Western or Southern ?
POSTED BY: ELKA
UPDATED: Thursday, November 7, 2002 03:31
VIEWED: 12237
PAGE 1 of 4
Maybe someone has brought this up before (probably), but, doesn't Firefly seem better called a Southern than a Western as far as that goes? I know that it is above all a Sci-fi show, but it just seems with all the allusion to the reconstruction of the South after the civil war, and the charactor types (where I am from in South Carolina, we've taken to calling Firefly 'Conway in Space') really ring a chord for Dixieland more than the Wild Wild West.
If you need proof of this, reference any scene in 'Shindig' or go thru all the episodes and count uses of the word 'reckon'. 
Commander Elka
The bumpkiniest of the Bumpkin Army.
NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | PERMALINK | TOP | HOME
I think you've missed the point about the American West. The stories about the west are about Southern people, in general. Following the American War Between the States thousands of Southerners fled from the States that had traditionally defined the confederate south during the war. The Northern Army was not known for its kindness. In fact, many would argue that Sherman was America's first, and perhaps only, war criminal. Many Southern cities were burned to the ground, even after the War was over, and those who had fought in the Confederate Army were often hunted down like animals. Reconstruction ended black slavery in the south which was a good thing, but it also destroyed much of the culture and the spirit that had defined the Southern states. After the war, the Southern States were no longer consider "American," and in fact were forced to re-apply to the Union that they had fought and died to not be a part of. It was a cruel slap in the face by Northern bureaucracy, but it was more then that. It was an excuse to terrorize the south. The atrocities of Sherman, the burning of Atlanta and New Orleans were largely forgiven and even praised by the North because the Southern States were no longer considered American but hostile enemies.
Prior to the Civil War much of the West was largely unpopulated by people of European descent. So when people talk about the "Wild West" they are largely referring to people of mostly Southern American descent who left what was then civilization to flee from what could only have been called Northern American Tyranny.
-----------
In the Dark Ages, Romano-Celtic Britannia was over-run by Viking-like cultures collectively called the Anglo-Saxons. They were led by warlords called Drytinns, and the greatest warriors among them were the Thegns.
NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | PERMALINK | TOP | HOME
Your points were all very good. Now allow me to share a few of mine in reciprocation:
1) There is no reason to be rude.
2) In a war, people on the other side are
general considered 'enemies', and what with all the killing, 'hostile enemies'.
3) There isn't any reason to be rude, did I mention that?
Commander Elka,
The bumpkiniest of the Bumpkin Army.
NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | PERMALINK | TOP | HOME
I wasn't being rude; I was explaining the historical premise that has been adopted by Firefly. The War Between the States began because of the inappropriate political bureaucracies on both sides of the Mason-Dixon Line. Both sides may have been wrong.
But I'm not talking about politics here. I'm talking about the mindset that created the West. The Southern American Diaspora that occurred during Reconstruction, which is where much of the theme of Firefly comes from. There is more then one way to look at this story, that is true. And with some aspects of it, no matter which way you tell it, there's always someone who is going to think it's "rude." But in the end, when you shed away the twisted and convoluted finger-pointing politics that embodied that war, one often ignored aspect is all the displaced people, human beings, who ran from both real and perceived tyranny. And it is on that aspect that Firefly has been based.
But I apologies if I led you to believe I was in any way trying to justify the South in that war. It is simply one particular aspect of the war. And I'm sorry if I misunderstood your question.
-----------
In the Dark Ages, Romano-Celtic Britannia was over-run by Viking-like cultures collectively called the Anglo-Saxons. They were led by warlords called Drytinns, and the greatest warriors among them were the Thegns.
NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | PERMALINK | TOP | HOME
I didn't find your post rude at all. On the contrary, it's nice to hear a more balanced view spoken (even though it's unpopular), because some people have may never have heard that side of it before! The Civil War was a scourge on the entire nation, with horrors on both sides. I grew up where the Confederates were always the good guys.
I love FF even more for this: Mal fought for the South, I mean the Independents...
NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | PERMALINK | TOP | HOME
I agree it was a tad rude.
NOTIFY: N | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | PERMALINK | TOP | HOME
Just out of curiosity, what was rude about it?
-----------
In the Dark Ages, Romano-Celtic Britannia was over-run by Viking-like cultures collectively called the Anglo-Saxons. They were led by warlords called Drytinns, and the greatest warriors among them were the Thegns.
NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | PERMALINK | TOP | HOME
I have nothing constructive to say except to weigh in on Thegn's side. We've disagreed about stuff before and while Thegn is very strong in his opinions(although the above post seemed to contain more facts than opinions), he's never been rude about them. Just my humble little opinion of course.
"I was gonna get me an ear, too." - Jayne
NOTIFY: N | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | PERMALINK | TOP | HOME
Quote:
Originally posted by Thegn:
Just out of curiosity, what was rude about it?
I saw nothing overtly or for that matter
covertly rude about your post.It reminded
me of many a college lecture. Being as I
am from New York with a Father from
North Carolina and a mother from Germany.
Also being married to a lass from South
Korea,I have a pretty good handle on
every form of rudeness known to mankind.
That wasn't it.
"Good, Bad, I'm the one with the gun"- Ash, Evil Dead III: Army of Darkness
NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | PERMALINK | TOP | HOME
I agree. I was thinking how Thegn's post could be taken as being rude. I don't agree with what was said about the southern states having to "re-apply". That was an initiative to reaffirm that they were part of the Union. I could be wrong, but I believe part of that was so new officials could be elected to the Congrass.
================================================
Today, as I was having lunch, I was watching the birds in the trees and wondered what it would be like if birds knew that people didn't like being shat on. As I was thinking this, a bird shat on my sandwich. Perhaps I knew too much...
-Simon Travaglia
If you like that, check this out.[url= http://bofh.ntk.net/]
NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | PERMALINK | TOP | HOME