When did the Blaines in stories suddenly override the revisionist craving for understanding why people are driven to cruel acts or bullying words? Blaine’s story has already been told (he apparently suffered from bullies himself and now goes to school in a place where he is a top man on campus because he belongs to a singing group). Karofsky’s story hasn’t been told.
And what I fear is that it won’t be. We’re too uncomfortable with the idea that if we tell it, it means Kurt might find something to like, and that would be unacceptable. But for the gay teens who remember being that athlete who didn’t know how to handle his emotions or to treat people well because he didn’t even know how to treat himself, we do the story a disservice from backing cautiously away from taking risks.
In the fictional world, what bullying sometimes means, especially those who can identify with the Daves and Dracos and Amber and Houses of the world, is that everybody can find reconciliation and love in unlikely places. The journey should be complex and unpredictable, yes, but let’s face it, Glee is, in some ways, escapist tv in the same way that Harry is an escapist story of young adult fiction, and it’s all right (isn’t it?) to hope that the villain can be a catalyst for healing or unification among unlikely cliques of people. Or in Glee perhaps the villain or bully can add to the fascinating overlap existing between the athletic and artistic worlds, which, I think, is where the show’s strange magic lies. The scenes between Will and Sue, Biest and Will, Puck and Artie, Kurt and Karofsky…they all captivate us because these two cultures of the body (sports) and the mind and spirit (the arts) have always been divided unproductively, most often in schools. Think about the way people dismiss athletes as “meatheads” or “guys on a scholarship,” and then consider what bullying messages are associated with them. Look at how Biest is treated for being a woman in a man’s world of football. What people remember from Glee are the scenes between characters belonging to different cultures, even if those scenes are messy and nonpolitically correct. Perhaps they remember those scenes most.
In fact, I loved seeing Karofsky (representing the underrepresented hockey team player) slushie Finn (the sports player turned artistic performer) in season 1. He did it because, as he said, Finn had been making fun of him since he was in fifth grade and Finn began his journey toward most popular guy in school-- “You and your girlfriend have walked around here treating the rest of us like we’re worth nothing. Now there’s a new world order.”
Article comments
1 - Jennifer B
This definitely makes some sense after seeing Deathly Hallows last night.
2 - Nancy
Karofsky mkight be a bully, but it seems to me that he does worse when paired with his oversized football buddy. This next episode is supposed to be pivotal.
3 - Shannon
And the fact that it's pivotal actually makes me very, very nervous. I'm scared they'll keep him as a Neanderthal whose father has to intervene to prevent him from pushing Kurt down a flight of stairs.
Shannon
4 - Carol
While I think Glee does want to feel some symapathy toward Karofsky, ultimately, at far as it seems, they are not glamorizing the relationship in any way. Clearly Kurt was disguisted by the kiss and pushed Karofsky away when he leaned for a second one. Kurt does sympathize with Karofsky. However, Kurt is horrified at Karofsky's death threat.
Point is, Glee is showing what the relationship is, but they aren't supporting it.
5 - Wendy
This article is fantastic. It ties together so many of my fandoms in a thought-provoking way. I especially love the reference to Joss Whedon - someone well known for complex and layered characters.
Also, I can't tell you how much I was hoping for Draco to be redeemed in the books and how glad I am that at least the movies are allowing us to see the more human side of this character.
Hopefully, Glee will rise above the all too common practice of lazy writing to tackle this complicated issue.
6 - Ariel
I am hoping so very much for a redemption arc for Karofksy. I find it so interesting and as so many people have said, he's representing a lot of people out there, and if he becomes a better person, someone who can put all the hate and fear behind him, maybe they can too.
With that said, I just want to point out that Darren's success with Teenage Dream really couldn't have affected last week's episode. It was written and filmed long before we saw Teenage Dream, and while I'm not saying it won't affect what happens later on, I think there are a few more episodes that will be unaffected by Darren's popularity.
