice to leave the 'friends' that are no longer making him feel welcome, to be with the women who is giving him some sense of worth. Given this logic, it would seem likely that if Xander and Cordelia had not broken up, he would have left with her for L.A. at the end of season three.
Ironically, Willow has also picked up a similar notion, that she has to do everything and make all the grown-up choices, because her absentee parents put her in a similar place, prompted to disregard their rarely-exerted 'authority' and just do whatever she thinks is right, regardless of their vague and useless attempts at setting guidelines for her.
Ditto Buffy, with an absent father who's hardly a role-model, and a mother who's initial solution to unwelcome information is scotch and denial, followed by a foot-stomping tantrum when the scotch and denial are no longer doing the trick...
Final analysis? Joss has parental issues, Joss has parental issues! ["What? Freud would have said the same thing! Only he might not have done the little dance..."]
Set