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jadesfireI was going to make this shorter, but I have too many thoughts. But I kept it under 1600 words and used headings to keep things moving in more or less a straight line. Go me.
Contains spoilers for Doctor Who, Torchwood, Stargate: Atlantis Season 4, fairy tales, Greek mythology and the Bible.
I have been seduced by the shiny that is Firefly, but together with this week's SGA episode, it's triggered a rather odd train of thought, bringing into focus something that I've been interested in for a while. There's no big argument here and no profound point to make. It's more of a series of observations that have been gathering weight in my mind. If anyone spots a higher meaning, please point it out to me. Otherwise, please keep your arms and legs inside the car and enjoy the ride.
People and religion
For reasons lost in the mists of my brain, I've always had an interest in names. What we call ourselves is important, and the way names are used is always interesting. My parents chose my name specifically because it couldn't be shortened, but I've been called by at least 3 different versions of it over the years, as well as using the pronunciation to differentiate myself from someone else with the same name. I can think of other people I know who are known by their middle names to friends, but by their first names to family (or the other way round), and for a while I shared a house with someone who was known by a shortened form of their middle name, which got rather confusing when there was post for her. Around here, I'm known as Jades, and although I didn't choose the username because it could be easily shortened, it works for me.
The act of naming is hugely symbolic. I'm shockingly ignorant about other religions, but to take one I know about, names in the Bible have great importance, right back to Genesis. Adam is given the task of naming the animals, which is a kind of symbol of his authority and responsibility. In the New Testament, when Jesus calls people, they often change their names – Simon to Peter, Saul to Paul – as a symbol of new life. This practice continued, not only in Christianity. Converts to Islam change their name to represent their new life and faith, and I'm sure there are other examples in other religions. It's a deeply ingrained idea that names somehow give meaning or purpose, or at least description to a person or an object. For example, throughout the Bible, different names of God are used in the Bible - Elohim, El Shaddai, Jehovah Jireh, Yahweh to name a few – and each is used to illustrate an aspect of his character.
Mythology, fairy tales and the ancient world
Names can also be tricky things, as the Cyclops Polyphemus finds out in the Odyssey. Having been told that his 'guest' is called "Nobody", he is unable to tell his fellow Cyclops who has blinded him. And it is Odysseus' hubris in telling Polyphemus his true name that gets him into many of his subsequent problems. Wanting your name to be known was the constant concern of the Greek heroes, and names also defined the natures of the gods. Knowing the name of the god you were sacrificing to was extremely important. Athena Parthenos would watch over the care of young maidens, but she was quite different to Athena Promachos who led armies in battle. Syncretism confuses this further, with gods becoming identified with each other, and their names sometimes combined. Sticking with Athena for the moment, she was identified by the Romans as being the same as their goddess Minerva. When they came to Britain, bringing their pantheon with them, they identified her with a local goddess in the West Country, and so Sulis Minerva became the patron of the springs at Bath (Aquae Sulis). By telling the people that it was the same goddess under a different name, it allowed continuity of worship both for locals and invaders.
Once you move into the world of fairy tales and magic, names have huge importance. Knowing someone's name gave you power over them, a trope which is often used in fantasy stories. Rumplestiltskin is perhaps the best known fairy tale where names are significant, but I'm sure there are more. Names are associated with power and significance, as well as with family and continuity. Moving out of the fictional for a moment, Roman slaves, when freed, would take their old master's name, a continuing reminder of their status. A Roman child was not accepted into the family until several days after birth, when they would be received by the head of the household and given a name. Even today, the significance of names rooting a person can be seen somewhere like Iceland, where names are patronymic rather than familial (a person's surname is based on their father's name, rather than the family name). Russian names have a similar patronymic component.
Books
The first modern literary example that springs to mind is Lord of the Rings, where every name has great significance, and the plethora of characters with alternative names made my head spin when I was reading the book. Everything in Tolkein's world has a name loaded with meaning, whether they're places or characters or objects of power. And it isn't just fantasy that plays games with names. One of the cleverest conceits in Rebecca is to completely conceal the name of the narrator, who is known simply as Mrs De Winter, while her predecessor is always known as Rebecca. For me as a reader, this seemed to give personality to the absent character, while making the narrator seem even more insubstantial. I have a vague recollection of a book where the main character is convinced that he could have been a hero if he had a more heroic name – I think that's Pratchett, but if anyone can enlighten me, I'd be most grateful.