7 - Juan
This needs to get to the writers of Glee so they can see how /actual/ people are reacting. Little teen fangirls that sit around seeing Darren and enjoying his song aren't the ONLY voices of Glee fans! As we all know, Max Adler can sing too - and well, seeing as he ranked somewhere high for show choir! Why not delve into this character instead of letting him fly by night?
8 - Dee
I really think the writers would do well to show that a bully like Karofsky can find redemption for the path he has taken.
I'd really love to see them let Max Adler sing, show through music (and hey, that's what the show does best right?) that his character is willing to, and does change. I think that'd be such a great way to take the Dave Karofsky arc....especially if they let it blend in with Kurt's, as a victim of bullying.
9 - Amy
Great article!!!!!! It's really moving........ Yeah, although I don't expect well-made SL of Glee, I just want them to make interesting and message delivering story!
10 - Debora
I sure hope the writers won't back off from Karofsky storyline just because Teenage Dream is a #1 iTunes hit. I SO want Karofsky to be redeemed! Plus, an angst storyline would sure do much more good to the show than the option!
11 - Kelley
Wonderful article. All of this Karofsky business has me genuinely interested in the show rather than being just a casual viewer leaving it on for background noise. I'll be beyond disappointed if it doesn't go anywhere.
12 - Jim
This is an excellent summary of how Glee is using the issue of bullying to walk on both sides of the fence, as it were. It would be somewhat hypocritical if they choose, as part of their storyline, to focus on Dave's bullying such as to make him the heavy with no information about why or what's going on with this kid, especially in light of his kissing of Kurt. This is dangerous for kids who are bullies for the same reason or simply are extremely closeted. Glee has built a whole comedic routine around the issue of bullying. Here are some rather significant incidents in this show:
1. Episode 1 - Pilot. Sue forcibly cuts off the pony-tail of a male student against his will. Mocks him for looking like a girl. We laugh
2. Many episodes - Puck and Finn forcibly tossing Kurt in a dumpster. We laugh
3. Pilot - Puck and football team are going to toss Artie in a port-a-pottie, with the rationale that he can't get more hurt because he can't walk anyways. We laugh
4. Episode 1 - Pilot and I think a couple of others - Quinn, Santana and the Cheerios actively and intentionally cyber-bullying Rachel. We laugh
5. Many episodes - Glee members slushied by Dave, Puck and football players. We laugh. This is their Season Two ad campaign by the way.
6. Don't know the episode - Sue pushing children around in the hallways when she got angry. We laugh
7. Never been kissed - Dave is vilified by some for his abuse of Kurt, but Artie suggests to Puck that he throw him down the back stairs because it will be less embarrassing. We laugh
Glee, as much as some would condemn Dave for his conduct with Kurt, has glorified bullying to some extent for the sake of getting a good laugh. People condemn bullying (as it should be) with one hand (Karofsky) and applaud the comic nature of it with the other (see above).
The character of Dave is so incredibly desperate to maintain the illusion of his heterosexuality. He is like an alcoholic...he has to admit it to himself before others can help. He has to get by the actual knowledge that his parents and classmates would have of him being gay, which is clearly an impediment, but also his OWN assumptions of how they will feel about him if they know. He is reacting to his OWN assumptions of their response to this information. This is why kids who are faced with this type of situation kill themselves. The consequences of someone finding out, which is now a very real threat to Dave, are huge. His world as he knows it will die.
This article is extremely well done. I agree that it would be a huge disservice if the writers are simply going to make Dave an unsympathic character who is abusive and threatening and conveniently remove him from the mix because he's a closet case, without some redemption at some point. Dave is a victim of homophobia too, and this NEEDS to be resolved for him too in a positive way. Not to do this will be an injustice to all of those kids that are so closeted (and although not necessarily a bully like Dave), feel they can't come out and end up hurting themselves. I can't believe, especially since Max Adler is doing the "It Gets Better" campaign, that they would allow this to happen to his character. This trick is to do this in a way that keeps with the Glee vibe (ie. humour, song and great writing, without being maudlin or cheesy).
ps. sorry for the novel...
