So many levels. We get the obvious, Pete being rejected at the office, then having to reject his father-in-law and of course Don rejecting Allison. Then at the end of course, Peggy rejecting the old guard as she runs off with her new crowd.
But there's one more element about facing rejection, really interesting. The last shot: Don looking at the old man going into his apt as Don is doing the same. The rejection of Don Draper and that sort of society is no coincidence juxtaposed with the shot of Peggy prior and her younger people. Don is the rejected.
Delving into that, we saw two groups, and an in-between group, similar to yet again to the 3 parties episode last year.
Peggy last year in the 3 parties episode was as always caught in between an identity. She was half working as the old guard would, but ends up half playing as the new guard does. This episode this season, she makes a choice, her own choice.
There's a barrier, the glass door/wall separating the old guard from the new guard as Peggy's friends enter (but stop at it and don't go through it). Also visually you have the secretary in red, a shot from behind, using her visually placed between the two groups as well, visually drawing the line for further visual emphasis. Peggy asks do you want to join us, she says she can't. The secretary is in between symbolically, between work of the old guard as she does and play of the new guard as she seemingly wants; not just spirit but also visually the presence of her body drawing the line. Rare do you see camera shots from behind someone, so here there's a reason.
Peggy has a sort of closure in her first conversation with Pete. Then here, with the visuals of the divided society, the choice she makes, she says something to Pete. Without words and through metaphor she says goodbye to Pete, through the wall and choosing to stand on her side of it.
Last year Peggy was lost, searching for an identity. Tonight she chose. Don is a lost man, and he is stuck.
Watching the old man, did Don see the future? It is clear on what side of the wall, the wall we saw in SCDP with the old guard on one side and the new guard right outside, we saw this old man is on. He is on the side that is apart from the new rising Peggy and friends side. But, the old man is with someone though. He is not on the side of the wall about power to the people etc. He is on his side of the wall, alone with his wife, quiet and concerned only with his peaches. This is probably a man who spent his life being simply thankful for what he ever had, and not being angry at what he didn't have. The difference between the two sides of the wall.
Don said to Rachel Menkin in the first episode ever, (and one of the best dialogues you'll ever hear) "you're born alone and you die alone, and all this world does is drop a bunch of rules on top of you. I never forget that. I'm living for tomorrow because, there is none."
Peggy spent last season and up until this season riding a confused fence, undecided which side is her, in search of an identity.
And of course remember identity is a running theme through our little show here.
In the end of this episode, the old guard is shaking hands as the modern executive does. Peggy's crowd is giggling having fun, as the new guard does.
Don enters his crappy apartment, alone, as the episode ends.
Last year, Duck trying to woo Peggy from Sterling Cooper.
The priest competing both with and against her in season 2 for the truth.
Her mother competing with Madison Avenue to keep her home.
Her sister endlessly competing with her due to sibling rivalry.
Don, wanting to bring her from SC to SCDP.
At the party tonight, the guy in the closet and Peggy's friend both having eyes for her competing for her.
At SCDP Peggy is in an implied competition because the old guard likes her work and wants her; Freddie, Don and Roger only care about who makes money. But the new guard shows up for her not exactly being shy about it. The old guard takes her work seriously which is so important to her, even if they still have a boys will boys attitude that she has to put up with. But the new guard cares not about her work. The new guard doesn't care about one of the very things so important to her.
Does Peggy stick with those who take her work seriously even though they don't treat her like one of the boys? Or does Peggy join those that take an interest in her but have no care for her work, which means a lot to her?
The conflict that defines Peggy steps to another level.
What defines Peggy? Her work means more than a lot. Those here tonight that accept her with no questions care not at all about her work, something that is her very core though. Those who care about what is her very core, her work, don't treat her like friends.
Peggy is a girl who gets no attention, yet is unaware of all the attention that she actually has. It manifests itself in the competition on different levels about her. Yet, it's competition that's not about her as her own person, it's competition about her being an object.
What was great about Duck sending her the scarf last year was that Peggy doesn't have the simple things like a guy sending her a simple gift. Somewhere underneath everything Peggy is still a girl at heart. That's why she wanted to keep it. Peggy finally had attention that was a good personal thing even if it was fake, it was a personal item even if simple. But even though she knew better, she's so starved she liked it.
Peggy has been completely starved for attention because she's either been an object as an office tool or a family tool or a utilitarian tool, but here tonight she (seemingly because you never know what will happen) was given attention not for a personal use, but finally as an accepted peer. Even in the 3 parties episode last year she was still treated as a lark and not seriously with the Paul gang.
Peggy is in need of an identity and made a decision tonight. Was it really the right one?
It's those who accept her as a peer yet care not at all about what is so intrinsic to her core, to part of her heart, what really matters to her SO much, her work. They couldn't care less.
VS
Those who give her the validation of her work, yet don't count her personally as a peer.
Which group is the real user?
Peggy, who wants what any normal person does, attention, gets none yet gets too much; just too much of the wrong kind. Not exactly new in life, huh?
MAD MEN 
3 comments:
Glass wall, acceptance vs rejection
The Rejected.
