Full Description
For every television series, the original vision grows within a press of forces-both social and artistic expectations, conventions of the business, as well as conventions of the art. Bad television—predictable, commercial, exploitative—simply yields to the forces. Good television, like the character of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, fights them. Fighting the Forces explores the struggle to create meaning in an impressive example of popular culture, the television series phenomenon Buffy the Vampire Slayer. In the essays collected here, contributors examine the series using a variety of techniques and viewpoints. They analyze the social and cultural issues implicit in the series and place it in its literary context, not only by examining its literary influences (from German liebestod to Huckleberry Finn) but also by exploring the series' purposeful literary allusions. Furthermore, the book explores the extratextual, such as fanfiction and online discussion groups. The book is additionally supplemented by an online journal Slayage (www.slayage.tv), created by the book editors in acknowledgement of the ongoing nature of television art. Rhonda V. Wilcox and David Lavery have written and edited several books and articles exploring the social, literary, and artistic merit of quality television. In addition to Buffy the Vampire Slayer, their work has covered a variety of programs including Twin Peaks, Northern Exposure, The X-Files, and The Sopranos.
Contents
Part 1 Foreword: The Color of the Dark in Buffy the Vampire Slayer Part 2 Introduction Part 3 Forces of Society and Culture: Gender, Generations, Violence, Class, Race, and Religion Chapter 4 "Who Died and Made Her the Boss?" Patterns of Mortality in Buffy the Vampire Slayer Chapter 5 "My Emotions Give Me Power": The Containment of Girl's Anger in Buffy Chapter 6 "I'm Buffy and You're . . . History": The Postmodern Politics of Buffy the Vampire Slayer Chapter 7 Surpassing the Love of Vampires; or Why (and How) a Queer Reading of Buffy/Willow is Denied Chapter 8 Choosing Your Own Mother: Mother-Daughter Conflicts in Buffy Chapter 9 Staking in Tongues: Speech Act as Weapon in Buffy Chapter 10 Slaying in Black and White: Kendra as Tragic Mulatto in Buffy the Vampire Slayer Chapter 11 The Undemonization of Supporting Characters in Buffy Chapter 12 "Sometimes You Need a Story": American Christianity, Vampires, and Buffy Chapter 13 Darkness Falls on the Endless Summer: Buffy as Gidget for the Fin de Siècle Part 14 Forces of Art and Imagination (Past): Vampires, Magic, and Monsters Chapter 15 Of Creatures and Creators: Buffy Does Frankenstein Chapter 16 Sex and the Single Vampire: The Evolution of the Vampire Lothario and Its Representation in Buffy Chapter 17 "Digging the Undead": Death and Desire in Buffy Chapter 18 Spirit Guides and Shadow Selves: From the Dream Life of Buffy (and Faith) Chapter 19 Hubble-Bubble, Herbs and Grimoires: Magic, Manichaeanism, and Witchcraft in Buffy Chapter 20 Whose Side Are You On, Anyway? Children, Adults, and the Use of Fairy Tales in Buffy Part 21 Part III. Forces of Art and Imagination (Present): Fan Relationships, Metaphoric and Real Chapter 22 Crossing the Final Taboo: Family, Sexuality, and Incest in Buffyverse Fan Fiction Chapter 23 "My Boyfriend's in the Band": Buffy and the Rhetoric of Music Chapter 24 Buffy's Mary Sue is Jonathan: Buffy the Vampire Slayer Acknowledges the Fans 25 www.buffy.com: Cliques, Boundaries, and Hierarchies in an Internet Community Part 26 Afterword: The Genius of Joss Whedon Part 27 Episode Guide for Seasons 1 to 5 Part 28 Bibliography Part 29 Index
