Melancholy Wedding
I predicted in yesterday’s Blog entry that Elizabeth’s “STOP!!” was likely to be a lead-in to the bridal party going by Grandpa Jim’s hospital room so he could see Elizabeth in the Grandma Marian dress. With today’s For Better or For Worse, that ended up not being the case. In fact, Liz’s “STOP!!” really and truly was her yelling at Robin and her step-daughter, Françoise to be quiet. I was stunned that I was wrong, and then I thought about it. I realized that despite everything Lynn Johnston has written about this wedding, I still have this idea in my head that it should be a happy, romantic and meaningful event. After snarking this strip for over 3 years now, you would think I would know better.
Thanks to Elizabeth and Anthony’s wedding, I have taken a look back at the Mike and Deanna wedding strips from 2001, and was surprised at how much unhappiness was represented there. The For Better or For Worse website for Mike and Deanna: A Love Story takes very few of the strips done showing the wedding story and almost all of the positive ones. I forgot, for example, that Deanna and her mother Mira had a giant, screaming match on the day of the wedding over Mira Sobinski’s objective to Lawrence Poirier as best man. I had forgotten that the fighting got so bad that Elly took little April away from the area and had to explain to her why they were fighting. I had forgotten that at every single point in the wedding preparation, there was a battle with Mira over something.
In the back of my mind, I thought that with Elizabeth and Elly Patterson at the helm of a wedding, we would finally see a wedding done right. This would be Lynn Johnston’s grand opportunity to show her readers a good wedding, where the mother-of-the-bride knew her place and supported her daughter. What I seem to have ignored with this idea, is that I had already seen the Anthony and Liz courtship and engagement, and it was as dry and unromantic as an arranged marriage used as a means to bring peace between two warring families. Why would I ever think the marriage would be any different? Why is it that I would have any expectation that a wedding ceremony would turn all this around?
Looking back over the wedding preparation strips, I see cruelty masked with humour. John Patterson pulls a little practical joke today, but it is surrounded by things which make the joke less humourous. Liz is so nervous, Lynn Johnston actually shows her thinking “Don’t be nervous,” like she is about to crack. So, when John pulls his prank on his daughter, there is an element of cruelty there, even though everything ends up all right. Imagine how much less cruel that joke would have been had Elizabeth been shown smiling and laughing with her bridesmaids, or saying something like, “The weather is just perfect. I am so glad we don’t have any rain.” Mind you, if the member of my family carrying the rings pulled a stunt like John did on my wife on her wedding day, she would be livid.
In yesterday’s strip which fooled me, I should have noticed that the other bridesmaids are not talking to each other or Elizabeth. With a happy event, they would all be talking loudly to each other nonstop on the whole trip. Robin and Françoise would not even bother Elizabeth with their “Stousins Cousins Steeba Deeba” stuff. Instead it comes off as if Liz is so nervous, she has to have absolute silence in the limousine, and she shrieks at the kids because of it.
Two days ago, Iris indirectly slammed Uncle Phil with her line to “Carry on as if nothing happened.” 3 days ago, all April could say to her sister on her wedding day is, “We’re rolling.” Casting a pall over the whole wedding is Grandpa Jim’s heart attack and how it is being concealed from the bride. All that stuff adds up into a event that is anything but happy, romantic and meaningful.
Yesterday, I had thought there might be a moment between Elizabeth and Grandpa Jim. Now I think it would be more fitting if there weren’t. The idea that Elizabeth goes through her wedding and never notices Grandpa Jim is not there, seems to me to be more fitting for this melancholy wedding.
Thanks to Elizabeth and Anthony’s wedding, I have taken a look back at the Mike and Deanna wedding strips from 2001, and was surprised at how much unhappiness was represented there. The For Better or For Worse website for Mike and Deanna: A Love Story takes very few of the strips done showing the wedding story and almost all of the positive ones. I forgot, for example, that Deanna and her mother Mira had a giant, screaming match on the day of the wedding over Mira Sobinski’s objective to Lawrence Poirier as best man. I had forgotten that the fighting got so bad that Elly took little April away from the area and had to explain to her why they were fighting. I had forgotten that at every single point in the wedding preparation, there was a battle with Mira over something.
