The use of the term "Objects" in this episode intrigued me. The title itself is 'Objects in Space' which implies reference to firefly and its crew as the "objects" in space but ends with Jubal Early truly becoming an "object" in space (poor guy...so sad). River's view of a gun being a tree branch and stating that "It's just an object" makes me wonder if all things are really objects and that they don't achieve any purpose until someone or something assigns a purpose to that object. While watching River pick up the stick, and hold it like a gun, it reminds me of a child picking up a stick and using it as an imaginary sword or gun to use in an imaginary battle. At that point, to the child, that stick becomes an "object" of destruction. To an adult, it's still just a stick. It may be a corny comparison but if you think about it the stick can become any "object" a person needs it to be. For example, a stick can become an object representing trash, a weapon, a fishing pole, a writing utensil, or many other "objects". It depends on the user's intent. That appears to be the meaning behind the title of this episode as well as aspects within the episode. Everything and everyone can be labeled as an object and it is left to the use of that object to define its purpose.
7 comments:
I think your comparison makes a lot of sense! Since River is the one to pick up the object and decide more or less what it is, her childlike portrayal works perfectly. I think her character is set up in a way to allow for those sorts of abstract/curious/impressionable moments to lend themselves for other characters to make existential claims (a rough, mature character like Early, for example). I feel like since the 'oddness' of the episode starts with River, our minds (as viewers) also open up to the ideas presented in the episode.
Jubal Early floating in space and just saying "here" I am symbollically did work to explain existential in a very literal since. For me, especially with River's pointing the gun and seeing a branch, the symbolic moments you mention served as a hyberbolic criticism of existentialism, specifically when existialism meets leaves philosophical grounds and meets reality. I can't imagine someone's reaction, no matter how demented, would just be "here I am" while being launched through the endlessness of space. Also, if someone pointed a gun at me and told me "it was just an object", i'd have a few choice words and it wouldn't be "oh what an existential moment".
I love how you guys are deconstructing existential ideas here.
I just got literally so excited I had to go blog more about it!! (oh how dirty that sounds :)
Kudos and thanks!
I never would have thought about that. I suppose the object of a "stick" portraying the gun makes sense, especially in the case of river because she is seen as child-like, and everyone does look after her and see her as this fragile little porcelain doll that may burst at a moments notice, therefore she too is objectified.
Many thanks for your thoughts
I never would have thought about that. I suppose the object of a "stick" portraying the gun makes sense, especially in the case of river because she is seen as child-like, and everyone does look after her and see her as this fragile little porcelain doll that may burst at a moments notice, therefore she too is objectified.
Many thanks for your thoughts
I love this episode so much only because it put into a different setting ideas that I've loved to ponder on in the past. If anyone is more interested in some excellent existentialist writing, I picked up Sartre's Essays in Existentialism, and it has been a great supplemental read so far. I was a little bit of a skeptic when coming into Firefly, but I really like the depth of idea and thought that went into this episode.
A great post, Angela, and some great discussion by everyone else.
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