So many levels. We get the obvious, Pete being rejected at the office, then having to reject his father-in-law and of course Don rejecting Allison. Then at the end of course, Peggy rejecting the old guard as she runs off with her new crowd.
But there's one more element about facing rejection, really interesting. The last shot: Don looking at the old man going into his apt as Don is doing the same. The rejection of Don Draper and that sort of society is no coincidence juxtaposed with the shot of Peggy prior and her younger people. Don is the rejected.
Delving into that, we saw two groups, and an in-between group, similar to yet again to the 3 parties episode last year.
Peggy last year in the 3 parties episode was as always caught in between an identity. She was half working as the old guard would, but ends up half playing as the new guard does. This episode this season, she makes a choice, her own choice.
There's a barrier, the glass door/wall separating the old guard from the new guard as Peggy's friends enter (but stop at it and don't go through it). Also visually you have the secretary in red, a shot from behind, using her visually placed between the two groups as well, visually drawing the line for further visual emphasis. Peggy asks do you want to join us, she says she can't. The secretary is in between symbolically, between work of the old guard as she does and play of the new guard as she seemingly wants; not just spirit but also visually the presence of her body drawing the line. Rare do you see camera shots from behind someone, so here there's a reason.
Peggy has a sort of closure in her first conversation with Pete. Then here, with the visuals of the divided society, the choice she makes, she says something to Pete. Without words and through metaphor she says goodbye to Pete, through the wall and choosing to stand on her side of it.
Last year Peggy was lost, searching for an identity. Tonight she chose. Don is a lost man, and he is stuck.
Both Don and Peggy saw their future here tonight?
Don at the end.
Watching the old man, did Don see the future? It is clear on what side of the wall, the wall we saw in SCDP with the old guard on one side and the new guard right outside, we saw this old man is on. He is on the side that is apart from the new rising Peggy and friends side. But, the old man is with someone though. He is not on the side of the wall about power to the people etc. He is on his side of the wall, alone with his wife, quiet and concerned only with his peaches. This is probably a man who spent his life being simply thankful for what he ever had, and not being angry at what he didn't have. The difference between the two sides of the wall.
Don said to Rachel Menkin in the first episode ever, (and one of the best dialogues you'll ever hear) "you're born alone and you die alone, and all this world does is drop a bunch of rules on top of you. I never forget that. I'm living for tomorrow because, there is none."
Peggy spent last season and up until this season riding a confused fence, undecided which side is her, in search of an identity.
And of course remember identity is a running theme through our little show here.
In the end of this episode, the old guard is shaking hands as the modern executive does. Peggy's crowd is giggling having fun, as the new guard does.
Don enters his crappy apartment, alone, as the episode ends.
The competition over Peggy:
Last year, Duck trying to woo Peggy from Sterling Cooper.
The priest competing both with and against her in season 2 for the truth.
Her mother competing with Madison Avenue to keep her home.
Her sister endlessly competing with her due to sibling rivalry.
Don, wanting to bring her from SC to SCDP.
At the party tonight, the guy in the closet and Peggy's friend both having eyes for her competing for her.
At SCDP Peggy is in an implied competition because the old guard likes her work and wants her; Freddie, Don and Roger only care about who makes money. But the new guard shows up for her not exactly being shy about it. The old guard takes her work seriously which is so important to her, even if they still have a boys will boys attitude that she has to put up with. But the new guard cares not about her work. The new guard doesn't care about one of the very things so important to her.
Does Peggy stick with those who take her work seriously even though they don't treat her like one of the boys? Or does Peggy join those that take an interest in her but have no care for her work, which means a lot to her?
The conflict that defines Peggy steps to another level.
What defines Peggy? Her work means more than a lot. Those here tonight that accept her with no questions care not at all about her work, something that is her very core though. Those who care about what is her very core, her work, don't treat her like friends.
Peggy is a girl who gets no attention, yet is unaware of all the attention that she actually has. It manifests itself in the competition on different levels about her. Yet, it's competition that's not about her as her own person, it's competition about her being an object.
What was great about Duck sending her the scarf last year was that Peggy doesn't have the simple things like a guy sending her a simple gift. Somewhere underneath everything Peggy is still a girl at heart. That's why she wanted to keep it. Peggy finally had attention that was a good personal thing even if it was fake, it was a personal item even if simple. But even though she knew better, she's so starved she liked it.
Peggy has been completely starved for attention because she's either been an object as an office tool or a family tool or a utilitarian tool, but here tonight she (seemingly because you never know what will happen) was given attention not for a personal use, but finally as an accepted peer. Even in the 3 parties episode last year she was still treated as a lark and not seriously with the Paul gang.
Peggy is in need of an identity and made a decision tonight. Was it really the right one?
It's those who accept her as a peer yet care not at all about what is so intrinsic to her core, to part of her heart, what really matters to her SO much, her work. They couldn't care less.
VS
Those who give her the validation of her work, yet don't count her personally as a peer.
Which group is the real user?
Peggy, who wants what any normal person does, attention, gets none yet gets too much; just too much of the wrong kind. Not exactly new in life, huh?
The conflict that is Peggy continues...
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