Vin - in my eyes
Mar. 17th, 2013 07:30 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
caitriona_3 posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
mag7wrimoSo, here are my thoughts on Vin.
Vin Tanner…
The first thing you’ll notice about him is his attitude. Calm, laid-back, usually slouched in whatever seat he’s taken – that’s how you’ll spot him. Almost everything about him gives the impression – from his hat to his longer hair to his stubble to his well-worn clothing. It gives the impression of a man living his own life, taking it at his own pace and living only for today without worry or concern about either yesterday or tomorrow.
This is perhaps Vin’s greatest deception. To get a different view, look at his eyes and his hands. His eyes are on watch and his hands are ready to reach for a weapon. His style of life may focus on today, but there is no avoiding the concern of past or future when he is a wanted man. He is one of the most honest of the men, and yet he must live as one of the most deceptive in order to stay alive. The two conditions give tension to his daily life, caught as he is between fear and acceptance, loss and loyalty.
Vin shows a great deal of trust for a wanted man. His acceptance of the others and the trust he has in them highlights his ability to see beneath the surface, to probe behind the masks. He knows what these men are made of – he knows what makes them tick. His nearly immediate trust in Chris is probably the first and strongest proof of this. However it can be seen in the trust he has with all of them. In Inmate 78 you can see it – he never worried one of the others would flip on him. If even one had flipped, it’s possible the townsmen would not have run, but rather become a mob. It didn’t happen, and Vin’s casualness shows that he had no fear it would.
Vin is the buffalo – generous, giving for the greater good, strong, wise in the ways of the earth. He takes on the defense of the town for thirty days even knowing he faces more and more danger the longer he stays. The team is stronger by his presence, the town is safer, and so he stays. His strength is different from someone like Josiah, but it is there – his strength is in his character. He wants to be open with people, giving them his honest self; he wants to do what is right; he wants to help people. That he manages to balance all of that with his legal troubles speaks highly of his character. Natural – this is one of the best words to describe Vin. He is comfortable in the wilds and in the small bits of civilization, but he is not a city dweller – there are too many people for him to be happy for long, and they have too many expectations of people. Give him the open space and the open air. He is also natural in and of himself. He is comfortable in his own skin. While he wouldn’t mind improving himself (such as learning to read), he doesn’t feel the need to make himself up, to build himself up, or to be anything other than who he is.
Vin is an interesting perplexity – he is a practical romantic. He understands the daily needs and he has more common sense than most. And yet…he is a poet, he sees the world around him not only as it is, in all its difficulties, but all its beauties as well, and yet he also sees the world as it could be if people could look beyond the surface differences. He has had a rough life, a tough road, and yet he has hope. He has not given up, and he has not closed off his heart.
He is not perfect. Vin has got his share of weaknesses as well as any other. There’s a good dose of pride there. Despite his name being on a wanted poster, he keeps using his real name. The seed of this can definitely be found in his mother’s desire for him to remember he’s a Tanner, but it is pride that keeps the name in public use. He’s got a violent streak buried in there as well. It is not as obvious as Chris or drunk Josiah, but it is there. Some of his actions and words in “Nemesis”, “Serpents”, and “Sins of the Past” allude to the potential violence he holds within.
Vin fills the place of second-in-command, or trusted lieutenant, best of all of them. Buck is too enamored of his irresponsible lifestyle. (This is not meant as an insult, but an observation – Buck enjoys responsibility, but in measured doses or during a crisis. On a day-to-day basis, he would prefer living the day as it is.) JD is too young. Nathan is too reticent. Josiah is too philosophical. Ezra is too frightened. (Again, not an insult, but Ezra would not want the responsibility of their lives resting on his shoulders.) Vin is the best choice – next to Chris, he has the best ability to balance them out. Of course, this would only last until they could find Chris and he could surrender the position once more. He doesn’t want to lead, but he would be the best choice. He is a quiet man, but not shy, not withdrawn really, just casual. We see his qualities best in “Inmate 78”, “The Collector”, “China Town”, “The Trial”, “Love and Honor” (with Inez), and “Wagon Train” (with Charlotte). This is important to note as Vin can be so often portrayed as shy, withdrawn, and adverse to touch. (Part of this comes from society’s tendency to mistake ‘introverted’ for ‘shy’ – they are NOT interchangeable, but too many people often treat them as such.) Vin is not actually shown to be any of these – he is shown to usually be warm, humorous, and confident. He is an introvert – he is perfectly happy being by himself for long stretches of time. This just doesn’t automatically mean he’s shy.
So what does Vin bring to the group? Chris gives them unity. Nathan gives them conscience. JD gives them meaning. Buck gives them heart. Josiah gives them acceptance. Ezra gives them discernment. Vin gives them trust.
