Childhood abuse makes killers by PurpleBelly

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Childhood abuse makes killers

POSTED BY: PURPLEBELLY
UPDATED: Sunday, October 29, 2006 18:20
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Saturday, October 28, 2006 1:38 AM

It may just be my viewing habits, but current TV series seem to have a rash of killer-leads who were abused in childhood. Thrace in BSG, Partlow and Lee in The Wire, the eponymous Dexter - and, in hiatus, probably everyone in Deadwood.

Was this a motif before Firefly, or was Whedon leading the zeitgeist again with the original character of Jayne?

Are there any other current series showing this present obsession?

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Saturday, October 28, 2006 1:43 AM

PHOENIXROSE

You think you know--what's to come, what you are. You haven't even begun.

What makes you think Jayne was abused as a child? He obviously loves his family and his mother very much, never talks about them with anger, nothing like that. There was never any indication that he had childhood issues. In fact, there's an interview with Adam in the Official Companion that says he and Joss always talked about Jayne as one of those children from nice, middle-class families who's parents maybe didn't have quite enough time for them so they took off for adventure.

We will not go quietly into the night
We will not give in without a Big Damn Fight
We are Browncoats, and we know we are right
We will rage, rage against the dying of our engine light!

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Saturday, October 28, 2006 8:37 AM

CYBERSNARK

For that matter, I'm blanking on how Kara was abused. I can't recall us ever hearing much about her family --she's always been treated as Adama's adopted daughter.

-----
We applied the cortical electrodes but were unable to get a neural reaction from either patient.

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Saturday, October 28, 2006 8:18 PM

PURPLEBELLY

^ Systematically inflicted childhood fracture of fingers identified in The Farm and highlighted by Mr Ron's commentary.

^^ I find Baldwin's observations on the character of Jayne as insightful as his political opinions; I can't help thinking someone less cute would have been more effective - but that's Hollywood, I guess.

Are there no other examples in the mix? What I was hoping to illuminate is the case for saying that our present sensibilities make it possible for authors to ameliorate a behaviour we would not find sympathetic - like violence - with a compensating experience - like childhood abuse. This develops into a discussion of Hollywood writers' long-term obsession with Daddy-issues and whether this is being extended or replaced by this new(?) approach - or apparently, not

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Sunday, October 29, 2006 2:58 AM

SERYN

I'm told if you want to start a debate you have to lay out your agument in a clear way - so that people know what they are supposed to be refuting, and make sure that your points are valid - there is no evidence that Jayne was abused or had anything other than an average happy childhood, and i don't regularly watch the others one so i can't comment.

Plus i've personally seen nothing to support 'this current obsession' so you have to establish where that comes from as well.

But find other, better expamples and now we know what you want to talk about we'll do our best.

Isn't sanity really a one trick pony, anyway?I mean all you get is one trick, rational thinking! But when you're good and crazy...ooh hoo hoo hoo... the skys the limit!
http://www.myspace.com/seryndippyt

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Sunday, October 29, 2006 4:52 PM

CHRISMOORHEAD

I'm pretty sure it's just a common character dynamic. When making a fictional character, you need something for motive. What better reason to make a killer be a killer than having them be abused in childhood?

As far as Hollywood goes, it's about as over-used as anything else.

[IMG]

Place my body on a ship and burn it on the sea,
Let my spirit rise, Valkiries carry me.
Take me to Valhalla where my brothers wait for me.
Fires burn into the sky, my spirit will never die.

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Sunday, October 29, 2006 6:20 PM

BELUGASMOM

"childhood abuse makes killers" ........at last! An explanation for Shrub!

Life is short, brutal, and unpredictable. EAT DESSERT FIRST.

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