Black Hat Brigade: Episode 23
Jan. 7th, 2016 11:38 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
wingedbeastSetting: A clothing boutique adjoining a salon.
Susan Pevensie takes a moment to look through a rack of dresses, noting the black dresses.
Susan: I have just the right hat for this. It'll be quite the look for an evening of theatre.
Gaston drapes a suit jacket across his front and admires himself in the mirror.: You should add more color to your look.
Susan: You should subtract more antlers from your decor. We each have our thematic requirements.
Gaston finds another suit jacket, this one with a dash of red trim about the lapel: Since stepping out of my canon, I've found it serves to have a variety of available looks... of course, I look good in anything. *winks to himself in the mirror*
Susan rolls her eyes and picks out something with lace trim: This will be quite fetching with my parasol.
Gaston: Maybe I need something better suited to flexibility... with a cane. I do enjoy showing off a bit of physical prowess.
Lucy Pevensie: I guessed I'd find you, here.
Susan perks a brow, giving a sidelong glance over to her sister. Cold tone of voice: Why, Lucy, it's been so long. I notice you still prefer yourself as a child.
Lucy: And, I see you're still interested in nylons and lipsticks and the silliest time of a woman's life.
Susan: Mmm, yes, a paraphrase of Peter's words. Well, he's allowed to think what he likes. I've no power over it.
Lucy: You could, you know, not waste your time.
Susan looks up for a moment, as though giving that suggestion some thought: No. That would not work.
Lucy: Are you consorting with this villain? *motions to Gaston*
Gaston: You should know that I do have a name. Quite a manly name.
Lucy rolls her eyes: I swear, sister, you're getting worse.
Susan: I'm allowed to have friends who share an interest in fashion.
Gaston: I've recently learned that there are so many other ways to express my gender.
Susan: He's put up some wallpaper... but not removed a single antler.
Gaston: I am a hunter and proud of it!
Lucy: Leave the topic of fashion aside. I am here for a reason. Susan, you know you can change your ways and come back.
Susan: I've already had this conversation with Aslan. I will not be someone who is not myself.
Lucy: But, look at who you are, you're just... For someone painted to be a feminist, you spend your free time shopping for clothes with your friend. It's all a stereotype.
Susan: It may or may not be a stereotype. I'm under no more obligation to keep an eye to stereotypes to avoid them than I am to conform.
Lucy: But, look at you, you're just conforming to that. Narnia is for the women who don't-
Susan: Oh-ho-ho, you cannot possibly believe that!
Lucy: Of course. Here I am, a sporty young lady that-
Susan: Conforms to a different version of womanhood, one that doesn't threaten an author who has a less-than-respectful understanding women who own or employ their own sexuality.
Lucy: No, I don't accept that. Our canon was set in a post-war England when women were expected to be much more traditional... more like you to be honest. I was set as an example of ideal womanhood that could challenge that expectation.
Susan: That is... one interpretation. It could even be legitimate, I'll have to take some time to think on it. But, let it be known that women's rights groups existed then. Women's liberation didn't come to exist, as a concept, in the 60s. And, even giving Lewis that much credit is immediately tempered by his hostility to women who don't conform to his particularly suggested nonconformity.
Lucy: He just wanted women not to be vein and obsessed with their looks.
Susan: Then, he would have done well not to judge women by them. What was the reason given, in Voyage of the Dawn Treader, that Caspian couldn't marry that one young woman? Was it a squint in her eye? I believe it was and that characteristic, alone, was reason enough to find her not only insufficient to be a bride, but worthy of mockery by the sailors.
Lucy: Oh come now. They were sailors and it's hardly established that she didn't have any failings of character that would be impolitic to discuss, thus needing something simple to say to sailers so that they could feel it justified and know enough to keep quiet around various dignitaries.
Susan: That assumes quite a lot that is not covered in canon. Don't let me stop you from exploring that fan-fiction, but don't confuse that with authorial intent. What's on the page is what's on the page. And, what's on the page regarding that young lady is only an injustice to herself as a character, even though she gets no characterization, and to women in general.
Susan: How is a woman not to be concerned with her looks with a society like that? How are you?
Lucy: What do you mean?
Susan: You had a quick look and a quick thought about a spell to make yourself beautiful, after having heard nothing of the unacceptable woman save that she has a physical imperfection, and you are blamed heartily. It may or may not have been a mistake, but to castigated for merely finding the notion potentially tempting...
Lucy: Vanity is a vice, it's bad for-
Susan: Such absolutism with regards to emotion, I'll direct you to my dear Wot and his dealings with Star Wars regarding that.
Lucy looks confused.
Susan sighs: Never mind, it's a reference to some obscure blog. My point is that being a woman should not be so binding. If you enjoy your high-energy sports, feel free. If someone like myself enjoys feeling conventionally attractive, I should feel free as well. If another woman enjoys being a severe task-mistress, she should. If someone who is biologically male wants to enjoy the identity of a woman... Well, to put this all short, there's a phrase in these modern days. "You do you."
Lucy looks aghast: You're talking about...
Susan: I am talking about the rich panapoly of entirely legitimate ways to be human... and therefore ways to be just about anything in fiction. You do you.
Lucy shakes her head: I thought I could reach you.
Susan: So many do.
Lucy: The invitation is still open... if ever you take it.
Susan: My invitation is open to you, dear Lucy.
Lucy shakes her head and leaves.
Gaston relaxes slowly: I'm... I'm sorry.
Susan: Nothing to do for it, I'm afraid.
Gaston: Come on, let's pay for our outfits and relax with a manicure.
Susan Pevensie takes a moment to look through a rack of dresses, noting the black dresses.
Susan: I have just the right hat for this. It'll be quite the look for an evening of theatre.