13 - Carol
Hmmmm, Max Adler can sing in real life. A First Chair in State Choir? That can't go to waste.
He's bound to have a voice for showtunes. How about "I Am What I Am" from La Cages Ax Folles. Maybe that will be his redemption song when he unexpectantly sings it at a pep rally.
Now as much as Blaine is a Mary-Sue, a mentor with an informed flaw- his inability to stand up to the bullying- he still is a likable character and his relationship with Kurt is developing. Still, I want to see where the Karofsky plot go. I hope the Blaine and Kurt relationship remains platonic.
And we shall wait for "Furt" when we shall Karofsky's father.
14 - Kevin
Ryan Murphy isn't easily influenced by his fans. If he needs to tell a story. He will do it. With or without your consent
15 - Shannon
Oh I certainly know it. I've heard rumors of Kurt transferring to the private school. I'm done with the show in that case. And that's ok; he has a hit on his hands, and that's probably the most important thing to their team of writers.
16 - Sarah
Excellent article, and I really felt you touched on a lot of valid points. I'm a big fan of Glee, but I agree that they are generally notorious for having bullying related issues in their content. The fact that one character like Sue is "praised" for being a bully, harassing her coworkers left and right, and treating the students in ways that could be construed as outright child abuse and yet gives the back hand so quickly to Karofsky for bullying is very ironic. Yes, he makes Kurt's life a living hell...but like so many viewers who after seeing the now famous kiss, I am thinking there is far more to Karofsky than just being some "sweaty Neanderthal". Call me crazy, but I actually kind of feel bad for him. His whole reason for bulling, Kurt especially, is merely a front for covering up who he really is. Now I am not excusing Karofsky's behavior, that would be very wrong, what I am saying though is that he is or should be able to be redeemed. I truly hope further developement happens with this character. Max Adler did a brilliant job in just those few intimate moments in the locker room, and when Kurt pushed him away, he was genuinely hurt. Something tells me that Karofsky's yet to be seen father will not be that voice of reason that steps in to stop the violence, but instead will be the reason Karofsky forces himself to be seen in as this uber-macho jock. I also don't think that Kurt and Blaine as a couple would work, for the largest reason that they both are so alike as people, their interests (cite their discussion at Breadsticks with Mercedes), etc....it would get so boring, so fast. Now Kurt shouldn't date his tormentor either...I mean would YOU date someone who made your life miserable for what seemed like an eternity just to do it? Didn't think so.
Sorry for the rant lol.
17 - Shannon
I agree w/not dating one's tormentor. However, I want to see the two actors work together again. They do an excellent job playing off one another. And maybe someday, when things have changed, they don't have to necessarily date, but be friends.
However, with all the great examples listed above re: tormentors on GLEE, I almost feel like if no one dated his/her tormentor or was friends with his/her tormentor, there would be no relationships on the show at all. :)
Again, I may have to stop watching. I'm getting far too attached and invested to see them ship Kurt off to another school.
18 - Jarred A
Great article! I would like to see them explore Dave some more, but I'm not foreseeing it. Not this season at least. There is a lot of potential there for a compelling character arc.
I am reminded of Zuko in the Avatar: The Last Airbender series (the show, not the movie. NEVER the movie). His character story arc and development was more compelling than the main character's. His journey from being a bully to a hero was my favorite part of the show. His history, his internal struggle, and his choices. Good stuff.
19 - Leslie
I understand what you are trying to say but I don't understand your logic when you are implying that in order for Karofsky to be redeemed he has to be with Kurt.
I don't think this is the case at all or realistic. I can see maybe a friendship between the two but nothing more. I think that its fully possible for Karofsky to be redeemed and for Kurt/Blaine to happen. I think Kurt deserves a nice and sweet guy like Blaine, even if its "boring"... Maybe if they are happily together it will give the writers more of an opportunity to write about other characters (including Karofsky) instead of focusing on romantic drama, which plays out fast (see Rachel/Finn/Quinn/Puck and Will/Emma, for example).