Film and TV
Moving into television, I saw a great list somewhere (if anyone knows it, please point me at it) of heroes called 'Jack'. Jack Ryan, Jack Bauer, Captain Jack Harkness, Captain Jack Sparrow, Colonel/General Jack O'Neill – there seems to be something about the name that inspires us. Since SG-1 had already had Jack, SGA went for John, which carries the same cultural baggage, the two names at one time being interchangeable. As far as other names go, Firefly has a male character called 'Jayne' and yet no-one comments on it, making a swift, sharp point about the society the show is set in – we're a long way from 'A boy named Sue' here. Oh, and of course the Doctor goes by John Smith, which manages to be both non-descript and extremely telling at the same time.
There's more that goes in here about Jack Harkness and the real Jack Harkness and stuff like that, but I'm waiting for more of Season 2 before I write it. So, moving on…
The point (sort of)
The origin of this ramble actually comes from the SGA episode Harmony'. One of the themes that recurred in SGA fanfic, pre-season 4, was what the characters called each other, or more specifically, what Rodney and Sheppard called each other. Although Sheppard used Rodney's names more or less interchangeably, Rodney always called Sheppard either 'Sheppard' or 'Colonel'. When he used 'John' in Lifeline, I swear, I heard the squee all the way across the Atlantic. It's come up a couple of times since, in the charged scene in Miller's Crossing, and here in Harmony, where Rodney thinks he's been abandoned. The first two times were part of emotional appeals; the last was a situation where in the past, Rodney would have been using 'Sheppard'. I'm not entirely sure where I'm going with this observation, apart from that it's nice to see the dynamic between them changing. Harmony was a good episode for that, with little touches showing how far they've come while staying very much themselves.
Personally, I'm with Rodney on handing the little brat over to the Genii (I find them as annoying on screen as I do in real life, however good a plot device they are), but it was good to see his inner hero taking charge when they came under fire, and the banter was priceless ("I get hungry, I get cranky." "You get cranky, you get hit"), and felt so right for two people who've worked together for three years. My absolute favourite bit though was when Sheppard's about to make a run for the console, and he asks Rodney if he's got a full magazine. He doesn't mock the 'locked and loaded' (which wasn't quite as bad as "One tango, middle of the room" with the accompanying gestures from Coup d'Etat but still) and he just trusts that Rodney's going to be able to cover him.
The teasing, the rivalry and the complete trust when it comes right down to it? This is the kind of thing I've been waiting for from them. And Rodney using Sheppard's first name not only suggests a closeness, it suggests an equality – calling him by his surname or rank implies that he's just another of the generic idiots that Rodney doesn't have time for. But using first names? That's Rodney letting someone get close, and acknowledging them as an actual person. There's a whole lot of weight and significance to it, whether you read it as gen or slash (I'm in the 'they're a pair of squabbling brothers' camp, but that's me), and it's good to see the writers letting things change.
...aaaand I'm done
That's a whole lot of words for a really small point, but I enjoyed the episode so much. Yes, it was far from perfect, but there was so much to like that I can overlook the rest. It seems that lately both Torchwood and SGA have been channelling fanfic, and in a good way. We've had character development, good dialogue and the tones of both shows have been spot on. And although I'm not feeling particularly inspired writing-wise, it's got me writing this kind of thing for the first time in ages, so they're making me a very happy bunny.
Contains spoilers for Doctor Who, Torchwood, Stargate: Atlantis Season 4, fairy tales, Greek mythology and the Bible.
I have been seduced by the shiny that is Firefly, but together with this week's SGA episode, it's triggered a rather odd train of thought, bringing into focus something that I've been interested in for a while. There's no big argument here and no profound point to make. It's more of a series of observations that have been gathering weight in my mind. If anyone spots a higher meaning, please point it out to me. Otherwise, please keep your arms and legs inside the car and enjoy the ride.
People and religion
For reasons lost in the mists of my brain, I've always had an interest in names. What we call ourselves is important, and the way names are used is always interesting. My parents chose my name specifically because it couldn't be shortened, but I've been called by at least 3 different versions of it over the years, as well as using the pronunciation to differentiate myself from someone else with the same name. I can think of other people I know who are known by their middle names to friends, but by their first names to family (or the other way round), and for a while I shared a house with someone who was known by a shortened form of their middle name, which got rather confusing when there was post for her. Around here, I'm known as Jades, and although I didn't choose the username because it could be easily shortened, it works for me.
