Trauma and Existentialism in Joss Wheadon's Firefly

[Blind_Io]

As a few of my friends know, I am a huge fan of Joss Wheadon's Firefly and I have recently been reading a collection of essays about the show. Yes, I know that is incredibly nerdy, shutup.

Anyway, in recent weeks I have been thinking about Firefly and Serenity in a much different way. I have learned some of the Joss's motivations behind his writing and photography style, and I've read these amazing essays that pick apart the show and characters in ways I had never considered before. I even re-watched the film and all the episodes that have a commentary track.

Last week I was in my "Psychology of Trauma" class and we were discussing treatment of trauma victims. One of the things that therapists need to be aware of is the existential questions that trauma brings up in victims. The victim of trauma, especially repeated trauma, suffers from a shattered world-view. They had some idea about how the world worked and have experienced something that exists outside that world-view. This is difficult to explain, so perhaps an illustration is best. Imagine a person who has been sexually abused or molested by an authority figure, a parent, a priest, a teacher. Not only has this person suffered the trauma of the molestation, but the effect is compounded by the fact that the perpetrator was someone who we are told is supposed to protect us. If a protector can do this to the victim then it's open-season on him/her out in the world. Anyone could be a perpetrator. The world in which the victim existed has been shattered and the road from here has many forks. The victim could "edit" the trauma to fit back inside the pre-existing world-view, this may work for a while but not for long and not very well. It's like trying to put Humpty-Dumpty back together again, once a person has caught a glimpse of what exists outside the safe and containing construct you can't un-see it, although many try. The victim could try to re-form the world-construct to incorporate this new perspective, but this poses problems too. The victim's own perspective now exists outside the world-construct that most people maintain. This is one of the reasons that so many times the victim is blamed for being a victim. It's easier for most people to say that the victim did something to encourage or cause the trauma rather than admit that traumas can happen randomly or that perpetrators and predators in the world. The wold-construct from which we all derive meaning has been either destroyed or re-shaped into something new and foreign. This calls into question not only the "big" existential questions, "Why me?" "How will I live?" "How will I love?" "Why should I live?" "Do I want to live in this world?" but also others. Since the frame from which we establish meaning has been shattered the victim must re-establish the meaning of actions, events, places, relationships and even objects.

Remind you of anyone in Firefly? To me it sounds like River Tam. Granted, some of River's problems stem from the invasive surgery the Alliance performed on her brain, literally changing her physiology. However, I don't think that fully explains her behavior. River was subjected to a long period of behavioral conditioning and invasive medical procedures, many of which (as we saw in Serenity) were painful and performed while she was fully conscious. Brain-damage aside, given the repeated trauma at the hands of her "benevolent" government and the inability or unwillingness of her parents to help her it's no wonder she descended into psychosis.

River is constantly trying to explore her world, to re-establish the boundaries of safety and the meaning of objects. Notice how she moves through the ship; she is very tactile and very aware of where she exists in her space. She's the only character to walk Serenity's decks in bare feet and she strokes her hands along the ship's rails, doors and bulkheads. River also demonstrates her lack of meaning associated with objects. She slashed Jayne's chest with a knife because he was wearing a T-shirt with the "Blue Sun" logo (Blue Sun is the cooperation/government conglomerate that experimented on River). Where we see a ratty T-shirt, a simple article of clothing, River saw the lie that holds the Utopian society together. In her expanded world-construct she could not separate the shirt's logo from her experiences, she became fixated on the logo and probably was unable to tell that Jayne happened to be inside the shirt at the time. Where we see a shirt, River saw cruelty, oppression, torture and deceit.

River's search for meaning is made clear in "Objects in Space." River is seen walking through the ship and we are treated to a view of the world as River experiences it. Book and Jayne are seen as very tangible dangers, possibly because River can hear their thoughts or possibly because given her trauma everyone is a potential abuser. As she moves into the cargo hold the ground is scattered with fall leaves, River picks up a stick and says, "It's just an object, it doesn't mean what you think it means." We are seeing the world as she does, a world devoid of meaning. A stick is a neutral object to us; it holds no real meaning, it's not inherently good or bad. As we begin to see the crew's reaction we are snapped back into our consensus world-construct and become aware that the object River has found is actually a large pistol. While a pistol is still just an object we assign a very different meaning to it than we do to a stick. River has no such distinctions, showing the depth of her trauma and her psychosis. As the crew discusses what to do about River we see her standing on the railings of the catwalk to listen through the ceiling. Again, she is experiencing objects in a different way than the rest of the crew. The meaning of the railings is to keep one safe from harm, River sees them only as objects which allows her to experience and use them in ways others would not consider. This is echoed through the show as River moves through her world, using objects and space in ways others don't consider. In the opening scenes of Serenity we see River hide during the escape by pressing herself against the ceiling and holding on to a fire sprinkler. Later we see her do something similar on the ship when she literally gets the drop on Jayne.

