quote: Although the show is ambivalent about God's existence and ostensibly secular, it "offers a deep spiritual core that is based in ethical behavior." A "spiritually eclectic" canon on forgiveness, compassion, love, self-sacrifice and redemption guide the slayer and her friends in their battles with evil (supernatural, internal or otherwise), says Riess.
quote: On the surface, Buffy the Vampire Slayer doesn't seem to be a TV show associated with religion, but fans know that it has some very spiritual elements. Riess gets at the heart of the show's values and characters in this engaging book. She shows how Buffy's self-sacrifice--of a "normal" teenage existence, of the man she loves, and even of her own life--is typical of the sacrificial nature of many religious figures.
Oh, the things I find when I'm researching the transformation of Hinduism in pop culture...
Posts: 7877 | Registered: Feb 2003
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Allison Hannigan makes me feel kind of "spiritual" when she's good Willow pretending to be bad Willow. Posts: 3950 | Registered: Mar 2006
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I think that book is going to be full of what the author got out of Buffy a lot more than what the writers intended. That said, part of what made Buffy so engaging was that it did explore deep themes.
I have trouble seeing Buffy as a religious show. I think the episode where Buffy's mom died showed their view on the after life- there is none. Further, none of the characters have any love of authority. Buffy is full of ethical dilemmas and certainly makes claims about what is important in life, but it is not religious.
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Right, but Buffy is all about the struggle between doing the right thing and doing what you want- which I think is very relevant to most religious people.
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Without getting into spoilers... there's many other episodes of Buffy where there IS an afterlife -- there's hell dimensions and heavenly dimensions, characters speak from the other side or come back from being dead, etc.
But the feel of the show isn't very religious. There's supernatural forces, but the supernatural elements have the feeling of Greek mythology, where gods and goddesses walk the earth and do stuff to you whether or not you believe in them. There aren't the faith issues that religions like Christianity deal with.
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While the show does have an afterlife, I think that's very much part of the fiction of the show. If the demons come from hell deminisions, it only makes sense. I do not think the creator's have a belief in the afterlife or that the show in any way espouses such a belief.
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It's one of several scholarly Buffy books and it pales in comparison to such titles as Televised Morality (a published dissertation), Sex and the Slayer and BTVS and Philosophy.
Spirituality and Buffy are a hot topic among Buffy scholars. Even though Whedon is an athiest, the show runs deep with spiritual undertones- even if sometimes they're the "Note to self: religion freaky" ones.
The portrayal of an afterlife is used less frequently in Buffy studies to examine the spiritual aspect than well, some of the issues in this book. I think a list of chapters of the book make more sense:
1. Be a hero, even when you'd rather go to the mall: The power of self sacrifice 2. Change makes us human: Embracing the river of change 3. Death is our gift: What death can teach us about living 4. The anger gives you fire: Can negative emotions be constructive? 5. The monster sarcasm rally: Humor as power 6. What can't we face if we're together? The Power of friendship 7. Obey your teacher, except when he's wrong: Spiritual mentors on the path to maturity 8. The higher way: Choosing forgiveness over revenge 9. What goes around comes around: Consequences 10. The monster inside: Taming the darkness within ourselves 11. Redemption is hard: Personal deliverance in the Buffyverse
Siprituality isn't necessarily religion but religion should be associated with spirituality. Spirituality should be seen more as an inner sense of something greater than oneself or recognition of a meaning to existence that transcends one's immediate circumstances.
I have to stop. I'm geeking myself out. Maybe I'll come back later.
Posts: 862 | Registered: Oct 2003
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Love the show, but 90% of the time Buffy herself drives me crazy. When she's not sacrificing herself by saving the world she's a snotty, bratty, annoying teenager- even when she's in her 20s. I probably wouldn't have chosen to be friends with her. I really don't see her as being some kind of great role model, except for those season finale moments where she finally makes the right, difficult decision. I would never ask myself 'What would Buffy do?'
Posts: 1412 | Registered: Oct 2005
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Excuse me, I am not a devoted fan, but didn't one season end with Buffy dieing? The next season she came back from the dead and was greatly messed up and confused, not because she was greatful for being brought back, but because, compared to what she can remember of her afterlife, this one just sort of sucked.
What she clearly describes is being torn out of heaven to be brought back to live the torturous 1/2 life that is life on Earth, and it was her dearest friends he did that to her.
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Spoiler warning on Dan's post (and now mine!)...
Dan pretty much has it right as I can recall (only seen parts of the series, and that was one). She also lied to her friends initially and told them they saved her from hell.
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On the Buffy Studies topic- it's hard to choose. Why Buffy Matters is wonderful collection of essays by one of my favorite Buffy scholars, Rhonda Wilcox. BTVS and Philosophy is another one of my favorites, but it has a more scholarly tone.
On the topic of spirituality in Buffy, there's only two books- Televised Morality is the other I woudn't recommend it, the writing is so dry- I prefer Reiss' book.
There are many, many articles. The Slayage Journal http://www.slayage.tv is the best source for academic articles outside of a university library.
There are several published articles in academic journals as well. You just have to look a little harder. It's worth it though- the look on the librarian's face as she hands you an ILL article titled, "Buffy and Spike: Necrophilia and Sadism" is priceless.
When I get home tonight, I'll pull up some of the articles I've found and point to them, if you would like.
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quote:the look on the librarian's face as she hands you an ILL article titled, "Buffy and Spike: Necrophilia and Sadism" is priceless.
I would love a pointer to some of those articles! I'm fairly swamped with school for the next two weeks, but after that some time should open up and I'd love to read them. Thank you!
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Amanecer- Is there a topic you're particularly interested in, or would you like a general survey of the literature?
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There wasn't any specific subject. I'm just curious to try out this philosophy of television shows genre, and was wondering if you had any favorites that you would recommend. Posts: 1947 | Registered: Aug 2002
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[Disclaimer: I read about my normal area of research and the characters that I enjoy (Spike). There is much to be found on other topics and other characters]
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I'm fairly swamped with school for the next two weeks, but after that some time should open up and I'd love to read them. Thank you!
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