I have a completely different perspective. Often when something is repeated in another context, it changes the meaning. Or it changes the interpretation. A lot of writers, myself included, make the mistake of thinking we have to come up with new lines or new ways of saying things - when often what was said before stated again, in a brand new context or in a different yet similar one is more effective. Sacrificing that for originality..is not always a good idea. That said when you repeat a line constantly...it can become cliche or grating.
Buffy's line to Dawn in the Gift - "the hardest thing in life is to live in it" (exact phrasing escapes me) has one meaning in the Gift and quite another in OMWF.
In the Gift - it is a beautiful line, and we are in Buffy's perspective. We see it as this lovely statement. Resonating.
But in OMWF - again in Buffy's perspective, it rings false somehow. It grates. It is also ironic. Dawn is more or less throwing Buffy's own words back in her face. Stating - if you want me to live in this hard world, you have to too! Coming up with a new original line would take away that emotional impact - that meaning. It would be less disturbing.
Same deal with lamb caught in the blackberry patch. In Reunion - Drusilla states it I believe to the lawyers at WRH. Here to the security guard. The repetition of the line - underlines the fact that she knows these aren't lambs. They aren't innocent. They see her as the lamb, as the person who can be controlled. Her rhyme is ironic - it's condescending. It's similar to her repetition of the line "You're a Colossal Waste of Time". She's making fun of them. You think you caught me? That I'm this weak thing you can control? HA.
If they came up with an original line...that might be lost.
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branchandroot
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Date: 2009-08-09 08:18 pm (UTC)I have a completely different perspective. Often when something is repeated in another context, it changes the meaning. Or it changes the interpretation. A lot of writers, myself included, make the mistake of thinking we have to come up with new lines or new ways of saying things - when often what was said before stated again, in a brand new context or in a different yet similar one is more effective. Sacrificing that for originality..is not always a good idea. That said when you repeat a line constantly...it can become cliche or grating.
Buffy's line to Dawn in the Gift - "the hardest thing in life is to live in it" (exact phrasing escapes me)
has one meaning in the Gift and quite another in OMWF.
In the Gift - it is a beautiful line, and we are in Buffy's perspective. We see it as this lovely statement. Resonating.
But in OMWF - again in Buffy's perspective, it rings false somehow. It grates. It is also ironic. Dawn is more or less throwing Buffy's own words back in her face. Stating - if you want me to live in this hard world, you have to too! Coming up with a new original line would take away that emotional impact - that meaning. It would be less disturbing.
Same deal with lamb caught in the blackberry patch.
In Reunion - Drusilla states it I believe to the lawyers at WRH. Here to the security guard. The repetition of the line - underlines the fact that she knows these aren't lambs. They aren't innocent. They see her as the lamb, as the person who can be controlled. Her rhyme is ironic - it's condescending.
It's similar to her repetition of the line "You're a Colossal Waste of Time". She's making fun of them. You think you caught me? That I'm this weak thing you can control? HA.
If they came up with an original line...that might be lost.
Anyway that was my perspective on it. (shrugs)