Red Herring: Oh So Yummy!
I have been fooled by Elizabeth Patterson’s suddenly-yelled exclamations before. I remember a strip back in May, 2006, where I assumed that the exclamation was directly-related to what came before it (i.e. “Wait!” related to Anthony Caine getting a divorce), when in reality “Wait!” had to do with Liz’s never-before-seen homesickness which would cause her to quit her job and set us up for the wedding we are currently following in this strip.
So, in today’s For Better or For Worse, it is tempting to assume that Elizabeth’s “STOP!!” is related to the incessant, intellectual banter of the children in the car, because that is what comes right before her shriek. I think we are once again being fooled by that mastermind of plotting, Lynn Johnston, and Elizabeth’s motivation for her yell has not been seen. Or has it?
We have been made to believe that Elizabeth does not know of Grandpa Jim’s heart attack because (a) we saw Phil tell Elly not to tell Elizabeth about the heart attack at Jim’s request in order not to ruin Elizabeth’s day and (b) Elizabeth’s unemotional comment 2 days ago how it’s going to be a smooth ride to her wedding, with no show of comfort of any sort by her bridesmaids. However, what could have happened is Elly told Elizabeth anyway, encouraged Elizabeth not to worry about her grandfather, and enjoy her wedding.
I can’t see Elizabeth’s “STOP!!” to mean anything but stopping the limousine to go visit Grandpa Jim. The reason: The dress. Lynn Johnston made such a big deal about that dress, and dragged it out in strip after strip. There is no way, after all that build-up, she is going to have Elizabeth get married without Grandpa Jim seeing her in that dress.
As for whether or not Liz is going to call for a hospital wedding, that is yet to be seen. I could easily see Liz visiting Grandpa Jim, showing him the dress, and THEN leaving him to die while she went off to her wedding. The best part about Elizabeth’s “STOP!!” is it will show that Elizabeth taking charge of one part of her wedding, even if it is the drama queen part.
So, in today’s For Better or For Worse, it is tempting to assume that Elizabeth’s “STOP!!” is related to the incessant, intellectual banter of the children in the car, because that is what comes right before her shriek. I think we are once again being fooled by that mastermind of plotting, Lynn Johnston, and Elizabeth’s motivation for her yell has not been seen. Or has it?
We have been made to believe that Elizabeth does not know of Grandpa Jim’s heart attack because (a) we saw Phil tell Elly not to tell Elizabeth about the heart attack at Jim’s request in order not to ruin Elizabeth’s day and (b) Elizabeth’s unemotional comment 2 days ago how it’s going to be a smooth ride to her wedding, with no show of comfort of any sort by her bridesmaids. However, what could have happened is Elly told Elizabeth anyway, encouraged Elizabeth not to worry about her grandfather, and enjoy her wedding.
I can’t see Elizabeth’s “STOP!!” to mean anything but stopping the limousine to go visit Grandpa Jim. The reason: The dress. Lynn Johnston made such a big deal about that dress, and dragged it out in strip after strip. There is no way, after all that build-up, she is going to have Elizabeth get married without Grandpa Jim seeing her in that dress.
As for whether or not Liz is going to call for a hospital wedding, that is yet to be seen. I could easily see Liz visiting Grandpa Jim, showing him the dress, and THEN leaving him to die while she went off to her wedding. The best part about Elizabeth’s “STOP!!” is it will show that Elizabeth taking charge of one part of her wedding, even if it is the drama queen part.
posted by howard at 12:02 AM
14 Comments:
(i.e. “Wait!” related to Anthony Caine getting a divorce), when in reality “Wait!” had to do with Liz’s never-before-seen homesickness which would cause her to quit her job and set us up for the wedding we are currently following in this strip.
REALLY?! I have always read Liz's "Wait!" as being about the mention of the divorce, and every single re-reading of the Mtigwaki story arc hasn't made me think otherwise. The "homesickness" claim always struck me as a contrived and lame excuse - it was really "Anthony-sickness", as ham-handedly pushed by Lynn Johnston, when Liz already HAD a guy she had a great relationship with in Paul (meant by Lynn to be a "red herring" to the readers, apparently.)
howard,
I could easily see Liz visiting Grandpa Jim, showing him the dress, and THEN leaving him to die while she went off to her wedding. The best part about Elizabeth’s “STOP!!” is it will show that Elizabeth taking charge of one part of her wedding, even if it is the drama queen part.
