Everything I Need to Know in Life I Learned from Joss Whedon

by Valerie Estelle Frankel

Joss Whedon has much to teach his fans, as he unfurls epics of sacrifice and heroism for superheroes and ordinary people.

Firefly, like Alien: Resurrection, was his anti-authoritarian dystopia, while Buffy the Vampire Slayer emphasized girl power and individuality in a world of monsters. Dollhouse tackled identity, memory and the soul, reaching from fantasy into philosophy, just as The Cabin in the Woods satirized the nebulous "Greater Good." Now, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and The Avengers explore heroism, teamwork, and personal responsibility. Whedon has independent works too, all explored from the paranormal romance film In Your Eyes to his feminist skits for Equality Now. In comics, such as X-Men, Runaways, Sugarshock, and Buffy, he explores unconventional teams and chosen families.

From Angel's quest for faith and redemption in a world of nihilism to the smaller stories of family and friendships in The Office, Glee, Parenthood, and Roseanne, not to mention Much Ado About Nothing, Whedon offers lessons to improve the world and our roles within it.

This book compares themes, motifs, and archetypes across all his works, teasing out the common threads and the messages within.

Genres: Nonfiction

ebook

First published March 26, 2015

About the author

Valerie Estelle Frankel is the author of 88 books on pop culture, including Doctor Who - The What, Where, and How; The Villain's Journey, History, Pop Culture, and Hidden Meanings in Hamilton; and How Game of Thrones Will End. Many of her books focus on women’s roles in fiction, from her heroine’s journey guides From Girl to Goddess and Superheroines and the Epic Journey to books like Star Wars Meets the Eras of Feminism and Fourth Wave Feminism in Science Fiction and Fantasy. She's editing a series on Jewish Science Fiction for Rowman & Littlefield. Once a lecturer at San Jose State University, she now teaches at Mission College and is a frequent speaker at conferences. Come explore her research at www.vefrankel.com.

Reviews

[Olivia Ambrose · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super interesting. But, fair warning, you need to be very familiar with all of Joss Whedon's works to fully comprehend this book. And it did seem to be pretty repetitive. I feel like a lot of sections could have been combined and the author kept using the same quotes over and over again. But I'm a sucker for anything Whedon, so I had fun.

[Anne · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had watched Buffy and many Firefly episodes but evidently it wasn't enough to make this book interesting enough.

[SpookySoto · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is pretty good if you are already familiar with Whedon's work. I love Buffy (it's my favorite show of all time), I like Angel very much, I loved the first Avenger's movie and really liked Cabin in the woods. I haven't watched some of the other shows, movies and comics this book talks about, but I still enjoyed it very much. I know feel the need to rewatch Buffy and Angel again (for the Nth time). I'm watching Firefly because of this, and I'm interested in Dollhouse as well.
So basically, if you're a fan of Whedon's, you will enjoy this.
I recommend it.

[Rose Tyler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lots of thought about archetypes and themes that cross from one series to another like the Mad Girl or Bad Boy. Clever and fun, stretching all the way through Avengers and the obscure little comics and Parenthood episodes, as well as the unmade films. Very informative.