I get why people (okay, tealterror0) say Anna is meek and submissive. She looks up to Alex, she doesn't like conflict, and given a choice, she would rather let others lead. So sure, she's meek and submissive until she thinks you're being a dumbass. Then she speaks up, and is not above using threats herself. She even does this with her father. Yeah, sometimes she lets people (Alex) boss her around when she shouldn't. But I'd argue that she also stands up to Alex more often than David or Constance and Forbearance do.
So since this is explicitly addressed to me, I feel incumbent to respond...
First of all, I don't think Anna is meek and submissive simpliciter; I think she's meek and submissive to Alex. Of course since we see the entire world through Alex's eyes, for story purposes they're basically the same.
Anyway, to your main point. Yes, she occasionally stands up to Alex. I think she does it three or four times in Book 1 (she'll muscle her way into the registrar scroll plan later), and once in Book 4 with the Mary incident. And, of course, in Book 3 she (finally) blows up at Alex and then alerts the Feds to Abraham. And...that's about it, as far as I can recall.
My point is not that she never stands up to Alex, it's that she does it very rarely and never in a way that actually matters. Except for that one blow-up at Book 3, which was great but it was just once, all she really does is blackmail Alex into letting her tag along. And even that only happens, like, once a year on average. Sorry, but that's sidekick behavior, and it only even counts as "standing up" because Alex is such a pathological loner.
And while Anna is certainly the only one of Alex's friends to muscle her way into Alex's plans like this, that's because she's the only one who has the opportunity to do so (as Alex's roommate and closest friend), not because of any character quality.
Again, I should emphasize that I quite like Anna, and while character development is always nice I neither expect nor want her to become ultra-assertive. And she's obviously not a complete doormat. But the bottom line is, she never even tries to address Alex's crazy plans until the absolute last minute (she must have noticed things regarding the Mors Mortis Society and Alex's dealings with her brother in Book 2, for instance)--and at that last minute, all she does is tag along. So as I said, she only stands up to Alex rarely, and never does so in a way that actually matters.
This isn't a criticism of the story--actually it's probably a good thing, story-wise--just an analysis of Anna's character.
EDIT: I never actually thought of those as hints to Journey's villainous character until you pointed them out. And yes, wizards are indeed assholes.
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Date: 2012-11-02 02:18 am (UTC)So since this is explicitly addressed to me, I feel incumbent to respond...
First of all, I don't think Anna is meek and submissive simpliciter; I think she's meek and submissive to Alex. Of course since we see the entire world through Alex's eyes, for story purposes they're basically the same.
Anyway, to your main point. Yes, she occasionally stands up to Alex. I think she does it three or four times in Book 1 (she'll muscle her way into the registrar scroll plan later), and once in Book 4 with the Mary incident. And, of course, in Book 3 she (finally) blows up at Alex and then alerts the Feds to Abraham. And...that's about it, as far as I can recall.
My point is not that she never stands up to Alex, it's that she does it very rarely and never in a way that actually matters. Except for that one blow-up at Book 3, which was great but it was just once, all she really does is blackmail Alex into letting her tag along. And even that only happens, like, once a year on average. Sorry, but that's sidekick behavior, and it only even counts as "standing up" because Alex is such a pathological loner.
And while Anna is certainly the only one of Alex's friends to muscle her way into Alex's plans like this, that's because she's the only one who has the opportunity to do so (as Alex's roommate and closest friend), not because of any character quality.
Again, I should emphasize that I quite like Anna, and while character development is always nice I neither expect nor want her to become ultra-assertive. And she's obviously not a complete doormat. But the bottom line is, she never even tries to address Alex's crazy plans until the absolute last minute (she must have noticed things regarding the Mors Mortis Society and Alex's dealings with her brother in Book 2, for instance)--and at that last minute, all she does is tag along. So as I said, she only stands up to Alex rarely, and never does so in a way that actually matters.
This isn't a criticism of the story--actually it's probably a good thing, story-wise--just an analysis of Anna's character.
EDIT: I never actually thought of those as hints to Journey's villainous character until you pointed them out. And yes, wizards are indeed assholes.