The act of naming is hugely symbolic. I'm shockingly ignorant about other religions, but to take one I know about, names in the Bible have great importance, right back to Genesis. Adam is given the task of naming the animals, which is a kind of symbol of his authority and responsibility. In the New Testament, when Jesus calls people, they often change their names – Simon to Peter, Saul to Paul – as a symbol of new life. This practice continued, not only in Christianity. Converts to Islam change their name to represent their new life and faith, and I'm sure there are other examples in other religions. It's a deeply ingrained idea that names somehow give meaning or purpose, or at least description to a person or an object. For example, throughout the Bible, different names of God are used in the Bible - Elohim, El Shaddai, Jehovah Jireh, Yahweh to name a few – and each is used to illustrate an aspect of his character.
Mythology, fairy tales and the ancient world
Names can also be tricky things, as the Cyclops Polyphemus finds out in the Odyssey. Having been told that his 'guest' is called "Nobody", he is unable to tell his fellow Cyclops who has blinded him. And it is Odysseus' hubris in telling Polyphemus his true name that gets him into many of his subsequent problems. Wanting your name to be known was the constant concern of the Greek heroes, and names also defined the natures of the gods. Knowing the name of the god you were sacrificing to was extremely important. Athena Parthenos would watch over the care of young maidens, but she was quite different to Athena Promachos who led armies in battle. Syncretism confuses this further, with gods becoming identified with each other, and their names sometimes combined. Sticking with Athena for the moment, she was identified by the Romans as being the same as their goddess Minerva. When they came to Britain, bringing their pantheon with them, they identified her with a local goddess in the West Country, and so Sulis Minerva became the patron of the springs at Bath (Aquae Sulis). By telling the people that it was the same goddess under a different name, it allowed continuity of worship both for locals and invaders.
Once you move into the world of fairy tales and magic, names have huge importance. Knowing someone's name gave you power over them, a trope which is often used in fantasy stories. Rumplestiltskin is perhaps the best known fairy tale where names are significant, but I'm sure there are more. Names are associated with power and significance, as well as with family and continuity. Moving out of the fictional for a moment, Roman slaves, when freed, would take their old master's name, a continuing reminder of their status. A Roman child was not accepted into the family until several days after birth, when they would be received by the head of the household and given a name. Even today, the significance of names rooting a person can be seen somewhere like Iceland, where names are patronymic rather than familial (a person's surname is based on their father's name, rather than the family name). Russian names have a similar patronymic component.
Books
The first modern literary example that springs to mind is Lord of the Rings, where every name has great significance, and the plethora of characters with alternative names made my head spin when I was reading the book. Everything in Tolkein's world has a name loaded with meaning, whether they're places or characters or objects of power. And it isn't just fantasy that plays games with names. One of the cleverest conceits in Rebecca is to completely conceal the name of the narrator, who is known simply as Mrs De Winter, while her predecessor is always known as Rebecca. For me as a reader, this seemed to give personality to the absent character, while making the narrator seem even more insubstantial. I have a vague recollection of a book where the main character is convinced that he could have been a hero if he had a more heroic name – I think that's Pratchett, but if anyone can enlighten me, I'd be most grateful.
Film and TV
Moving into television, I saw a great list somewhere (if anyone knows it, please point me at it) of heroes called 'Jack'. Jack Ryan, Jack Bauer, Captain Jack Harkness, Captain Jack Sparrow, Colonel/General Jack O'Neill – there seems to be something about the name that inspires us. Since SG-1 had already had Jack, SGA went for John, which carries the same cultural baggage, the two names at one time being interchangeable. As far as other names go, Firefly has a male character called 'Jayne' and yet no-one comments on it, making a swift, sharp point about the society the show is set in – we're a long way from 'A boy named Sue' here. Oh, and of course the Doctor goes by John Smith, which manages to be both non-descript and extremely telling at the same time.
