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mpsanguisWhile the class discussed Max Frisch's Homo Faber and Faber's fear of commitment to women, I was covertly reading reactions to last night's episode. The parallels between the book and Torchwood with regards to the Jack/Ianto couple-confusion didn't go by me unnoticed.
Some wondered why Ianto is so clingy and others complained Jack was too detached. If we peel away the outer layer they’ve been neither.
Jack and Ianto are both the Homo Faber archetype of man, which translates to Man the Maker rather than the Homo sapiens, which translates to Man the Wise. They form a relationship with no apparent outlines and neither Ianto nor Jack act wisely when defining those outlines becomes a topic. And no, Ianto is not Ivy nor Sabeth in this analogy, he is one side of Faber and Jack another.
"Ich kannte ihre Vorwürfe und hatte sie satt. Dass ich grundsätzlich nicht heirate, das hatte ich oft genug gesagt, zumindest durchblicken lassen, zuletzt aber auch gesagt,..."
"I was aware of her accusations and was fed up with them. I said often enough that I do not marry on principle, at least I hinted strongly at it, lastly I said it though,..." (*)
Jack is dismissive of Ianto’s comments because he is annoyed that Ianto wants to put them in a category and stick a label on it. We shouldn’t forget that the Human Condition that would apply to Jack must be significantly different from ours due to 3000 years of evolution. Naturally his reactions would come from a different mindset, different neural biochemistry, different set of biological events that lead to the characteristics of a specific society and its individuals. There is an interesting meta about the evolution of the Human Condition right there but it’s not the topic of this post. Out of my head now!
Jack is significantly older than Ianto and has had 10 times more experience with everything than him. I’m not counting the 2000 years underground because even if Jack was conscious the whole time, being buried alive for 2000 years is hardly going to improve one’s people skills. Yet he ignores Ianto’s wishes for reassurance, which is not out of proportion given Jack’s track record, because if you put a name on things, and they change, it always has to be someone’s fault – the end of every good relationship. Maybe he reverted back to a 21st century man with the appropriate emotional baggage and obtuseness who wants to duck and take cover when the c-word hangs in the air. Another thought is that Jack actually thinks Ianto doesn’t think of them as committed and is hurt.
Retorts like: But we are. Does it matter? and What’s your problem? Would suggest that it’s part of the issue. There will be curtain!fic about this, however, not by me.
Maybe it’s a residual 51st century understanding of love or a smokescreen to hide that he’s terrified of feeling enough for someone and that it will gut him when this person dies.
I am dying to find out.
"Ich habe sie immer gefürchtet; was man auch dagegen tut: ihre Verwitterung. Überhaupt der ganze Mensch! – als Konstruktion möglich, aber das Material ist verfehlt: Fleisch ist kein Material, sondern ein Fluch."
"I’ve always feared it; you can’t do anything about it: their decomposition. Actually man as a whole! – a possible design, but the material is flawed: flesh is not a material but a curse." (*)
We know that when Ianto loves someone, he loves unconditionally. We even have the body count to prove it. Ianto is cautiously testing where Jack stands in their relationship and what level of commitment and attachment Jack is comfortable with. Add Ianto’s own reluctance to express his feelings, unless the person he loves is in the middle of death and destruction; you get awkward remarks to cover his own vulnerability by simultaneously scanning for any signs of Jack’s affection and approval. Yeah, that was a grade A sentence, dude. But, he doesn’t need Jack to constantly tell him how much he loves him. According to various interviews a major aspect behind Ianto’s insecurity is Jack’s immortality, Ianto’s infinitesimal short life in comparison and what that essentially means for both of them.
Ianto: He thought we were together – like a couple. He said ‘you two’. The way he said it, huh, you two.
Jack: But we are. Does it matter?
Ianto: Don’t know. It’s all a bit new to me. That’s all.
Had Jack answered with a smile and confirmed Ianto’s thinly veiled question "are we a couple?" the matter would have been resolved. But that would be boring and also very unrealistic. I can totally see one part of fandom puking over the lovesick puppy trying to get his daddy to tell I luv you and another part planning the wedding fic right this moment. Just for the record I don’t approve of either. He is confused with his sexual orientation and insecure in his relationship with Jack, choosing the passive-aggressive approach doesn’t get him anywhere, so we have to wait if we’ll get more clues.
On an unrelated note: the discussion of Ianto’s sexuality is ridiculous. What’s so important about whether he’s gay, straight, gay-for-Jack and straight-for-Lisa, bi or unlabeled? Srsly this annoys me too much to elaborate.
