Downal Wyth Bluddy Clichés: Prompt 4

[manniness]

So, in the last three weeks, there has been a lot of really wonderful discussion about Mally and also the Hatter but, chiefly, the discourse has been about Alice (of Tim Burton's film).  If you haven't taken a peek at the comments from the previous cliché posts, I highly recommend doing so!

Well, as for the next cliché, let's give Alice a break and burn someone else's ears, shall we?  How about...

Lowell Manchester is an irredeemable and dastardly scoundrel.

Heh.  That sounds like something fun to play with, doesn't it?  (^__~)  And (P.S.) I love the word "dastardly"!

This prompt was requested by wanderamaranth who wrote in a comment on the Downal Wyth Bluddy Clichés main page:

I would like to see the cliché of Lowell-as-heartless-dog addressed. I know there's not much interest in Lowell, poor dear...but what if he's really not that bad of a chap? What if Margaret has ENCOURAGED him to find pleasure outside their marriage...and [he] only tells Alice to think about her sister because of the social implications, not the emotional ones?

 

Let the discussion begin!

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An introduction to Downal Wyth Bluddy Clichés and a list of links to previous clichés can be found HERE.

Comments

[manniness.livejournal.com]

What I find interesting about this cliché is that, in Tim Burton's film, we're meant to believe that Stayne (the Knave of Hearts) and Lowell are mirror images of one another and yet fanfic authors (often) happily redeem Stayne (or even pair him with Alice romantically) yet they always (that I know of, anyway) demonize Lowell.

Yes, Lowell is the guy we all love to hate. Maybe because of his inability to keep his libido in check even at a public venue? I mean, at least the hallway Stayne chose (rather opportunistically) to proposition Alice was vacant... er, mostly.

Or is it because Lowell seems a bit too friendly with Alice moments after being caught in flagrante delicto with another woman? Lowell's sleaziness is more obvious here as it seems any woman will do, whereas Stayne quite obviously has some standards (which we see in his secret revulsion toward the Red Queen)?

Just some thoughts... and I still haven't offered up a theory that makes Lowell a more sympathetic character.

[starlight623.livejournal.com]

Well, first of all, when I saw the term "in flagrante delicto" all I could think of was the movie "Clue." And I laughed ... a lot.

Second of all, I can never seem to redeem either of them in my head. Stayne especially, which is why is shocks me when some people do, considering he is shown as pretty evil. Lowell is just a jerk who can't keep it in his pants.

[jessibegood.livejournal.com]

It almost seems like more people are willing to redeem Stayne because what Lowell did is so... (for lack of a better word) real. Many people probably know what it's like to be cheated on, and even if they don't they probably know someone who has. They also probably realized the "Lowell" of the situation never changed, or just settled themselves to an ungodly hatred of all things unfaithful.

They probably don't know a lot of people who have gone on slaughtering villages at the command of a raging monarch. It makes it less real to them so they feel they can redeem him. A simple "Oh, I was under a spell." Or "I can turn my life around, the guilt is so terrible." makes it all better in the end. And if the writing is good, sometimes it works.

I'm all for Lowell actually being a good guy, all things considered; he did look somewhat abashed when Alice confronted him in front of the whole mob of people. Even if it was just that tiniest bit.

I hope that all makes sense. >.>