There's more that goes in here about Jack Harkness and the real Jack Harkness and stuff like that, but I'm waiting for more of Season 2 before I write it. So, moving on…
The point (sort of)
The origin of this ramble actually comes from the SGA episode Harmony'. One of the themes that recurred in SGA fanfic, pre-season 4, was what the characters called each other, or more specifically, what Rodney and Sheppard called each other. Although Sheppard used Rodney's names more or less interchangeably, Rodney always called Sheppard either 'Sheppard' or 'Colonel'. When he used 'John' in Lifeline, I swear, I heard the squee all the way across the Atlantic. It's come up a couple of times since, in the charged scene in Miller's Crossing, and here in Harmony, where Rodney thinks he's been abandoned. The first two times were part of emotional appeals; the last was a situation where in the past, Rodney would have been using 'Sheppard'. I'm not entirely sure where I'm going with this observation, apart from that it's nice to see the dynamic between them changing. Harmony was a good episode for that, with little touches showing how far they've come while staying very much themselves.
Personally, I'm with Rodney on handing the little brat over to the Genii (I find them as annoying on screen as I do in real life, however good a plot device they are), but it was good to see his inner hero taking charge when they came under fire, and the banter was priceless ("I get hungry, I get cranky." "You get cranky, you get hit"), and felt so right for two people who've worked together for three years. My absolute favourite bit though was when Sheppard's about to make a run for the console, and he asks Rodney if he's got a full magazine. He doesn't mock the 'locked and loaded' (which wasn't quite as bad as "One tango, middle of the room" with the accompanying gestures from Coup d'Etat but still) and he just trusts that Rodney's going to be able to cover him.
The teasing, the rivalry and the complete trust when it comes right down to it? This is the kind of thing I've been waiting for from them. And Rodney using Sheppard's first name not only suggests a closeness, it suggests an equality – calling him by his surname or rank implies that he's just another of the generic idiots that Rodney doesn't have time for. But using first names? That's Rodney letting someone get close, and acknowledging them as an actual person. There's a whole lot of weight and significance to it, whether you read it as gen or slash (I'm in the 'they're a pair of squabbling brothers' camp, but that's me), and it's good to see the writers letting things change.
...aaaand I'm done
That's a whole lot of words for a really small point, but I enjoyed the episode so much. Yes, it was far from perfect, but there was so much to like that I can overlook the rest. It seems that lately both Torchwood and SGA have been channelling fanfic, and in a good way. We've had character development, good dialogue and the tones of both shows have been spot on. And although I'm not feeling particularly inspired writing-wise, it's got me writing this kind of thing for the first time in ages, so they're making me a very happy bunny.
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(no subject)
Date: 2008-01-29 02:09 pm (UTC)(no subject)
From:(no subject)
Date: 2008-01-29 03:57 pm (UTC)Jack tales! Jack tales! I got a hair up my ass about this a few years back and went wandering around looking at the history of 'Jack' in stories and it's got this massively long history in folklore, deep enough to have wound it's way into the fabric of storytelling. I doubt most authors even realize they are doing it at this point, but check this out. The Jack of the 'Jack Tales' is often a trickster and an unlikely hero, and nearly all of the modern tv, movie, and book characters that carry his name share common traits with each other and the Jack that winds his way through both early English and American folklore. It's shorthand for an archetype we all recognize, and I've no doubt that often when a creator reaches for a name when they've created one they jump to 'Jack' without realizing it. Just as we hear it and go "Oh, right..it's a Jack" subconsciously, and start slotting them into that role before they open their mouths when we meet them.
It is a super cool thing :) Yes, I'm kind of a geek.
(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
Date: 2008-01-29 06:21 pm (UTC)I agree - we see the name theme over and over. Identity, or lack of it, seems to be a major thing for pretty much everybody.
Another thing that it always seems to come down to is blood. The vampire thing, bloodlines, blood in more subtle ways - it's even been in Doctor Who and Torchwood. Blood control in the first Christmas special with the Sycorax and the blood-alteration thing in the first ep of Season 2 Torchwood are the two that spring immediately to mind, and I'm sure there's more.
(no subject)
Date: 2008-01-29 11:45 pm (UTC)Interested to read the thoughts on Jack...
(no subject)
Date: 2008-01-30 09:04 am (UTC)I loathe shortened names. I call both my kids by their given name and hate it if people shorten mine. My daughter has a name that can be shortened a hundred different way. Yup, I was a thick idiot not to think about that sooner.
I used to be very close to someone and we would chat extensively via gogletalk. Obviously you don't use names when you do that. Once in a while he would say 'I love you (name). It was really powerful because it was so personal.
Rambling now...