My main idea is that the only way Joss Whedon could get all of the fledgling relationships in this episode off the ground was to take away the barrier of language. It was not a coincidence that "Hush" is the episode in which Buffy and Riley kiss for the first time, or Tara and Willow finally get a chance to be together one on one. The point of this episode seemed to be geared around creating an environment in which relationships could bloom without the constraint of proper "small talk."
Starting with the easiest: Giles and Olivia. One good reason to have Olivia in "Hush" is that she's obviously a part of Giles' past, and if she could speak she would have to explain where she came from. Without having to create a backstory for the pair, Joss Whedon can just leave it to the audience to make whatever they will of Olivia, and not worry about her too much because she's not permanent.
Riley and Buffy, and Willow and Tara both fall into similar categories. Both couples are hindered by the fact that they are never quite able to get out what they want to say, and when they're finally not expected to say anything at all, their relationships have a chance to blossom.
The relationship that I actually find the most interesting is Anya and Xander's. Anya is always being corrected for all sorts of faux-pas that aren't socially correct. What's unfair about her situation is that she's the only character who's always honest. She has absolutely no filter, and her honesty is what gets her in to trouble. But, I noticed that after Xander thought Spike had killed Anya, it was okay for her to use hand signals for "let's go have sex" but it would have never been okay for her to say it out loud. To me, Anya seems like the victim of a culture that just can't handle the truth.
Does anyone else feel kind of sorry for Anya?
I think you made a really good point about how the lack of verbal communication allowed for relationships to get past the uncomfortable stage of small talk and really “blossom”, as you put it. I believe that communication, both verbal and nonverbal, is essential in relationships. I think a lot of the time, as we see with Buffy and Riley, and even in the case of Xander, people just can’t find the right words to express how they truly feel and they are left either babbling or in awkward silences. Under these circumstances, nonverbal communication, such as gestures, facial expressions, and actions, come in handy. The overly used phrase, “actions speak louder than words”, can actually be effective in certain instances. For example, Xander at first can’t describe in words how he feels about Anya, but when he thinks she is in danger, his actions portray his true sentiments towards her and she can finally understand his feelings. However, while Buffy and Riley click when they can’t talk and their relationship seems better than ever, as soon as they regain their voices, they are once again left in uncomfortable silence, not allowing for their relationship to move forward. In order to obtain the basis for any good relationship, the couple needs to learn how to communicate both with words and with actions.
ReplyDeleteI had never thought about what you said regarding Olivia. The lack of dialogue means we just sort of accept her presence and don't need to ask for a back story, because we know we couldn't get one. I was also intrigued by your use of the phrase "proper 'small talk'". Maybe this episode can be related to Northanger Abbey, or the larger culture of the gothic period, in some way by suggesting that without constraints of social norms or requirements, such as empty pleasantries, more can be accomplished.
ReplyDeleteI like your comment about Olivia, and how the viewer never really finds anything out about her, as she is drowned in silence for the majority of the episode. This I think was an extremely cool device to use by Whedon, as he utilizes the constraints of this episode to try something different, essentially allowing the viewer to create a perception of Olivia that is entirely their own. Anytime something so significant is left up to the audience, it should be considered a great leap of faith by the author, and Whedon succeeds here, certainly.
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