by Zara » Thu Jan 22, 2015 6:48 am
If it's okay, I am rather enjoying the separate paths, where the characters are making slightly different choices. It would be quite possible to connect this scene with the Central Park branch; perhaps we'd end up doing that at a later revisioning stage. As it stands right now, though, in the Central Park tale this Isaac-Catherine conversation is left to the reader's imagination and the emphasis is on Isaac and Vincent connecting at a certain time, in a certain way, in a certain mood, with Catherine's direct guidance and support. Things might happen differently in this other story wherein Isaac's description of the situation on the Lower East Side has made so many fears and dangerous variables so explicit, and wherein Catherine is feeling so strongly the tension between conflicting commitments to people she cares about. Different atmospheres to play in.
Because it is implied in canon that meeting Vincent in a non-accidental way is an important (perhaps essential) part of Tunnelfolk culture, it might be interesting here in Path 2 to explore the issue of Isaac's nomination to the community as a potential friend or even a Helper, as well as the issue of meeting Lucy's needs, because Vincent already has a budding relationship with her and she has already gone through the "rite of passage" of seeing him up close and accepting him. After all, what is the "slow and gradual process by which people come to live" Below? What are some of those "very strict" rules about "who may come Down, and for what reason"? What, exactly, does the "Council" decide under ordinary circumstances, beyond offering someone in need some kind of sanctuary? How, exactly, do the Helpers and the Tunnel-dwellers relate to each other within their special subculture? The episodes never told us; they only showed us the various emergency exceptions to the rules, when Tunnels Law got bent, broken, or reinterpreted to accommodate extraordinary crises. Heck, we could even get into Catherine's community status if we wanted to, which was still quite nebulous in this part of Season One, especially after Father's (alas, notorious-in-fandom) statements to her in NWD.
Path 1 is feeling more direct-action-oriented so far, wherein the relationships are more important to the story than any rules or consequences. More doing, less exposition. So: atmospheres.
We might need to ponder such things together in the Talks section.
Writerly note: You have two "looks" in your first sentence. One regarding visual action and the other referring to facial expression. The English is good, but the repetition caught my readerly attention, made me notice the words instead of the story. Just an observation.
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Isaac only nodded. "Friends do for each other," he said.
If it's okay, I am rather enjoying the separate paths, where the characters are making slightly different choices. It would be quite possible to connect this scene with the Central Park branch; perhaps we'd end up doing that at a later revisioning stage. As it stands right now, though, in the Central Park tale this Isaac-Catherine conversation is left to the reader's imagination and the emphasis is on Isaac and Vincent connecting at a certain time, in a certain way, in a certain mood, with Catherine's direct guidance and support. Things might happen differently in this other story wherein Isaac's description of the situation on the Lower East Side has made so many fears and dangerous variables so explicit, and wherein Catherine is feeling so strongly the tension between conflicting commitments to people she cares about. Different atmospheres to play in.
Because it is implied in canon that meeting Vincent in a non-accidental way is an important (perhaps essential) part of Tunnelfolk culture, it might be interesting here in Path 2 to explore the issue of Isaac's nomination to the community as a potential friend or even a Helper, as well as the issue of meeting Lucy's needs, because Vincent already has a budding relationship with her and she has already gone through the "rite of passage" of seeing him up close and accepting him. After all, what is the "slow and gradual process by which people come to live" Below? What are some of those "very strict" rules about "who may come Down, and for what reason"? What, exactly, does the "Council" decide under ordinary circumstances, beyond offering someone in need some kind of sanctuary? How, exactly, do the Helpers and the Tunnel-dwellers relate to each other within their special subculture? The episodes never told us; they only showed us the various emergency exceptions to the rules, when Tunnels Law got bent, broken, or reinterpreted to accommodate extraordinary crises. Heck, we could even get into Catherine's community status if we wanted to, which was still quite nebulous in this part of Season One, especially after Father's (alas, notorious-in-fandom) statements to her in NWD.
Path 1 is feeling more direct-action-oriented so far, wherein the relationships are more important to the story than any rules or consequences. More doing, less exposition. So: atmospheres.
We might need to ponder such things together in the Talks section. :)
Writerly note: You have two "looks" in your first sentence. One regarding visual action and the other referring to facial expression. The English is good, but the repetition caught my readerly attention, made me notice the words instead of the story. Just an observation.
______________________________________________
Isaac only nodded. "Friends do for each other," he said.