(*) This is not excerpt of an official translation of Homo Faber. All mistakes are mine. If someone has a better translation and would like to share it, feel free to do so.
Some wondered why Ianto is so clingy and others complained Jack was too detached. If we peel away the outer layer they’ve been neither.
Jack and Ianto are both the Homo Faber archetype of man, which translates to Man the Maker rather than the Homo sapiens, which translates to Man the Wise. They form a relationship with no apparent outlines and neither Ianto nor Jack act wisely when defining those outlines becomes a topic. And no, Ianto is not Ivy nor Sabeth in this analogy, he is one side of Faber and Jack another.
"Ich kannte ihre Vorwürfe und hatte sie satt. Dass ich grundsätzlich nicht heirate, das hatte ich oft genug gesagt, zumindest durchblicken lassen, zuletzt aber auch gesagt,..."
"I was aware of her accusations and was fed up with them. I said often enough that I do not marry on principle, at least I hinted strongly at it, lastly I said it though,..." (*)
Jack is dismissive of Ianto’s comments because he is annoyed that Ianto wants to put them in a category and stick a label on it. We shouldn’t forget that the Human Condition that would apply to Jack must be significantly different from ours due to 3000 years of evolution. Naturally his reactions would come from a different mindset, different neural biochemistry, different set of biological events that lead to the characteristics of a specific society and its individuals. There is an interesting meta about the evolution of the Human Condition right there but it’s not the topic of this post. Out of my head now!
Jack is significantly older than Ianto and has had 10 times more experience with everything than him. I’m not counting the 2000 years underground because even if Jack was conscious the whole time, being buried alive for 2000 years is hardly going to improve one’s people skills. Yet he ignores Ianto’s wishes for reassurance, which is not out of proportion given Jack’s track record, because if you put a name on things, and they change, it always has to be someone’s fault – the end of every good relationship. Maybe he reverted back to a 21st century man with the appropriate emotional baggage and obtuseness who wants to duck and take cover when the c-word hangs in the air. Another thought is that Jack actually thinks Ianto doesn’t think of them as committed and is hurt.
Retorts like: But we are. Does it matter? and What’s your problem? Would suggest that it’s part of the issue. There will be curtain!fic about this, however, not by me.
Maybe it’s a residual 51st century understanding of love or a smokescreen to hide that he’s terrified of feeling enough for someone and that it will gut him when this person dies.
I am dying to find out.
"Ich habe sie immer gefürchtet; was man auch dagegen tut: ihre Verwitterung. Überhaupt der ganze Mensch! – als Konstruktion möglich, aber das Material ist verfehlt: Fleisch ist kein Material, sondern ein Fluch."
"I’ve always feared it; you can’t do anything about it: their decomposition. Actually man as a whole! – a possible design, but the material is flawed: flesh is not a material but a curse." (*)
We know that when Ianto loves someone, he loves unconditionally. We even have the body count to prove it. Ianto is cautiously testing where Jack stands in their relationship and what level of commitment and attachment Jack is comfortable with. Add Ianto’s own reluctance to express his feelings, unless the person he loves is in the middle of death and destruction; you get awkward remarks to cover his own vulnerability by simultaneously scanning for any signs of Jack’s affection and approval. Yeah, that was a grade A sentence, dude. But, he doesn’t need Jack to constantly tell him how much he loves him. According to various interviews a major aspect behind Ianto’s insecurity is Jack’s immortality, Ianto’s infinitesimal short life in comparison and what that essentially means for both of them.
Ianto: He thought we were together – like a couple. He said ‘you two’. The way he said it, huh, you two.
Jack: But we are. Does it matter?
Ianto: Don’t know. It’s all a bit new to me. That’s all.
Had Jack answered with a smile and confirmed Ianto’s thinly veiled question "are we a couple?" the matter would have been resolved. But that would be boring and also very unrealistic. I can totally see one part of fandom puking over the lovesick puppy trying to get his daddy to tell I luv you and another part planning the wedding fic right this moment. Just for the record I don’t approve of either. He is confused with his sexual orientation and insecure in his relationship with Jack, choosing the passive-aggressive approach doesn’t get him anywhere, so we have to wait if we’ll get more clues.
On an unrelated note: the discussion of Ianto’s sexuality is ridiculous. What’s so important about whether he’s gay, straight, gay-for-Jack and straight-for-Lisa, bi or unlabeled? Srsly this annoys me too much to elaborate.
(*) This is not excerpt of an official translation of Homo Faber. All mistakes are mine. If someone has a better translation and would like to share it, feel free to do so.