Gaston drapes a suit jacket across his front and admires himself in the mirror.: You should add more color to your look.
Susan: You should subtract more antlers from your decor. We each have our thematic requirements.
Gaston finds another suit jacket, this one with a dash of red trim about the lapel: Since stepping out of my canon, I've found it serves to have a variety of available looks... of course, I look good in anything. *winks to himself in the mirror*
Susan rolls her eyes and picks out something with lace trim: This will be quite fetching with my parasol.
Gaston: Maybe I need something better suited to flexibility... with a cane. I do enjoy showing off a bit of physical prowess.
Lucy Pevensie: I guessed I'd find you, here.
Susan perks a brow, giving a sidelong glance over to her sister. Cold tone of voice: Why, Lucy, it's been so long. I notice you still prefer yourself as a child.
Lucy: And, I see you're still interested in nylons and lipsticks and the silliest time of a woman's life.
Susan: Mmm, yes, a paraphrase of Peter's words. Well, he's allowed to think what he likes. I've no power over it.
Lucy: You could, you know, not waste your time.
Susan looks up for a moment, as though giving that suggestion some thought: No. That would not work.
Lucy: Are you consorting with this villain? *motions to Gaston*
Gaston: You should know that I do have a name. Quite a manly name.
Lucy rolls her eyes: I swear, sister, you're getting worse.
Susan: I'm allowed to have friends who share an interest in fashion.
Gaston: I've recently learned that there are so many other ways to express my gender.
Susan: He's put up some wallpaper... but not removed a single antler.
Gaston: I am a hunter and proud of it!
Lucy: Leave the topic of fashion aside. I am here for a reason. Susan, you know you can change your ways and come back.
Susan: I've already had this conversation with Aslan. I will not be someone who is not myself.
Lucy: But, look at who you are, you're just... For someone painted to be a feminist, you spend your free time shopping for clothes with your friend. It's all a stereotype.
Susan: It may or may not be a stereotype. I'm under no more obligation to keep an eye to stereotypes to avoid them than I am to conform.
Lucy: But, look at you, you're just conforming to that. Narnia is for the women who don't-
Susan: Oh-ho-ho, you cannot possibly believe that!
Lucy: Of course. Here I am, a sporty young lady that-
Susan: Conforms to a different version of womanhood, one that doesn't threaten an author who has a less-than-respectful understanding women who own or employ their own sexuality.
Lucy: No, I don't accept that. Our canon was set in a post-war England when women were expected to be much more traditional... more like you to be honest. I was set as an example of ideal womanhood that could challenge that expectation.
Susan: That is... one interpretation. It could even be legitimate, I'll have to take some time to think on it. But, let it be known that women's rights groups existed then. Women's liberation didn't come to exist, as a concept, in the 60s. And, even giving Lewis that much credit is immediately tempered by his hostility to women who don't conform to his particularly suggested nonconformity.
Lucy: He just wanted women not to be vein and obsessed with their looks.
Susan: Then, he would have done well not to judge women by them. What was the reason given, in Voyage of the Dawn Treader, that Caspian couldn't marry that one young woman? Was it a squint in her eye? I believe it was and that characteristic, alone, was reason enough to find her not only insufficient to be a bride, but worthy of mockery by the sailors.
Lucy: Oh come now. They were sailors and it's hardly established that she didn't have any failings of character that would be impolitic to discuss, thus needing something simple to say to sailers so that they could feel it justified and know enough to keep quiet around various dignitaries.
Susan: That assumes quite a lot that is not covered in canon. Don't let me stop you from exploring that fan-fiction, but don't confuse that with authorial intent. What's on the page is what's on the page. And, what's on the page regarding that young lady is only an injustice to herself as a character, even though she gets no characterization, and to women in general.
Susan: How is a woman not to be concerned with her looks with a society like that? How are you?
Lucy: What do you mean?
Susan: You had a quick look and a quick thought about a spell to make yourself beautiful, after having heard nothing of the unacceptable woman save that she has a physical imperfection, and you are blamed heartily. It may or may not have been a mistake, but to castigated for merely finding the notion potentially tempting...
Lucy: Vanity is a vice, it's bad for-
Susan: Such absolutism with regards to emotion, I'll direct you to my dear Wot and his dealings with Star Wars regarding that.
Lucy looks confused.
Susan sighs: Never mind, it's a reference to some obscure blog. My point is that being a woman should not be so binding. If you enjoy your high-energy sports, feel free. If someone like myself enjoys feeling conventionally attractive, I should feel free as well. If another woman enjoys being a severe task-mistress, she should. If someone who is biologically male wants to enjoy the identity of a woman... Well, to put this all short, there's a phrase in these modern days. "You do you."
Lucy looks aghast: You're talking about...
Susan: I am talking about the rich panapoly of entirely legitimate ways to be human... and therefore ways to be just about anything in fiction. You do you.
Lucy shakes her head: I thought I could reach you.
Susan: So many do.
Lucy: The invitation is still open... if ever you take it.
Susan: My invitation is open to you, dear Lucy.
Lucy shakes her head and leaves.
Gaston relaxes slowly: I'm... I'm sorry.
Susan: Nothing to do for it, I'm afraid.
Gaston: Come on, let's pay for our outfits and relax with a manicure.
no subject
Date: 2016-01-11 04:47 pm (UTC)I like that Lucy didn't get wound up in all the theological loops. I do wish she'd taken that a bit more to heart...but then, she's got a while to think about it. *s*
Gaston's last line is kind of sweet. I like the direction you're taking him.
no subject
Date: 2016-01-11 05:28 pm (UTC)And, being that Lucy doesn't fair the greatest, for all that she is bound from growing beyond an idealized tomboy image, it is possible for her to consider things.