In the back of my mind, I thought that with Elizabeth and Elly Patterson at the helm of a wedding, we would finally see a wedding done right. This would be Lynn Johnston’s grand opportunity to show her readers a good wedding, where the mother-of-the-bride knew her place and supported her daughter. What I seem to have ignored with this idea, is that I had already seen the Anthony and Liz courtship and engagement, and it was as dry and unromantic as an arranged marriage used as a means to bring peace between two warring families. Why would I ever think the marriage would be any different? Why is it that I would have any expectation that a wedding ceremony would turn all this around?
Looking back over the wedding preparation strips, I see cruelty masked with humour. John Patterson pulls a little practical joke today, but it is surrounded by things which make the joke less humourous. Liz is so nervous, Lynn Johnston actually shows her thinking “Don’t be nervous,” like she is about to crack. So, when John pulls his prank on his daughter, there is an element of cruelty there, even though everything ends up all right. Imagine how much less cruel that joke would have been had Elizabeth been shown smiling and laughing with her bridesmaids, or saying something like, “The weather is just perfect. I am so glad we don’t have any rain.” Mind you, if the member of my family carrying the rings pulled a stunt like John did on my wife on her wedding day, she would be livid.
In yesterday’s strip which fooled me, I should have noticed that the other bridesmaids are not talking to each other or Elizabeth. With a happy event, they would all be talking loudly to each other nonstop on the whole trip. Robin and Françoise would not even bother Elizabeth with their “Stousins Cousins Steeba Deeba” stuff. Instead it comes off as if Liz is so nervous, she has to have absolute silence in the limousine, and she shrieks at the kids because of it.
Two days ago, Iris indirectly slammed Uncle Phil with her line to “Carry on as if nothing happened.” 3 days ago, all April could say to her sister on her wedding day is, “We’re rolling.” Casting a pall over the whole wedding is Grandpa Jim’s heart attack and how it is being concealed from the bride. All that stuff adds up into a event that is anything but happy, romantic and meaningful.
Yesterday, I had thought there might be a moment between Elizabeth and Grandpa Jim. Now I think it would be more fitting if there weren’t. The idea that Elizabeth goes through her wedding and never notices Grandpa Jim is not there, seems to me to be more fitting for this melancholy wedding.
posted by howard at 2:04 AM
26 Comments:
howard,
Yesterday, I had thought there might be a moment between Elizabeth and Grandpa Jim. Now I think it would be more fitting if there weren’t. The idea that Elizabeth goes through her wedding and never notices Grandpa Jim is not there, seems to me to be more fitting for this melancholy wedding.
What amazes me about all this is that I know that there are going to be an army of deluded people who look at this bleakness and see something magical. They don't see joyless people putting the finishing touches on a business deal that leaves someone staring down the barrel of fifty years of flapping, honking and throwing coffee cups; they've convinced themselves that this is the Greatest Romance EVAH!! All we need now to complete the failure is Jim's spirit beaming down from heaven in approval.
Besides John's stupid and cruel "joke" I'm stuck on "ring." As in one ring. Shouldn't that be "rings," as in two rings? Is Anthony the only one who will be saying "With this ring, I thee wed?" Is he actually NOT going to wear a wedding ring for his second marriage? What? Or am I missing something about the ring mechanics for a traditional wedding?
I'm kind of gobsmacked, I must say. Yesterday's comic had all the predictable elements of a turn in narrative, and the payoff today is
"There are three empty limosines! We stuck the kids and bridesmades in with the bride! Bridesmaids are unhelpful! Kids are noisy! Elizabeth is just a bitch! Hahahahah, funny comic!"
And, of course, today is the surprise, John is a butthead, doing "Dad" type humor in inappropriate situations!
You are right, Howard, there's no reason to believe the bar is very high for this strip; I did think it would clear the low narrative conventions it's used before, though.
What a completely dreary occasion.
- What happened to Liz's necklace?
- Why are the children in the limo? Don't they belong with their parents?
- Why is the bride wearing her gown in the limo where it will get wrinkled? Shouldn't she be dressing in the "hall"?
- Why is the bride holding the bouquet on her lap during the ride? Aren't all the flowers delivered to the hall?
