What are our impressions of Buffy Summers, the slayer? How are these impressions formed?
Buffy Summers seems at first to be a stereotypical teenager, obvious by the way she dresses (short skirts, clothing/ hair obsession) and by the way she talks (high pitched voice, talks back, a know it all).
What do you think is the significance of Buffy's physical appearance?
Buffy is beautiful and petite- not your typical hero. Her character challenges the conventions of the typical hero- although she is really strong and brave, she isn't a male, sending us the message that anyone can be a hero.
Every character in fiction experiences internal conflict. What is Buffy's internal conflict?
Buffy wishes that she could be a normal teenager, who socialises and has normal problems. She knows that she is the slayer and that she has a duty that she can't ignore, as much as she wishes she could.
Describe BBTV's setting, How does it differ from Dracula's setting? What are some of the characteristics of this worldspace? What irony is there in the name of the town?
The show is set in the 1990's in America. The main setting seems to be the school, which is similar in some ways to Dracula's castle- lots of doors, and rooms. The town it is set in is called Sunnydale, which is ironic because the title is so positive, yet the town itself attracts evil and inhuman creatures. The town is small, for the upper middle class and is hierarchical.
What do Buffy's new friends have in common? What is their status in the school? What do you think is the significance of their status?
Buffy's friends are outcasts and somewhat socially awkward. They are not worried about what others think and are positive models of teens, proving that Buffy isn't superficial as she chose to hang out with them. I think that their status as outcasts is significant because the vampires always fit in with the popular kids, reflecting Joss Whedon's views of popularity and superficiality.
Describe the character of Giles. What do you think is his function? What does he represent?
Giles is the librarian, who also happens to be Buffy's 'watcher'. He acts as a father figure for Buffy, and is the responsible one in the group. He represents knowledge, and the power of.
What is the significance of the library in the episode? What do you think it symbolises?
The library is old, which makes it very out of place in the modern and new school building. I think it symbolises the knowledge inside, and the importance of history.
What contemporary themes/ issues does the episode explore?
- materialism
- class
- gender
How does episode 1 introduce the mythology of Buffy?
It introduces vampires, and has an epic fight scene between Buffy and 3 of them. The library scene introduces the theme of the old knowledge and superstition that is used to combat the vampires.
Buffy Summers seems at first to be a stereotypical teenager, obvious by the way she dresses (short skirts, clothing/ hair obsession) and by the way she talks (high pitched voice, talks back, a know it all).
What do you think is the significance of Buffy's physical appearance?
Buffy is beautiful and petite- not your typical hero. Her character challenges the conventions of the typical hero- although she is really strong and brave, she isn't a male, sending us the message that anyone can be a hero.
Every character in fiction experiences internal conflict. What is Buffy's internal conflict?
Buffy wishes that she could be a normal teenager, who socialises and has normal problems. She knows that she is the slayer and that she has a duty that she can't ignore, as much as she wishes she could.
Describe BBTV's setting, How does it differ from Dracula's setting? What are some of the characteristics of this worldspace? What irony is there in the name of the town?
The show is set in the 1990's in America. The main setting seems to be the school, which is similar in some ways to Dracula's castle- lots of doors, and rooms. The town it is set in is called Sunnydale, which is ironic because the title is so positive, yet the town itself attracts evil and inhuman creatures. The town is small, for the upper middle class and is hierarchical.
What do Buffy's new friends have in common? What is their status in the school? What do you think is the significance of their status?
Buffy's friends are outcasts and somewhat socially awkward. They are not worried about what others think and are positive models of teens, proving that Buffy isn't superficial as she chose to hang out with them. I think that their status as outcasts is significant because the vampires always fit in with the popular kids, reflecting Joss Whedon's views of popularity and superficiality.
Describe the character of Giles. What do you think is his function? What does he represent?
Giles is the librarian, who also happens to be Buffy's 'watcher'. He acts as a father figure for Buffy, and is the responsible one in the group. He represents knowledge, and the power of.
What is the significance of the library in the episode? What do you think it symbolises?
The library is old, which makes it very out of place in the modern and new school building. I think it symbolises the knowledge inside, and the importance of history.
What contemporary themes/ issues does the episode explore?
- materialism
- class
- gender
How does episode 1 introduce the mythology of Buffy?
It introduces vampires, and has an epic fight scene between Buffy and 3 of them. The library scene introduces the theme of the old knowledge and superstition that is used to combat the vampires.