researching Firefly

POSTED BY: EricaMarsh
UPDATED: Monday, August 15, 2005 04:57
VIEWED: 16317
PAGE 1 of 4

1 2 3 4 NEXT PAGE

ERICAMARSH

Monday, February 28, 2005 7:18 PM

I'm working on an essay about female sexuality in Firefly and was wondering if I could get some suggestins. I'm re-watching everything and trying to catch all of those little nuances between Inara and Kaylee, but I'm not sure if I've got them all.

I'm going to start posting portions of my research on http://researchingfirefly.blogspot.com/ .
Feel free to come and critique/correct it as you see fit.

AURAPTOR

Monday, February 28, 2005 7:32 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by EricaMarsh:
I'm working on an essay about female sexuality in Firefly and was wondering if I could get some suggestins. I'm re-watching everything and trying to catch all of those little nuances between Inara and Kaylee, but I'm not sure if I've got them all.

I'm going to start posting portions of my research on http://researchingfirefly.blogspot.com/ .
Feel free to come and critique/correct it as you see fit.

Nusances between Kaylee and Inara ? Not sure what you're gettin at, but the whole female sexuality in Firefly has my attention.

" They don't like it when you shoot at 'em. I worked that out myself. "

ERICAMARSH

Monday, February 28, 2005 7:46 PM

DO you remember the scene where Inara braids Kaylee's hair? That's sexual, very sexy if you ask me. Also, the ways in which Inara is more 'at ease' when providing services for a woman than for the men. Anything remotely sexual you can think of.

I hope to present at the Slayage Conference in 2006. http://www.slayage.tv/SCW/index.htm

ZEEK

Monday, February 28, 2005 8:12 PM

I don't think there is really all that much to go one between Kaylee and Inara. There's the "hey you" line in the first episode. Then the hair braiding scene in Train Job. Other than that I can't think of much between them.

SAMWIBATT

Monday, February 28, 2005 8:30 PM

Quote:
DO you remember the scene where Inara braids Kaylee's hair? That's sexual, very sexy if you ask me.

Hm, while I won't dispute that that is a sexy scene, I don't know if the characters think so or if it's just me. Inara and Kaylee seem more like close friends or sisters to me than anything else. Inara seems to me to be equally at home with male or female clients, pretty much. If she says otherwise to a client, that might be so, or it might be Inara being a professional and making that client feel more important. Her occupation is all about atmosphere, about living a daydream where the client is the most precious person in the 'verse.

ERICAMARSH

Monday, February 28, 2005 8:32 PM

okay, as far as female sexuality in the show, what are your takes? The diverse relationships and sexual encounters had be each femal character is very unique.

What are your ideas about Inara? Kaylee's engine room scene in "Out of Gas" or Zoe and Wash's sexual relationship?

Each woman tends to display a unique 'brand' of sexuality.

ERICAMARSH

Monday, February 28, 2005 8:35 PM

Can I quote you about Inara's occupation? I really liked the way you phrased it.

SAMWIBATT

Monday, February 28, 2005 8:50 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by EricaMarsh:
okay, as far as female sexuality in the show, what are your takes? The diverse relationships and sexual encounters had be each femal character is very unique.

What are your ideas about Inara? Kaylee's engine room scene in "Out of Gas" or Zoe and Wash's sexual relationship?

Each woman tends to display a unique 'brand' of sexuality.

Agreed, the relationships are as different as the characters.

Inara - she said it best, when talking about the dating policy for Companions - "it's...complicated." Beyond that I really can't say, since I have no idea what it'd be like to try to separate sex-as-profession from sex-as-personal-expression. All the whoring I've done is strictly metaphorical. :)

Kaylee seems pretty straightforward, by contrast. Engines make her horny. She's completely guileless, just shy with Simon because she's so crushed-out. But she seems blissfully free of hangups about sex itself.

One relationship worth mentioning is Zoe/Mal - to me there seems to be zero sexual tension there, but to Wash, who's jealous of how close they are, there's that whole territorial thing that leads him to believe, or fear, that there is. Zoe, like Kaylee, appears to be comfortable with it all.

River - woo, just thinking of the concept makes me feel like a child molester, ick. There's something to be said about the sexuality - very perverse domination kind of stuff - of her violation by the Alliance, but I don't even want to go there.

And definitely don't leave out our Mrs. Reynolds. She wields sex - or at least seduction - like a sledgehammer. A sledgehammer wrapped in velvet. Or something like that. But for all we know she could be a virgin, if she just uses it to lure people close enough to kiss into unconsciousness.

Overall, for a sci-fi show, Firefly seems to have a very mature view of female sexuality. (Male, too, for that matter, but you didn't really ask). :) Interesting subject. I'd be curious to hear how your research turns out.

Quote:
Can I quote you about Inara's occupation? I really liked the way you phrased it.

Sure! (Blush!)

ERICAMARSH

Monday, February 28, 2005 8:58 PM

Thank you, you seem to get what I'm talking at. Most of my topic is still in its theoretical workings inside my confused and crowded head.

As disturbing as it sounds, River is a teenager in the show and, as most teenagers I knew, should be interested in sex. The whole violation metaphor brings a new light on the persepective if you view the blue-gloved men as rapists, but that's almost too psychological for me-I'm an English major. But I hadn't thought of River until you pointed it out, thanks.

I should have a working draft finished by late March/early April. I'll post it both here and on my blog.

As for this message board's success, I'm being pushed in new directions and forced to define my motives=very successful! This is what I hoped for.

SAMWIBATT

Monday, February 28, 2005 9:09 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by EricaMarsh:
The whole violation metaphor brings a new light on the persepective if you view the blue-gloved men as rapists, but that's almost too psychological for me-I'm an English major.

Agreed, and I suspect that it was also not Joss' intent for this to be a rape metaphor - I was just trying to cover all the major female characters (plus Saffron, since she's one of my favorites). My take on River's sexuality is that she'd be best off to avoid it all until her other problems are dealt with.

On edit: I had a look at your blog/profile - cool! I too am a grad student (but unlike you, an old fart, and in Computer Science). I see you have Terry Goodkind on your favorites list - I've read all his stuff, and if you ever did want to do research into utterly confused, sick sexuality, there's plenty of material there without having drag it into Firefly. This set against the main characters' almost completely platonic, borderline saccharine romance. That Goodkind stuff is a wild ride, for sure.

1 2 3 4 NEXT PAGE