thoughts on the meaning of Donna’s story

[rusty_halo]

http://rusty-halo.com/wordpress/?p=2633

I haven't been talking much about Donna because I'm so sad about her ending. I don't think it was the wrong story choice; it's a tragedy. It's presented as a tragedy. It's meant to rip your heart out and stomp all over it. It's not in any way implying that Donna is less than any other character, or less amazing than you thought she was. The tragedy gets its power from the fact that Donna was so wonderful.

And I know there's people claiming that the Doctor should've respected Donna's choice, but even if you leave aside the issue of informed consent (hi her brain was not functioning properly), she didn't say "I'd rather die." She said "I want to stay."

People, she couldn't stay. She made her choice and she couldn't have it. She was dying right there. It wasn't a matter of respecting her wishes or not; it was a matter of choosing between two things she didn't want, death or a mindwipe.

Yeah, the Doctor probably should have talked to her about it earlier, before things got so bad. But the solution would've been the same; the pain just would have been dragged out longer.The Doctor runs from pain, doesn't want to face this horrible situation until finally he's forced to. That's selfish, but it's a selfishness that comes from heartbreak. He doesn't want to lose Donna and doesn't want to hurt her, so he puts it off as long as possible. A mistake, yes, but so understandable. Tell me you've never fled from something difficult because you didn't want to face how much it would hurt.

And how horrible, to make Donna choose either death or a memory wipe, when she wants neither. Honestly, I think the Doctor did the kindest thing for her, to make it quick and get it over with. Because the more she had to think about it, the more it would have broken her heart.

And I don't understand the idea that death is better. Maybe it's because I see death as final, but either way, the Donna we know ends. Yes, it's sad that she loses the knowledge of how amazing she is, but um, if she's dead, she doesn't know how awesome she is either. On account of being dead. At least with the mindwipe, she's got a chance of discovering herself again.

I'm trying to think about what the overall theme of Donna's story is. And I think, honestly, despite how sadly it ended, it's a hopeful story. It's a story about human potential.

When we meet Donna, she seems utterly banal. Sure, she's funny and entertaining but ultimately she's shallow, she's an ignorant person living a very small life, thinking only of herself and ignoring the world around her. But put into the right situation, her better side comes out. And there's not just one right situation; "Turn Left" shows this explicitly. Donna's always had potential, but it's been squashed down by a pointless life, by celebrity gossip and consumerism and a passionless job and an emotionally abusive mother. Maybe the story is that the shallow modern world discourages our better sides from coming out? Or of how much influence our family dynamics have on who we become?

Because when Donna does face adversity, when she's forced to experience suffering and see it happening to other people, that's when her compassion and bravery come to the fore. And when Donna experiences wonder, the creation of the earth, the realization that the universe is so much bigger than she imagined, that's when her passion and energy and heroism come out. But she needs those challenges in order to realize her potential.

And it's also a story that says that even people who seem set in their ways can change. Usually we get these heroic realization-of-potential stories for really young people. In fiction, middle-aged people (especially women) often seem set in stone; they are what they are and can't be anything else. But Donna gets a non-traditional coming-of-age story, a story about someone who realizes the life she thought she wanted isn't enough, that the person she became isn't who she wants to be. She changes at a point where most people have already decided who they are, which shows that realizing your potential isn't an option limited to the young; even the most average set-into-their-lives people can grow into heroes. It's not just the alternate hero!Donna of "Turn Left," but the mere fact that she changes so late in life, that should give us hope that she'll find another way to live a fulfilling life, via yet another path.

I don't know. I honestly think the mindwipe is a better story than a heroic death. A heroic death is predictable; a character going from nobody to heroic martyr is one of those basic stories that we've seen a million times before. It's emotionally satisfying, yeah, but it's kind of a closed story. This story is a lot more open, and disturbing, and makes you think and ask a lot more questions. What made Donna a hero? How much of it is the influence of her family? Or the influence of the world around her? Was it the adversity she experienced, or the wonder, or both? Do most seemingly average people have that potential, or is it something rare in Donna? Can she do it again? Why or why not?

So many people seem offended that the story hurts, but, you know, it's supposed to hurt. That's why it's so powerful and resonant, because the audience cares. RTD wasn't trying to kick Donna down, or punish her fans. He was trying to tell a heartbreaking and thought-provoking story, at which he succeeded brilliantly.

Current Mood: contemplative

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