And that's the Seven! I hope you enjoyed!
Vin Tanner…
The first thing you’ll notice about him is his attitude. Calm, laid-back, usually slouched in whatever seat he’s taken – that’s how you’ll spot him. Almost everything about him gives the impression – from his hat to his longer hair to his stubble to his well-worn clothing. It gives the impression of a man living his own life, taking it at his own pace and living only for today without worry or concern about either yesterday or tomorrow.
This is perhaps Vin’s greatest deception. To get a different view, look at his eyes and his hands. His eyes are on watch and his hands are ready to reach for a weapon. His style of life may focus on today, but there is no avoiding the concern of past or future when he is a wanted man. He is one of the most honest of the men, and yet he must live as one of the most deceptive in order to stay alive. The two conditions give tension to his daily life, caught as he is between fear and acceptance, loss and loyalty.
Vin shows a great deal of trust for a wanted man. His acceptance of the others and the trust he has in them highlights his ability to see beneath the surface, to probe behind the masks. He knows what these men are made of – he knows what makes them tick. His nearly immediate trust in Chris is probably the first and strongest proof of this. However it can be seen in the trust he has with all of them. In Inmate 78 you can see it – he never worried one of the others would flip on him. If even one had flipped, it’s possible the townsmen would not have run, but rather become a mob. It didn’t happen, and Vin’s casualness shows that he had no fear it would.
Vin is the buffalo – generous, giving for the greater good, strong, wise in the ways of the earth. He takes on the defense of the town for thirty days even knowing he faces more and more danger the longer he stays. The team is stronger by his presence, the town is safer, and so he stays. His strength is different from someone like Josiah, but it is there – his strength is in his character. He wants to be open with people, giving them his honest self; he wants to do what is right; he wants to help people. That he manages to balance all of that with his legal troubles speaks highly of his character. Natural – this is one of the best words to describe Vin. He is comfortable in the wilds and in the small bits of civilization, but he is not a city dweller – there are too many people for him to be happy for long, and they have too many expectations of people. Give him the open space and the open air. He is also natural in and of himself. He is comfortable in his own skin. While he wouldn’t mind improving himself (such as learning to read), he doesn’t feel the need to make himself up, to build himself up, or to be anything other than who he is.
Vin is an interesting perplexity – he is a practical romantic. He understands the daily needs and he has more common sense than most. And yet…he is a poet, he sees the world around him not only as it is, in all its difficulties, but all its beauties as well, and yet he also sees the world as it could be if people could look beyond the surface differences. He has had a rough life, a tough road, and yet he has hope. He has not given up, and he has not closed off his heart.
He is not perfect. Vin has got his share of weaknesses as well as any other. There’s a good dose of pride there. Despite his name being on a wanted poster, he keeps using his real name. The seed of this can definitely be found in his mother’s desire for him to remember he’s a Tanner, but it is pride that keeps the name in public use. He’s got a violent streak buried in there as well. It is not as obvious as Chris or drunk Josiah, but it is there. Some of his actions and words in “Nemesis”, “Serpents”, and “Sins of the Past” allude to the potential violence he holds within.
Vin fills the place of second-in-command, or trusted lieutenant, best of all of them. Buck is too enamored of his irresponsible lifestyle. (This is not meant as an insult, but an observation – Buck enjoys responsibility, but in measured doses or during a crisis. On a day-to-day basis, he would prefer living the day as it is.) JD is too young. Nathan is too reticent. Josiah is too philosophical. Ezra is too frightened. (Again, not an insult, but Ezra would not want the responsibility of their lives resting on his shoulders.) Vin is the best choice – next to Chris, he has the best ability to balance them out. Of course, this would only last until they could find Chris and he could surrender the position once more. He doesn’t want to lead, but he would be the best choice. He is a quiet man, but not shy, not withdrawn really, just casual. We see his qualities best in “Inmate 78”, “The Collector”, “China Town”, “The Trial”, “Love and Honor” (with Inez), and “Wagon Train” (with Charlotte). This is important to note as Vin can be so often portrayed as shy, withdrawn, and adverse to touch. (Part of this comes from society’s tendency to mistake ‘introverted’ for ‘shy’ – they are NOT interchangeable, but too many people often treat them as such.) Vin is not actually shown to be any of these – he is shown to usually be warm, humorous, and confident. He is an introvert – he is perfectly happy being by himself for long stretches of time. This just doesn’t automatically mean he’s shy.
So what does Vin bring to the group? Chris gives them unity. Nathan gives them conscience. JD gives them meaning. Buck gives them heart. Josiah gives them acceptance. Ezra gives them discernment. Vin gives them trust.
And that's the Seven! I hope you enjoyed!