April vs. Becky…Again
The For Better or For Worse strip sequence at the telethon shows some interest contrasts in the character of April. First of all, she does not show up with Luis or Duncan and has instead opted to go with just Eva and also to go with badly-written original material. Without an alternative male, April is shown in a clear gender contrast to Becky with Gerald.
When she sees Becky perform, Eva compliments Becky’s sound, but April attributes it to Gerald’s drumming. In contrast, Becky pronounced April and Eva to be really good. It appears that April’s dislike of Becky continues, even though her dislike of Gerald has abated.
April plays it nonchalant, acting like she doesn’t mind if Gerald goes on tour with Becky because it would be his big break. However, she thinks big break could also mean big breakup, showing she actually does mind if Gerald goes on tour with Becky.
The way Eva phrased the dialogue “I wonder what it’s like to be famous. She must get everything she wants. What if she wants Gerald, April? What if she wants to take him on tour?” This could lead you to believe that wanting Gerald and wanting to take him on tour are one and the same. Even Eva’s follow-up phrases continue along these lines, “What about our band?!!—What about you?!!” Gerald playing with Becky would destroy the band, but Eva also seems to be saying it would destroy his relationship with April.
This is along the same vein as Liz relationships with Constable Paul Wright, “Where is he when you need him?” or Warren Blackwood, “I’ve got a job that will keep me occupied for awhile” as being reasons for destroying a relationship. The other possibility is that April, under the influence of Shannon Lake, will approve his playing with Becky for a single performance, but multiple performances for non-“special needs” charities would put them back to the same place they were before, where she considers doing anything with Becky as a personal betrayal.
I can’t tell if this is yet more Becky hate, or if the purpose behind this storyline is to lead up a more permanent Gerald and April breakup. Becky hate has been pretty consistent, and Lynn does not seem to be able to let it go as a storyline, since she has been doing it for 3 solid years now. On the other hand, the idea that Becky might try to steal Gerald away is also a long-running idea from years ago. Another possibility is that April’s Becky hate is being readied for a smackdown, considering the positive way Gerald and Becky are being portrayed. A smackdown is my personal wish. I would hate for Lynn Johnston to enter the hybrid phase having left April still feeling as if she has been betrayed by Becky more than 2 years after the Grade 8 grad.
When she sees Becky perform, Eva compliments Becky’s sound, but April attributes it to Gerald’s drumming. In contrast, Becky pronounced April and Eva to be really good. It appears that April’s dislike of Becky continues, even though her dislike of Gerald has abated.
April plays it nonchalant, acting like she doesn’t mind if Gerald goes on tour with Becky because it would be his big break. However, she thinks big break could also mean big breakup, showing she actually does mind if Gerald goes on tour with Becky.
The way Eva phrased the dialogue “I wonder what it’s like to be famous. She must get everything she wants. What if she wants Gerald, April? What if she wants to take him on tour?” This could lead you to believe that wanting Gerald and wanting to take him on tour are one and the same. Even Eva’s follow-up phrases continue along these lines, “What about our band?!!—What about you?!!” Gerald playing with Becky would destroy the band, but Eva also seems to be saying it would destroy his relationship with April.
This is along the same vein as Liz relationships with Constable Paul Wright, “Where is he when you need him?” or Warren Blackwood, “I’ve got a job that will keep me occupied for awhile” as being reasons for destroying a relationship. The other possibility is that April, under the influence of Shannon Lake, will approve his playing with Becky for a single performance, but multiple performances for non-“special needs” charities would put them back to the same place they were before, where she considers doing anything with Becky as a personal betrayal.
I can’t tell if this is yet more Becky hate, or if the purpose behind this storyline is to lead up a more permanent Gerald and April breakup. Becky hate has been pretty consistent, and Lynn does not seem to be able to let it go as a storyline, since she has been doing it for 3 solid years now. On the other hand, the idea that Becky might try to steal Gerald away is also a long-running idea from years ago. Another possibility is that April’s Becky hate is being readied for a smackdown, considering the positive way Gerald and Becky are being portrayed. A smackdown is my personal wish. I would hate for Lynn Johnston to enter the hybrid phase having left April still feeling as if she has been betrayed by Becky more than 2 years after the Grade 8 grad.
posted by howard at 12:08 AM
3 Comments:
Eh, when April was thinking that a big break could mean a breakup, I read her face as either resigned or indifferent--but that could just be bad drawing, I guess. I agree--I hope this whole Becky-hate thing is resolved once and for good, with the outcome being that Becky's not out there trying to destroy April's life and it's time to move the fork on.
If April does finally break up with Ger, I'd prefer that this came from a realization that they're not right for each other. And not, "well, you'll be touring, so you can't BE THERE for me, and I'm a PATTERSON girl!" ;)
The problem I have is that I can't see any purpose in having April break with Gerald at this stage of the game except for the one Lynn Johnston has been hinting around for ages. Every time there was a strip or a monthly letter, where John and Elly's move to the new house was mentioned without any thought to April, I got the idea that April is not going to be living there. Even the more recent strips where the idea that the move shouldn't matter to April because she is going to university reinforced that idea. It should be 2 years before she is in university and 2 years is not an inconsequential time, and Patterson kids have a tendency to come home from school in the summers. Over and above this, there is the question of why April needs to break with her band, or break with Gerald within 2 months from the end of the strip. The only reason I can come up with is that Lynn wants April freed up so she can leave Milborough to live elsewhere without any guilty feelings. My pet theory is still that April will end up deciding to live with Auntie Bev in pursuit of her veterinary goals. This will be the 3rd year in a row she is going there, and there has to be more to it than just convincing April to become a vet.
I agree--the push to get April out has been less than subtle.
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