This would then organically lead to the alleged high note upon which Lynn will end the strip: a confusing and awkward Circle-of-life motif featuring Jim's Force Ghost gazing on benevolently at the Settlepocalypse.
Howard, I don't think Ellie told Elizabeth anything. That idea seems contrary to the loopy style of narrative Lynne's had all along.
More likely, at least it seems to me, is that Elizabeth's limo just happens to be passing, perhaps stopped at a light, by the Milboring Hospital, when Elizabeth, idly staring out the window thinking of how perfect her life is, spied Iris & Uncle Whatever talking as Iris has walked him all the way to the hospital's front door. This can only mean one thing. Stop!
'Course I've been thinking that at Lynn Johnson for a long time now, and she refuses to do it. I think the driver should make her walk back.
I realize my last paragraph has come out cryptic.
I've been thinking "STOP!" at LJ for a long time now.
Anonymous,
The "homesickness" claim always struck me as a contrived and lame excuse - it was really "Anthony-sickness", as ham-handedly pushed by Lynn Johnston, when Liz already HAD a guy she had a great relationship with in Paul (meant by Lynn to be a "red herring" to the readers, apparently.)
I will not disagree with you about the way it looks when you read the strips. However, this was one of the first times when I learned there was a significant difference between what Lynn Johnston had in her head vs. what was in the strip. In more than one interview, Lynn Johnston has sworn that she always knew that Liz’s visit to Mtigwaki was temporary and that Liz would feel homesickness and a desire for the big city, just as she did when she used to live in Lynn Lake, Manitoba, and forced her husband to move.
DreadedCandiru2,
This would then organically lead to the alleged high note upon which Lynn will end the strip: a confusing and awkward Circle-of-life motif featuring Jim's Force Ghost gazing on benevolently at the Settlepocalypse.
That would be weird, but wonderfully bad. I hope Lynn does it.
Thursday Next,
More likely, at least it seems to me, is that Elizabeth's limo just happens to be passing, perhaps stopped at a light, by the Milboring Hospital, when Elizabeth, idly staring out the window thinking of how perfect her life is, spied Iris & Uncle Whatever talking as Iris has walked him all the way to the hospital's front door. This can only mean one thing. Stop!
That’s a reasonable explanation too. The only fault I can find in it, is the idea that Elizabeth Patterson is aware enough of her surroundings, while she is in the blissful, “stare at the sky” wedding state, to notice Iris and Uncle Phil.
I eagerly await today's Coffee Talk, wherein I predict that more than one confused old lady with nine cats will miss the point entirely and freak out, thinking that Elizabeth is getting cold feet over marrying that nice Anthony fellow. My money's on Jessie from Trenton needing smelling salts.
dlauthor,
My money's on Jessie from Trenton needing smelling salts.
Your wish has been granted. It's sort of strange that we all feel bad about being right, isn't it?
Wow, Jessie from Trenton got so upset that she went and invented a new form of punctuation altogether:
I give you "!!???!?!??!" -- the interrokablooey.
dlauthor,
My money's on Jessie from Trenton needing smelling salts.
Oh, you’re good. I would have guessed Joan from Peoria.
I think it will turn out that Liz is psychic, and she suddenly "felt Grandpa Jim's pain," or whatever. I can't imagine she wants to show him how she destroyed Marian's dress. I think it's much more likely that ESP or something supernatural is going on here. ;)
qnjones,
I think it will turn out that Liz is psychic, and she suddenly "felt Grandpa Jim's pain,"
Psychic would work for me. We have already had a strip where Liz communicated telepathically to Grandpa Jim, so this is not as far-fetched as some may think.
So, in today’s For Better or For Worse, it is tempting to assume that Elizabeth’s “STOP!!” is related to the incessant, intellectual banter of the children in the car, because that is what comes right before her shriek. I think we are once again being fooled by that mastermind of plotting, Lynn Johnston, and Elizabeth’s motivation for her yell has not been seen.
If Lynn was ever a mastermind, it's long gone. Yelling at the children for making nonsense wordplay - it appears that, sadly, it really WAS that banal and pathetic. :(
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