- Why hasn't Liz been told that her grandfather is in the hospital - and is doing OK? What will go through her mind when she notices that he and Iris are missing?
What a disaster...
Anon NYC
Let me just say, having been "spared" the news of a grandparent's death before, you are not doing anyone ANY favors when you don't tell them about something like this until "after" their event. My parents waited until my brother and I got home from school one day to tell us that our grandmother was dead, and in the meantime, I'd come to have my other grandma hug me, crying, and then take off, and fielded a phone call from an uncle where he assumed I knew when I didn't. Thanks. So when my grandfather died, even though it was 6am when we found out, I called my brother at school. My mom was pissed because "he had a test that day" and yelled at me, but later apologized, and my brother thanked me. Hiding things like this is never a good idea. I would feel TERRIBLE going what, really, amounts to a big party if my grandfather was in the hospital and doing poorly, and I would be pretty royally pissed at whoever hadn't told me.
Meanwhile, the ring "joke" is awful, and John is a terrible dad for doing that. My dad's played lots of jokes on me, but he knows when it's appropriate, for God's sake, and wouldn't do it when I was about to ruin my life by marrying a boring, used-up loser on the anniversary of his first wedding ... oh wait, actually he maybe would do it then:)
DreadedCandiru2,
What amazes me about all this is that I know that there are going to be an army of deluded people who look at this bleakness and see something magical.
“I am so happy to see Elizabeth and Anthony get married. They were meant for each other.” And on that basis, the wedding story does not matter, only the fact that these long-term characters are finally getting married.
All we need now to complete the failure is Jim's spirit beaming down from heaven in approval.
That would be lovely. I hope that happens.
aprilp_katje,
Shouldn't that be "rings," as in two rings? Is Anthony the only one who will be saying "With this ring, I thee wed?" Is he actually NOT going to wear a wedding ring for his second marriage?
Maybe Lynn has the idea that because the ring bearer is a part of the bridal party, he only carries the bride’s ring and Gordon, the best man, carries the groom’s ring. My understanding is that if the ring bearer is carrying the real rings at all, he carries both rings tied on that pillow.
Thursday Next
I'm kind of gobsmacked, I must say. Yesterday's comic had all the predictable elements of a turn in narrative, and the payoff today is
"There are three empty limosines!
I wonder if Lynn is ever going to show us who is in those extra limos.
And, of course, today is the surprise, John is a butthead, doing "Dad" type humor in inappropriate situations!
John is a butthead, but I cannot say it is out of character for him. He has been a butthead for almost 30 years now.
Anon NYC
- What happened to Liz's necklace?
Good one. I missed that.
- Why are the children in the limo? Don't they belong with their parents?
If Mike and Deanna’s wedding is any indication, the flower girls and ring bearer are abandoned by their parents at a certain point prior to the wedding.
- Why is the bride wearing her gown in the limo where it will get wrinkled? Shouldn't she be dressing in the "hall"?
My guess is that this park has no “hall” for wedding preparation. The last wedding in a park I went to, did have one near the park.
- Why is the bride holding the bouquet on her lap during the ride? Aren't all the flowers delivered to the hall?
This was the same way Lynn wrote this for Shawna-Marie’s wedding, where the flowers were delivered to wherever it was the bride and bridesmaids got ready.
- Why hasn't Liz been told that her grandfather is in the hospital - and is doing OK? What will go through her mind when she notices that he and Iris are missing?
I don’t think she will even notice. Judging by her reaction to Robin and Francie, she will probably have a complete nervous breakdown if she did find out.
Nav
Let me just say, having been "spared" the news of a grandparent's death before, you are not doing anyone ANY favors when you don't tell them about something like this until "after" their event.
This has happened to me before, and I agree with you 100%.
Meanwhile, the ring "joke" is awful, and John is a terrible dad for doing that. My dad's played lots of jokes on me, but he knows when it's appropriate, for God's sake, and wouldn't do it when I was about to ruin my life by marrying a boring, used-up loser on the anniversary of his first wedding ... oh wait, actually he maybe would do it then:)
That's a different way of thinking about it. Maybe John is putting things in the right perspective after all. Good for him.
