Week 10

Week 10

1. How does Buffy deconstruct traditional literary notions of good and evil?

Good and evil is a permanent topic in TV programs. People pay more attention on this topic; it because of the conflict between good and evil is interesting. Furthermore, the changes from good to evil (or evil to good) are a point that people interested. Recent years, fantasy became a popular genre. People are more and more familiar with inhuman characters, such as witches, vampires. The conflicts between good and evil will show more clearly on these characters.
The main notion of good and evil is moral ambiguity. As Braun (2000) considered “what is interesting about some of these newer representations of supernatural, however, is the moral ambiguity that permeates many of the characters, including both the inhuman beings and ordinary characters” (pp. 67). Furthermore, he thought moral ambiguity often seems to intersect with themes related to gender and sexuality (Braun, 2000).
We can find these all elements in Buffy, use sexual tension between various characters to drive the narrative, play with gender roles, hidden depths and characters with otherworldly powers (Braun, 2000).
As Braun described, “Evil with many characters demonstrating both decent and demonic traits and behavior across episodes or seasons. Good characters may develop in frighteningly sinister ways; villainous ones may surprisingly reveal complex and even selfless motivations” (pp. 67). It proves generally there is not a character is good or evil for ever in these shows. They need to change between good and evil. Because even a bad guy will has some good behavior. A good example is Buffy’s powerful ally in her quest—Angel. He is a moral ambiguous character in this drama.

2. How do you think Buffy has influenced the contemporary vampire drama “True Blood” and the “Twilight” series of novels and films?

Twilight is my favorite vampire film, because its romantic plot between Edward and Bella and tense conflict between vampire and wolf man.
Actually, the main conflict in Buffy is different with Twilight. In Buffy the conflict is between Buffy and vampire, but in Twilight, the conflict is between vampire and wolf man. But the same thing is they all have moral ambiguous character in the story, Angle and Edward. A successful story should be having some character like that to make the story more wonderful. Buffy series are focus on the conflict in young people’s heart and Twilight takes more romantic scene to us. In Twilight, the vampires have two kinds, some evil vampire eat human beings and Edward’s family who don’t eat human being, by contrary protect human (Bella ).
True blood has some same aspects with Twilight, the love between human being and vampire. Buffy series provide basis for the development of later films about vampire.

References

Braun, B. (2000) The X-files and Buffy the Vampire Slayer: The ambiguity of evil in supernatural representations. Retrieved 18 October, 2005 from:
http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0412/is_2_28/ai_64688900