[LMB] Elli, was Winterfair Gifts

[Azalais Aranxta]

On Thu, 6 Dec 2007, Raye Johnsen wrote:

> Elli spoke of her feelings about her career and ambitions more
> than she spoke of her feelings for Miles.  So I didn't see her
> as a sympathetic character at all.

That's not one of the reasons I dislike Elli.  I have never felt
women were obliged to be more interested in any man than in their
own careers and ambitions.

> Then I read 'Ethan of Athos'.

Yes. Exactly.

> However, I find I really can't overlook she way she treats
> Ethan.  However much of a fish out of water he is, he is still
> an educated and intelligent person; it is he, not Elli, who
> wins Terrance over; and it is he, not Elli, who solves the
> final dilemmas.  But Elli treats him like a brainless recruit
> who has been dumped on her, not like the civilian expert he is.
> In a way, this is a realistic portrayal - military personnel on
> the list have given me the strong impression that many
> long-term military personnel *do* treat civilians like this,
> because they've forgotten how to interact with them.  It's
> still extremely annoying and even rude.

I also thought her treatment of him, knowing his cultural taboos,
bordered on sexual harassment.  But yes.

She reminded me of a Japanese Self-Defense Force veteran I dated
briefly who insisted that he could find his way around California
with a book of military maps and got us lost repeatedly because
he wouldn't listen to me giving directions on the road.  I only
live here.

> So, yes.  Elli is a strong, beautiful, capable, intelligent
> woman who strikes me as being as consistently self-centred as a
> gyroscope,

Oh, lord, do I love that phrase.

> with the inherent interrelationship problems that come with
> that.  And as someone I don't think I'd really like to interact
> with constantly.

Plus, she sends tacky wedding presents.  I'm sorry, you should
just not send wedding presents that are evocative of your past
sexual hijinks with a bride or groom unless you are the one
marrying them.

~malfoy :)

****************************************************************
Azalais Aranxta (~malfoy)
ataniell93 on LiveJournal and Vox
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/malfoymadness

"I know the true world, and you know I do. But we needn't let it
think we all bow down." --Christopher Fry