Well, I would never have predicted 3 years ago, that this would be the "high point" of FBoFW.
How horrible; a relationship based on deceit and hurting others, culminating in a loveless, souless, business merger.
There is no way to look at the older comics now, without the knowledge that they all wind up self-centered, bitter and trapped in a recycle of a bad relationship and anger.
So, when John pulls his prank on his daughter, there is an element of cruelty there.
Well, we all know that Rod, er, I mean John, is a bastard. With just a few weeks left of the strip, he's not likely to change into a nice guy.
And when September comes, with the new old strips, who knows how much of a bastard he'll turn out to be. Or to have been. Or to have been retconned to be...
Damn! I'm confusing myself.
debjyn,
There is no way to look at the older comics now, without the knowledge that they all wind up self-centered, bitter and trapped in a recycle of a bad relationship and anger.
I have seen this pattern before with some authors, where they grow more and more bitter as life goes on, and it is reflected in what they do with their recurring characters. As for Liz and Anthony, if I think of them as a story of obsessive lovers who trash the lives of everyone around them on their way to the altar, it is a better story. The problem with the old comics is that it reminds you that you used to like the characters. It’s easier if you don’t like them.
Muzition,
And when September comes, with the new old strips, who knows how much of a bastard he'll turn out to be. Or to have been. Or to have been retconned to be...
Damn! I'm confusing myself.
This is a real question. John was a pretty awful father and husband in the early strips, and he has mellowed over the years. If Lynn’s selection of reprint strips over the last year is any indication, the Rod that will appear may be even more of a jerk than before. On the other hand, she may take a stance like she has done with Elly of late and feature her much more often with Connie than with John. These new strips set back in 1979 may have very little John in them.
My guess is that Anthony or one of Anthony's groomsmen has Liz's ring. That's how it worked in some of the weddings I was in. But then, there was no ring bearer in those weddings. I don't know. My guess is, Robin won't get those rings until the last minute. I half-expect him to eat them, given his past behavior.
Yes, John's joke was unfunny and cruel, cementing him in my mind as a jerk. And I like practical jokes as a rule, but they have to be funny to the joke-ee, not just to to joker. Ass.
As for Liz wanting quiet--actually, all three of the brides I was a bridesmaid for became very irate on the wedding day morning, during preparations. They just got sick and tired of everyone asking them a million questions or trying to get her attention all the time. So Liz's outburst doesn't seem so weird. But it does seem strange without any follow up to explain it.
I am disappointed that she isn't psychic. :(
howard,
As for Liz and Anthony, if I think of them as a story of obsessive lovers who trash the lives of everyone around them on their way to the altar, it is a better story. The problem with the old comics is that it reminds you that you used to like the characters. It’s easier if you don’t like them.
Given how Lynn plans to "improve" the story in the retelling, I don't think not liking anyone will be all that hard. By December, we'll wish they'd die slowly and painfully.
I forgot to say--
At first, when Liz said to Robin, "It's in your grandfather's pocket," I thought she was referring to Grandpa Jim. And I thought, Aha! Here is how they are going to realize he's not here!
But then I realized that Robin's grandfather is John. Why didn't I remember that right away? Oh, right. He's never shown even the slightest shred of interest in his grandchildren. He acts like my aunt's second husband does when her grandchildren come around. He goes off birdwatching. Except John plays with trains. Oh, and they're actually his grandchildren too.
qnjones,
My guess is that Anthony or one of Anthony's groomsmen has Liz's ring. That's how it worked in some of the weddings I was in. But then, there was no ring bearer in those weddings.
In my wedding, we had a symbolic ring-bearer (fake rings), but the best man and the matron of honour held the rings. I know some people skip the ring-bearer in those kinds of circumstances.
My guess is, Robin won't get those rings until the last minute. I half-expect him to eat them, given his past behavior.
Maybe 3-year-old Robin might eat those rings, but the new Robin who can do rhyming wordplay and pronounce the word “limousine” is too old for such antics.
They just got sick and tired of everyone asking them a million questions or trying to get her attention all the time. So Liz's outburst doesn't seem so weird. But it does seem strange without any follow up to explain it.
