Ooh, look, a cool new logo/banner thing! Looking great! [Madison, was that you?]
What makes a hero? That’s a difficult question. Buffy and Catherine are both morally exemplary individuals. True, Buffy is a Chosen One – but her moral exemplariness doesn’t derive from that. In “Tabula Rasa”, when her memories are wiped, she still rises to the occasion. Jason Kawal writes in his article “Should we do what Buffy would do?” that Buffy is characterized by both heroic actions, overcoming what most people would be afraid of, like attacking the Vampires to give her friends (even though she doesn’t remember them) a chance to escape, and saintly actions – I can’t recall any from this episode, but her general state of not going out and dropping out of school for her duties as a Slayer instead of living a normal life, the acts of sacrifice she performs (major one at the end of Season 5) – those are considered “saintly” (Kawal 151-152).
Catherine is not heroic, and is hardly saintly. She is too scared when her candle goes out to even bring the mysterious washing bills she found back to her bed, and the small sacrifices (dancing with Thorpe when she wanted to dance with Tilney) are too small to earn the title saintly. Though those are the only patterns based on strong moral convictions that Kawal discusses in his work, he does not deny that they do not make a person moral; rather they are because of the virtues one possesses.
It seems at first that Buffy may be a better moral role model. She possesses virtues such as “courage,” and “bravery,” as well as “caring” amidst others. Catherine is only mildly courageous – but she is much more truthful than Buffy. They have a trade-off of virtues. Interestingly, in Kawal’s article, he discusses the difference between the pure bravery that Buffy has (she’s not afraid most of the time) versus the will-power bravery Xander has (he is afraid, but he has the will-power to surge ahead anyway) (Kawal 151-152). Perhaps something similar happens with Buffy: while she seems to be inherently kind and brave, perhaps the rest of her virtues are “will-power virtues”, where Catherine has “pure virtues” – that is, her patience, honesty, humility, and high opinion of human worth comes naturally where Buffy my only feel or exhibit them on occasion due to her high moral will-power. Neither type of morality is worse than the other.
Catherine is not heroic, and is hardly saintly. She is too scared when her candle goes out to even bring the mysterious washing bills she found back to her bed, and the small sacrifices (dancing with Thorpe when she wanted to dance with Tilney) are too small to earn the title saintly. Though those are the only patterns based on strong moral convictions that Kawal discusses in his work, he does not deny that they do not make a person moral; rather they are because of the virtues one possesses.
It seems at first that Buffy may be a better moral role model. She possesses virtues such as “courage,” and “bravery,” as well as “caring” amidst others. Catherine is only mildly courageous – but she is much more truthful than Buffy. They have a trade-off of virtues. Interestingly, in Kawal’s article, he discusses the difference between the pure bravery that Buffy has (she’s not afraid most of the time) versus the will-power bravery Xander has (he is afraid, but he has the will-power to surge ahead anyway) (Kawal 151-152). Perhaps something similar happens with Buffy: while she seems to be inherently kind and brave, perhaps the rest of her virtues are “will-power virtues”, where Catherine has “pure virtues” – that is, her patience, honesty, humility, and high opinion of human worth comes naturally where Buffy my only feel or exhibit them on occasion due to her high moral will-power. Neither type of morality is worse than the other.
Kawal even wrote a segment called “Heroism not Required,” in which he discusses the notion of “supererogatory actions,” that is, when someone goes above and beyond either their own or another’s moral call of duty (Kawal 156-157). As a Slayer, Buffy’s duties (which she often exceeds) are supererogatory to Catherine, a normal girl. Perhaps, then, that makes Catherine, with her moral fortitude (even after she realizes how people, at least in England, are grey rather than black and white, she does not lower her actions or self-standards) makes a better role model for us normal people. Kawal ends by stating that because of our differences in personality and position, we should not, when in a tough spot, ask what Buffy would do, but ask “What would Buffy think we should do?” (Kawal 158-159). I say we can ask the same of Catherine. Although, quite true, she can be a little simplistic, so perhaps that mayn’t be my first choice all the time… but if the Catherine at the end of the novel were to listen to herself, I’m sure her choices would be morally right ones, if not always the morals I would like.
Kawal, Jason. “Should We Do What Buffy Would Do?” Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Philosophy: Fear and Trembling in Sunnydale. Eds. South, James B and William Irwin. London: Open Court, 2004. 149-159.
PS. After those last two episodes we watched: would you rather loose your voice or your memory?
Kawal, Jason. “Should We Do What Buffy Would Do?” Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Philosophy: Fear and Trembling in Sunnydale. Eds. South, James B and William Irwin. London: Open Court, 2004. 149-159.
PS. After those last two episodes we watched: would you rather loose your voice or your memory?
Also, happy midterm y'all!
And, another song (lyrics on the youtube page, under more information):
[Heroines - Diablo Swing Orchestra]
Yeah it was me Kyle. Glad you like it, thought we could use a little holiday spirit!
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