Strip Reordering and Reinterpretation
It is interesting how reordering a strip can make a difference with its interpretation. As this sequence was originally presented in For Better or For Worse, John heaped abuse on his wife as a dental assistant, and then Elly got confirmation from fellow employee Helène that John was mean to her too. So, we learn it was equal opportunity abuse, and not just because Elly was his wife.
With the strips in reverse order, Helène’s comment to Elly comes off as a warning to her, and the need for the warning is fulfilled in today’s strip. John explains that he gets tense and called Elly (or presumably his regular dental assistant, too) names. And he expects that the dental assistant will understand that his name-calling comes from stress and should not be taken personally. Then if it continues in this order of presentation, tomorrow John will appear to be even more of an ass because, after learning Elly takes it personally, he will continue to heap abuse on her.
The strangest part of this equation is the knowledge that Lynn Johnston’s husband, Rod, would then have this sequence of strips which portrayed him as an abusive husband and an abusive employer out in the public for everyone to read. If I read these strips and Dr. Rod Johnston was my dentist, I would be seriously considering finding another dentist. I can’t imagine I would be the only one to think this.
There is a type of abuse where the victim of the abuse finds moments where retribution can be gotten without immediate consequence. For example, the wife who embarrasses her abusive husband at a party, knowing that he can do nothing to her while they are at the party. In many respects, these early For Better or For Worse strips feel like this to me. It seems like it is Lynn Johnston getting a very public revenge on Rod Johnston. If Rod deserved this, more power to Lynn for having humiliated him; but if he didn’t, this week of strips would feel like a punch to the stomach.
With the strips in reverse order, Helène’s comment to Elly comes off as a warning to her, and the need for the warning is fulfilled in today’s strip. John explains that he gets tense and called Elly (or presumably his regular dental assistant, too) names. And he expects that the dental assistant will understand that his name-calling comes from stress and should not be taken personally. Then if it continues in this order of presentation, tomorrow John will appear to be even more of an ass because, after learning Elly takes it personally, he will continue to heap abuse on her.
The strangest part of this equation is the knowledge that Lynn Johnston’s husband, Rod, would then have this sequence of strips which portrayed him as an abusive husband and an abusive employer out in the public for everyone to read. If I read these strips and Dr. Rod Johnston was my dentist, I would be seriously considering finding another dentist. I can’t imagine I would be the only one to think this.
There is a type of abuse where the victim of the abuse finds moments where retribution can be gotten without immediate consequence. For example, the wife who embarrasses her abusive husband at a party, knowing that he can do nothing to her while they are at the party. In many respects, these early For Better or For Worse strips feel like this to me. It seems like it is Lynn Johnston getting a very public revenge on Rod Johnston. If Rod deserved this, more power to Lynn for having humiliated him; but if he didn’t, this week of strips would feel like a punch to the stomach.
posted by howard at 11:03 PM
7 Comments:
howard:
It seems like it is Lynn Johnston getting a very public revenge on Rod Johnston. If Rod deserved this, more power to Lynn for having humiliated him; but if he didn’t, this week of strips would feel like a punch to the stomach.
Even if he did nothing to deserve it when these strips first ran, his adultery and current purported antics sort of do justify his current treatment. It would also seem the the settlement didn't go all Lynn's way as she'd hoped. If what I think happened happened, he and his lawyer promised not to try anything funny as far as the profits from the strip as long as she didn't try to do the same with the proceeds to the dental practice and model train business. She was planning to own his horses, too, I'll betcha.
dreadedcandiru2,
Do you have a source for this information, or are these statements about Lynn and Rod's settlement pure conjecture? Just curious.
howard:
Do you have a source for this information, or are these statements about Lynn and Rod's settlement pure conjecture? Just curious.
Just my interpretation of events based on my being as cynical as possible. If the proceedings were civilized, I'd be pleasantly surprised. Given the circumstances, however, my inner critic tells me Johnston v. Johnston was a fairly brutal thing.
This emphasizes to me again why Lynn's family became so uncomfortable with the strip. Basing events on family makes sense if you are kind about it--Family Circus, Dennis the Menace--but when it seems there was always so much implied criticism or anger, it's really uncomfortable.
Yes, Aaron was a handful, out of control kid; Lynn was annoyed by her children and being a housewife, Rod is critical and chauvinistic, and Kate was just adorable.
Of course, it's interesting to see how they evolved in Lynn's mind. The problem child became the "perfect Michael", Elly is the "perfect parent and grandmother" and John is the "steady, dependable, supportive" husband, Liz is the "perfect daughter with the perfect mate-just-like-daddy" who gives up independence to fulfill her destiny of being a replica of her mother.
The longer Lynn goes, the more the venom spills over into her characters, both in the modern strips and the older strips she highlights.
debjyn:
The longer Lynn goes, the more the venom spills over into her characters, both in the modern strips and the older strips she highlights.
And the more she deviates from her original premise of a family setting aside their differences to come together. Now, it's just her standing around carping about how ungrateful everyone is.
debjyn
This emphasizes to me again why Lynn's family became so uncomfortable with the strip. Basing events on family makes sense if you are kind about it--Family Circus, Dennis the Menace--but when it seems there was always so much implied criticism or anger, it's really uncomfortable.
Exactly. It makes me uncomfortable, and these strips are almost 30 years old.
dreadedcandiru2,
Now, it's just her standing around carping about how ungrateful everyone is.
And the self-praise. That’s important too.
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