I know Lynn Johnston used to find it hilarious to have Elly unhinge her jaw and shriek at young Michael, Liz or April; but she has scrupulously avoided showing a similar scene of screaming with Robin or Meredith. I often wondered if she would ever show such a scene. Here it is, on Liz’s wedding day, when little Françoise is about to take Liz on as a step-mom, and this, of all moments, is the very first time we have seen an adult scream at one of these kids.
Elizabeth’s outburst is understandable, but the kids weren’t talking to her. They asked her a few questions, which she did not answer or try to answer. Then Françoise and Robin were talking to each other about being “stousins”, and out of nowhere, Elizabeth yells at them to stop. Not only was there no follow-up, but there was no sense that Elizabeth did or would need to apologize to the kids, who were just having a good time talking to each other. Sometimes my kids get excited and start talking very loudly or shrieking (happy shrieks) when they are in a car, and the close quarters makes their sounds painful to my poor sensitive ears. Maybe that was what Lynn was after, but there is no evidence of that in the word balloons. It is almost like the strip where Deanna wanted the kids to sit on the chesterfield and not make any noise or even poke each other.
But then I realized that Robin's grandfather is John. Why didn't I remember that right away? Oh, right. He's never shown even the slightest shred of interest in his grandchildren.
John has had very few moments with his grandkids. I think he went out to play with the grandkids in the snow once, when Elly told him that it turned her on. If you compare Grandpa Jim with his grandkids to John, he makes John look really bad.
DreadedCandiru2,
Given how Lynn plans to "improve" the story in the retelling, I don't think not liking anyone will be all that hard. By December, we'll wish they'd die slowly and painfully.
At least that gives Lynn a goal to work for. The only question is whether she can achieve that with her 50% blend. What we have yet to see is if she will do a chronological retelling with the reprint strips, or if she will cherry pick her favourites (ones that make John and Mike look bad).
Howard,
Hey, I'm totally on board with the idea that the yelling at Francie is a horrible way for Liz to start stepmomming. That was my first reaction. I'm just saying, though, most brides get irate. IME. I'm not saying that Liz's way of handling it is acceptable. Oh no. I hope Francie objects during the wedding!
The only scene with John and grandkids I can remember is that scene of them playing in the snow. I thought of that myself, and discounted it as an example of showing interest for exactly the reason you cite--he only did it to try to make Elly fall in love with him again. It was an act of a desperate husband, not a loving grandpa.
There was also a Sunday strip where John makes repairs to Merrie's broken-down old doll house.
Besides John's stupid and cruel "joke" I'm stuck on "ring." As in one ring. Shouldn't that be "rings," as in two rings? Is Anthony the only one who will be saying "With this ring, I thee wed?" Is he actually NOT going to wear a wedding ring for his second marriage? What? Or am I missing something about the ring mechanics for a traditional wedding?
Anthony's reusing his first wedding's date, maybe he's also reusing the ring.
qnjones,
Hey, I'm totally on board with the idea that the yelling at Francie is a horrible way for Liz to start stepmomming.
Lynn could have shown Liz yelling at anyone else but the kids, and she would not come off as badly. To yell at the 2 youngest kids, who weren’t even talking to her, puts her in the worst possible light.
That was my first reaction. I'm just saying, though, most brides get irate.
I understand that. My wife, when she has been a bridesmaid, considered it her duty to run interference for the bride as much as possible on the wedding, precisely to avoid all those last minute questions. At my wedding, I and the wedding coordinator and 2 mothers-of-the-bride were the ones doing that, so my bride could sequester herself from the public. On the other hand, my wife was in a very good mood on her wedding day, the exact opposite of Elizabeth Patterson.
aprilp_katje,
There was also a Sunday strip where John makes repairs to Merrie's broken-down old doll house.
That one wasn’t too bad. I remember one where they were playing with trains and Merrie started crying that John wouldn’t share his trains.
kris,
Anthony's reusing his first wedding's date, maybe he's also reusing the ring.
That’s an amusing thought. However, we have seen on two separate occasions there are two rings. I am not sure why Lynn / Robin forgot that.
Eew, I wish you hadn't shown me that ring scene again. I gagged on my breakfast:)
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