- Week 10 -

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

As Braun (2005) explains the deconstruction of traditional literary notions of good and evil in Buffy The Vampire Slayer series through the characters. In Buffy’s series, each character’s characteristics are described ambiguously and complexly. The feature of evil character demonstrates both decent and demonic traits and behaviours, but good character may reveal opposite to evil characteristics (Braun, 2005).

Especially, ‘Angel’ character could be an example of the deconstruction of good and evil in Buffy. Angel who has romantic interest for Buffy always appeared whenever Buffy needs him or having a trouble. However, when Angel meet Buffy and kills her friend, he shifts from good to evil happened (Braun, 2005). Although Angel turned evil to good again, the character shows the comparison between good and evil notions. Buffy series took the notions of good and evil as a theme. In my opinion, Buffy The Vampire Slayer series want to describe the human’s complex moral by the themes and narratives through setting ambiguous character and its movement of behaviour.

- In what way is Buffy influenced by the romantic gothic tradition? Yet how does Buffy also provide a contemporary critique of this tradition?

Buffy is influenced by the romantic gothic tradition like Frankenstein which is written by Mary Shelley. The characters Adam, Buffy and the Scooby Gang reflect a modern reimagining of the Romantic ideology (Rose, 2002). As compare to Frankenstein, Shelley centrally focuses on the relationship between the creator and the morality of science. “Traditional literary Romanticism expresses admiration for a male Romantic hero who struggles with the opposing forces within his psyche” (Rose, 2002, p.135). Buffy is changing to the Romantic hero in Shelley’s story and reform to access the technology that Adam has.

Moreover, Buffy also provides a contemporary critique of the romantic tradition through the narrative. The story demonstrates Buffy as the Romantic female hero. Buffy is described as a tough and having extreme power which should keep it strong in the science fictional background (Rose, 2002). It is importantly related to the theme of Buffy The Vampire Slayer. The Buffy character implies the humanity and morality and also what results could occur to us.

References:
Braum, 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

Rose, A (2002). Of creatures and creators: Buffy does Frankenstein, in R.Wilcox & D. Lavery.(eds). Fighting theforces: what’s at stake in Buffy the vampire slayer. Lanham: Rowman and Littlefield.