Sunday Scribblings: Slippery
From Merriam-Webster’s Online Dictionary:
slip·pery
Pronunciation: 'sli-p(&-)rE
Function: adjective
Inflected Form(s): slip·per·i·er; -est
Etymology: alteration of Middle English slipper
1 a : causing or tending to cause something to slide or fallb : tending to slip from the grasp
2 a : not firmly fixed : UNSTABLE b : not precise or fixed in meaning : AMBIGUOUS, ELUSIVE
3 : not to be trusted : TRICKY - slip·per·i·ness noun
This prompt is a bit of a stretch, but the first thing to come to mind was soap operas and all of those slippery, unstable, elusive, dubious characters on daytime TV.
Now, I’m a big fan of soap operas, specifically As the World Turns on CBS. In fact, I download podcasts so I can catch up on them on my long commutes to and from work. (And I just found out that you can watch episodes online, which I will be doing after I post this entry.)What amazes me most about soaps is that they are built around slippery, seedy characters.
Currently, Dusty slept with Emily’s sister Alison, but won’t tell her because he doesn’t want to sabotage their relationship. And Meg married Craig, even though she loves Paul, so that she can get even for the pain and suffering Craig has inflicted on her family. Paul, by the way, slid off a cliff to his supposed soap opera death (read: Paul’s working on Broadway—he’ll be back.) Faith, a pre-teen, has an eating disorder. Emily was a hooker but a short stint. Carly just came back after being on the lamb, but she’s been cleared of all charges. Can you imagine having to keep all of those lies straight in real life?
I know these slippery plot lines generate conflict, and by definition soap opera characters have broken moral compasses, but I’m always wondering why they don’t just fess up and occasionally tell the truth!
slip·pery
Pronunciation: 'sli-p(&-)rE
Function: adjective
Inflected Form(s): slip·per·i·er; -est
Etymology: alteration of Middle English slipper
1 a : causing or tending to cause something to slide or fall
2 a : not firmly fixed : UNSTABLE b : not precise or fixed in meaning : AMBIGUOUS, ELUSIVE
3 : not to be trusted : TRICKY - slip·per·i·ness noun
This prompt is a bit of a stretch, but the first thing to come to mind was soap operas and all of those slippery, unstable, elusive, dubious characters on daytime TV.
Now, I’m a big fan of soap operas, specifically As the World Turns on CBS. In fact, I download podcasts so I can catch up on them on my long commutes to and from work. (And I just found out that you can watch episodes online, which I will be doing after I post this entry.)What amazes me most about soaps is that they are built around slippery, seedy characters.
Currently, Dusty slept with Emily’s sister Alison, but won’t tell her because he doesn’t want to sabotage their relationship. And Meg married Craig, even though she loves Paul, so that she can get even for the pain and suffering Craig has inflicted on her family. Paul, by the way, slid off a cliff to his supposed soap opera death (read: Paul’s working on Broadway—he’ll be back.) Faith, a pre-teen, has an eating disorder. Emily was a hooker but a short stint. Carly just came back after being on the lamb, but she’s been cleared of all charges. Can you imagine having to keep all of those lies straight in real life?
I know these slippery plot lines generate conflict, and by definition soap opera characters have broken moral compasses, but I’m always wondering why they don’t just fess up and occasionally tell the truth!
Comments
My mind whirls!
I was sitting in my optometrist's waiting room last week when low and behold, there was Bo and Hope, big as day, up on the TV.
They must make those damned things in the Twilight Zone... ;)
It's the slippery characters that draw the most interest. ;-)
rel
Those soap opera plots and people do tend to get very slippery sometimes!