researching Firefly

POSTED BY: EricaMarsh
UPDATED: Monday, August 15, 2005 04:57
VIEWED: 16317
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EMMA

Tuesday, March 1, 2005 8:59 AM

What a fantastic idea, you have inspired me to register to the forum - only my second ever!

I have written a lot of papers on fantasy and sci-fi over the years and it is always nice to see when others do the same.

I think the point about rape of River is particularly interesting, but you are right, it verges on psychoanalysis which is possible if you are writing an interdisciplinary paper.

What theories are you incorporating into it? You might find Foucault helpful, particularly The History of Sexuality. It sounds a bit poncy but he wrote some interesting things about sexuality and power relationships and influenced queer theory.

I wish European and British universities gave modules on Whedon

Ah well
PS I hope I have typed this properly, I am not very good on these things!

IAMJACKSUSERNAME

Tuesday, March 1, 2005 11:38 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by SamWibatt:
our Mrs. Reynolds. [...] But for all we know she could be a virgin, if she just uses it to lure people close enough to kiss into unconsciousness.

She was married for extended periods to Durran, Monty... so not so much with the virginity.

Erica, if you haven't yet, you can also go ask the Buffistas http://buffistas.org/ for some ideas, tho last time I was there they didn't get that Inara may see sex like your typical male: "Sex with beautiful people I choose, and they pay ME? Where do I sign up?".
--
I am Jack's username
Have good sex.

ERICAMARSH

Tuesday, March 1, 2005 1:55 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Copperhead:
Ericamarsh-

I was pretty exited to read your post considering that I finished a paper on Firefly last semester that I also hope to present at the next Slayage conference. I'd love to see it packed with presentations on Firefly.

By opening up the conference to everything Whedonverse, the cooridinators hope to bring in more topics on Firefly, Whedon scripts for movies, and the forthcoming Serenity.

I love your comments. I'll admit, I've opened my topic way up to discuss it on the message boards. I would hate for someone else to write it. But I also wanted to open up my mind to new possible topics. You're right, I could pretty much go any direction I want with this. I may just get three or four papers out of this topic. THat's what all the big academics do.

Quote:
Originally posted by Copperhead:
I'm just wondering, you mention that you're in a Buffy Studies class. Is it the course at Middle Tenn. State or is there another one that I don't know about?

Yes, I go to Middle TN State. This semester the class has been opened up to a study of Joss Whedon. But the best part is that we get to watch Buffy, Angel, and Firefly in class! I'm studying with Dr. Lavery and was just named associate editor of the Encyclpedia of Buffy Studies found on the Slayage website. For those of you who don't know where that is:
http://slayage.tv

I would love to talk to you about your topic. E-mail me more and I may be able to pull some strings and get our papers on the same panel. I'm supposed to work for the conference as well.

ERICAMARSH

Tuesday, March 1, 2005 2:05 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Finn mac Cumhal:
I think a more interesting discussion would be the role of women in the Firefly “society.” It seems that most scifi futuristic films depict a society where women are considered the equal to men, as sort of an aspect of the enlightened culture of the future. But in Firefly there is a much more complicated social role played by women. Women really seem to be somewhat objectified by society. In the “backwoods” planets women seem to play a subservient role to men, and the existence of Companions as a legitimate social position seems to suggest a society where women are even objectified in the more advanced and presumably enlightened “core” planets.

Very interesting. I'm writing my thesis on Octavia E. Butler's Parable novels and this falls right in line with her 'forecast' for the future. I originally directed my focus on post-apocolyptic sexuality in television, film, and sci-fi literature. My director, Dr. Elyce Helford, was excited about the idea and sent me reading everything she could think of. I spent 90% of my holiday break reading female sci-fi writers.

FINN MAC CUMHAL

Tuesday, March 1, 2005 2:10 PM

I almost went to MTSU. A long time ago.

I can't believe that Joss Whedon is being studied in college courses. He isn't even dead yet.

ERICAMARSH

Tuesday, March 1, 2005 2:12 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Emma:
What theories are you incorporating into it? You might find Foucault helpful, particularly The History of Sexuality. It sounds a bit poncy but he wrote some interesting things about sexuality and power relationships and influenced queer theory.

I wish European and British universities gave modules on Whedon

Yes, I'm currently trying to navigate Foucault in my research and bibliography class. I've taken way more notes than I probably need.

British universities? Now I'm knew to television studies, but from what Dr. Lavery has told me so far, and by looking at who publishes the best television studies books, Europeans should have an advantage. Most of the 'great' conferences and workshops take place in Europe, especially Britain.

MTSU is pretty much one of the only schools that will offer popular culture studies in television, and that is undocumented. I say it only because we have a couple of instructors who are more interested in television right now than anything else. Unfortunately, most of the popular culture instructors are retiring in the coming year.

ERICAMARSH

Tuesday, March 1, 2005 2:14 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Finn mac Cumhal:
I almost went to MTSU. A long time ago.

I can't believe that Joss Whedon is being studied in college courses. He isn't even dead yet.

Can you believe I almost went to Florida? MTSU was the only non-Floridian school I applied to, and its where I ended up. Go figure.

MTSU hosted the Slayage Conference last summer and will host the next one in 2006.

ERICAMARSH

Tuesday, March 1, 2005 3:57 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by EricaMarsh:

Can you believe I almost went to Florida?

I remind myself of my earlier comment as I watch snow fall out my bedroom window...

SAMWIBATT

Tuesday, March 1, 2005 4:49 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by IamJacksUsername:
She was married for extended periods to Durran, Monty... so not so much with the virginity.

Good point - clearly I need to watch through the series again, if I'm forgetting things like this. :)

MAUGWAI

Tuesday, March 1, 2005 5:54 PM

A couple of scenes jumped out at me when I was perusing this thread.

The Kaylee strawberry eating scene is very sensual. She practially orgasms at the taste of fruit, something rare in the society around her. So Kaylee is out for pleasure, just like with Bester. She doesn't see sexual experiences as anything more than a search for pleasure.

"War Stories" tells us so much about Inara's sexuality. I don't just mean the lesbian scene, although the speech she gives the councilor about "being yourself around men" is certainly telling. But her reaction to Jayne's obvious lust is also interesting to note. She rolls her eyes because in her line of work she is discreet and graceful, and Jayne represents sex without ceremony.

"Dear diary, today I was pompous and my sister was crazy."

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