Shades of MSCL: When instead of apologizing for betraying someone, you minimize their pain, and it’s supposed to be self-deprecating and romantic

From Jennifer Donnelly’s THE TEA ROSE:

“It’s never been alright. Not since the day I walked up these stairs and walked away from you. I ‘urt you that day, I know I did, but all you lost was me. I ‘urt myself a million times worse because I lost you.”

From MY SO-CALLED LIFE’s should’ve-been-penultimate episode (damn you, “Weekend”), “The Betrayal”:

Angela: Look, I don’t care anymore, okay? So just go away.

Rayanne: You’re not the only one who got hurt.
Angela: Well, forgive me if I can’t feel sorry for you, Rayanne.
Rayanne: You lost nothing, Angela. You lost a lousy, selfish friend, a guy you never really had… you lost nothing! …. I lost a really good friend! I lost everything.

And then comes the part where I cry and cry. It’s better on the show than in the book.

8 Responses to “Shades of MSCL: When instead of apologizing for betraying someone, you minimize their pain, and it’s supposed to be self-deprecating and romantic”

  1. Sadako Says:

    I love that moment. It was so sad. I felt so bad for both Angela and Rayanne. Rayanne did some screwed up things but it was hard not to love her and feel for her no matter what. I’m not sure why–she just had that quality to her.

  2. Elizabeth Says:

    Oh, totally. She’s so selfish, but you can’t hate her for it at all. At least, I can’t. She’s a tragic figure. The end of that episode ALWAYS makes me cry. Every. Damn. Time.

  3. iloveamandabynes Says:

    One reason why the show is better than that moment in the book? Because they’re not speaking with phonetic cockney (or whatever) accents!! I think you’ve discussed the use of written dialect before somewhere on this blog, and I am emphatically con.

    Also, through various sneaky methods, I can confirm that THE TEA ROSE is definitely adult. Though the fact that we were both confused by it shows that the cover and package were pretty poorly done!

  4. Elizabeth Says:

    God yes, I ALWAYS hate the fake phonetic spelling. Especially when it doesn’t change the actual pronunciation! (“luv,” “shure”)

    I think it was on a Wednesday Words Emily posted from The Secret Garden that I was complaining about this before.

  5. Sadako Says:

    Oh I hate phonetic spelling too! Esp. the ones in the BSC for allergies. “I don’t doe, Bary Anne…” UGH! NO!!!! WRONG!

  6. Elizabeth Says:

    Sadako, that would drive me to violence. I’m very impressed with your resilience in recapping so many BSCs.

  7. Jennifer Says:

    I loved My So-Called Life. The Betrayal was one of my favorite episodes that and Other People’s Mothers.

  8. Children of the 90s Says:

    I was borderline obsessed with MSCL and I love this episode. I always loved Rayanne, though looking back I can’t exactly remember what it was that endeared me to her so much.


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