Mal and Zoe have also been traumatized, although not to the degree of River. Both are veterans of The War and were of the few remaining at the Battle of Serenity Valley, a battle were their side suffered a nearly 70% casualty rate (deleted scene from Serenity). Mal and Zoe responded their traumas in a less extreme way than River, but the existential elements are still present. Mal refused to leave Serenity in "Out of Gas," not out of heroism but because he was clinging to the meaning of the ship. Serenity isn't just his home and means of survival, it's freedom from tyranny - the same tyranny Mal and Zoe fought in The War. Mal refused to leave Serenity because he would be surrendering to the Alliance back at Serenity Valley, something he didn't do even after ordered to lay down arms by his command (in fact he fought for two more days). To most people Serenity is just a collection of corroded parts, but the ship has a much different meaning to Mal. One could also say that Mal has a very unique meaning he assigns to his relationships with the crew of Serenity. As Book commented, Mal is very protective of his crew and no one can really explain why. He took in Simon and River even though it meant a world of trouble for him - he even shot a lawman who threatened the troublesome River, and he did so without a second thought. Although Mal is tight-lipped about his past we can assume that his few relationships hold a different meaning for him than they would another man in his position.

Well, that is enough existential philosophy about Firefly for a while. Feel free to comment, expand upon or contradict me; I welcome the discussion.

[BlaRo]

I don't think you're obsessed enough with Firefly.

Just sayin'.

[jayhawk]

Whoa. My wife came to the similar conclusion a few days ago. Not in so words, but still...

[Blind_Io]

Originally Posted by BlaRo

I don't think you're obsessed enough with Firefly.

Just sayin'.

Heh, this is nothing. I've never been to a Con and I don't even own one of the replica Browncoats - although that's only because I can't afford one. If I could afford one it would be hanging in my closet right now.

[cvrefugee]

Too long, Cliff Notes version?

[Blind_Io]

That was the Cliffs Notes version! It's not that long. I didn't even touch on feminism or any of the other characters like Kaylee, Zoe, Wash, Book or Jayne. I just focused on existentialism, trauma theory and River. I touched a bit on Mal, but not too much.

BlaRo: This is nothing, you should see what I did to my MySpace profile: http://www.myspace.com/blind_io

[BlaRo]

I kinda feel bad for you: you went to all this effort typing that up, you want to show off your passion for the show, but nobody here is as fanatical as you so they (me included) don't really know how to respond.

Are you part of any Firefly forums? (Yeah that's right, I'm kicking you out of Finalgear. )

[Firecat]

Figured I might as well post this in here, as opposed to any of the other firefly threads you created...lol.

After being told to watch this over and over again, and hearing how brilliant it is etc. I finally caved, and the last week I watched all the episodes (DVD order) and rewatched Serenity.

I must say, it really was fantastic...and I wish it didn't have to end. I'm actually really depressed right now, and I love all the people so much...I'm looking at what else to watch that has them or maybe watching Buffy or something.

Anyway....when was it revealed about the Blue Sun company(?) being the one that experimented on River? And she was like super smart, was she turned into a "reader" or would she have evolved into one naturally?

[Firecat]

I'm still thinking of going the Buffy/Angel route. But several people have told me that Babylon 5 is really good, I only worry that it may look kind of dated. Thoughts?

[The_Finn]

B5 is awesome. special effects wise it is definitly a bit dated but most definitly worth viewing. Part of what made B5 so awesome was that before it even started .J Michael Straczynski (JMS) had almost the whole story outlined from beginning to end. The fact that there was a definite overriding story that runs through all 5 seasons made it pretty revolutionary when compared with other Sci-Fi of the time (like ST: The next generation) which was all very episodic

[Blind_Io]

Originally Posted by Firecat

Figured I might as well post this in here, as opposed to any of the other firefly threads you created...lol.

After being told to watch this over and over again, and hearing how brilliant it is etc. I finally caved, and the last week I watched all the episodes (DVD order) and rewatched Serenity.

I must say, it really was fantastic...and I wish it didn't have to end. I'm actually really depressed right now, and I love all the people so much...I'm looking at what else to watch that has them or maybe watching Buffy or something.

Anyway....when was it revealed about the Blue Sun company(?) being the one that experimented on River? And she was like super smart, was she turned into a "reader" or would she have evolved into one naturally?

YES! Another Browncoat in the making! Blue Sun is never explicitly stated to be the ones that experimented on River, but I think there is more information in the Firefly Companion book (pun surely intended). In the 'Verse the government and big corporations are all one entity, or so is my understanding. The Blue Sun Corporation is the Government, or at least the government is a subsidiary of Blue Sun.

As for River, I don't think she would "evolve" into a reader, but she could certainly intuit much more than others.

[gtrietsc]

I just watched Serenity on Sunday, having not seen any of the television shows. While it was ok, I guess IMO it just didnt seem as great as all the drooling I had heard made it sound. It wasn't BAD, but just wasnt...great.

/runs and hides

[Blind_Io]

*counts to 10, cocks shotgun*
Ready or not, here I come!

Nah, I'm not like that. I like the show and see much depth and unrealized potential, not everyone sees it the same way I do. To each his own.

[Firecat]

I had the same opinion of Serenity when I first watched it (when it came out on DVD). But after watching the show and then rewatching it, questions were answered and we got some closure at least.

I don't buy TV show box sets, but when I do start...Firefly will be on my short list.

[The_Finn]

Yeah serenity is ok viewed by itself. It gains alot more meaning once you have seen the show. Gah i have to go DL Firefly now so i can rewatch the series...

[Blind_Io]

Just buy it. For a TV series it's damn cheap. I picked up mine for less than $20. Every sale is another incentive to keep the 'Verse alive.

I freely give away the Pilot episode. The first taste is always free, but you have to pay for the meal.

[Firecat]

Originally Posted by Blind_Io

Just buy it. For a TV series it's damn cheap. I picked up mine for less than $20. Every sale is another incentive to keep the 'Verse alive.

Well, if it's that cheap...then I think I will.