Post by montbriac on Sept 22, 2009 13:59:38 GMT -5
I am not sure I want to know what it says about me that I am utterly fascinated by Warren but I thought I’d dedicate a thread to the man who is both hero and anti-hero.
This dichotomy of hero and anti-hero makes me think of Warren as a postmodern, supercharged and enhanced Heathcliff. Like Heathcliff, Warren is his own worst enemy and he exploits the wrongs of his past (both real and perceived) to achieve his goals. I think Warren is often cruel in his methods and makes it a point to manipulate and play troop members off of each other to remain in control of the group and the mission. I find Warren Machiavellian and often contradictory -- sometimes malicious and other times he’s bizarre and there are rare instances where he is also wholly sincere and passionate and I do believe that he truly loves Zoe even now.
For Warren, it would seem that the ends justify the means – but I do not know if this is a philosophy he subscribed to naturally or if it is one he has forced himself to accept in order to justify the tremendous sacrifices he has made. Warren still loves Zoe, that never changed, but he encouraged her down a path that ultimately ended their chances for personal happiness together and that sacrifice has made him bitter and perhaps even twisted – not unlike Heathcliff.
I think there are many parallels between Heathcliff-Catherine and Warren-Zoe… both couples were natural soulmates and both couples’ history together is tragic despite the truth of the love both couples share and they even project their own histories and dramas on their children. The way that Warren maneuvers Jolivia’s love life mirrors the machinations Heathcliff used on Catherine Jr – and both men treated the daughter of their beloved as an instrument in their own wars for vengeance (isn’t “balance” another form of vengeance since the point of vengeance is to balance an act of wrong with an act of right).
I think Warren can also be viewed as a product of his psychological past; his childhood of abuse, neglect and scorn from his father and almost everyone around him but Zoe. While Warren seems to see the world in black and white, I think he sees himself mainly in black and that is why he tries so hard to fight the good fight for the greater good. Thinking about his past and his issues with his father, Warren and Jolivia are compelling contrasts – where both are driven to shed the legacy of an evil father, Warren is compelled by shame and Jolivia is compelled by love (for her mother, for her sister, for her troop, etc.) – to my mind, this is Warren’s deepest fault because he does seem to be driven by shame and a need to offset the shame of his past with new glory he achieves as leader of the troop.
Confession time – without condoning or condemning, I feel for Warren. Every decision he makes seems to come at a tremendous price of epic proportions – whether it’s defeating his father, sending his true love undercover against the Tulpa or even maintaining a full roster of Signs in his troop, nothing is minor and I think he’s become cynical over the years because of what he has lost (personal happiness, the love of friends and the lives of people he is responsible for) in pursuit of his goals and that he has been shaped by that and let hubris get the better of him.
I guess I just think that despite the contradictory nature of his character, that there is still a chance for Warren to redeem himself and I hope he does so… I’d love to hear your thoughts about Warren.
This dichotomy of hero and anti-hero makes me think of Warren as a postmodern, supercharged and enhanced Heathcliff. Like Heathcliff, Warren is his own worst enemy and he exploits the wrongs of his past (both real and perceived) to achieve his goals. I think Warren is often cruel in his methods and makes it a point to manipulate and play troop members off of each other to remain in control of the group and the mission. I find Warren Machiavellian and often contradictory -- sometimes malicious and other times he’s bizarre and there are rare instances where he is also wholly sincere and passionate and I do believe that he truly loves Zoe even now.
For Warren, it would seem that the ends justify the means – but I do not know if this is a philosophy he subscribed to naturally or if it is one he has forced himself to accept in order to justify the tremendous sacrifices he has made. Warren still loves Zoe, that never changed, but he encouraged her down a path that ultimately ended their chances for personal happiness together and that sacrifice has made him bitter and perhaps even twisted – not unlike Heathcliff.
I think there are many parallels between Heathcliff-Catherine and Warren-Zoe… both couples were natural soulmates and both couples’ history together is tragic despite the truth of the love both couples share and they even project their own histories and dramas on their children. The way that Warren maneuvers Jolivia’s love life mirrors the machinations Heathcliff used on Catherine Jr – and both men treated the daughter of their beloved as an instrument in their own wars for vengeance (isn’t “balance” another form of vengeance since the point of vengeance is to balance an act of wrong with an act of right).
I think Warren can also be viewed as a product of his psychological past; his childhood of abuse, neglect and scorn from his father and almost everyone around him but Zoe. While Warren seems to see the world in black and white, I think he sees himself mainly in black and that is why he tries so hard to fight the good fight for the greater good. Thinking about his past and his issues with his father, Warren and Jolivia are compelling contrasts – where both are driven to shed the legacy of an evil father, Warren is compelled by shame and Jolivia is compelled by love (for her mother, for her sister, for her troop, etc.) – to my mind, this is Warren’s deepest fault because he does seem to be driven by shame and a need to offset the shame of his past with new glory he achieves as leader of the troop.
Confession time – without condoning or condemning, I feel for Warren. Every decision he makes seems to come at a tremendous price of epic proportions – whether it’s defeating his father, sending his true love undercover against the Tulpa or even maintaining a full roster of Signs in his troop, nothing is minor and I think he’s become cynical over the years because of what he has lost (personal happiness, the love of friends and the lives of people he is responsible for) in pursuit of his goals and that he has been shaped by that and let hubris get the better of him.
I guess I just think that despite the contradictory nature of his character, that there is still a chance for Warren to redeem himself and I hope he does so… I’d love to hear your thoughts about Warren.
