Scott Pilgrim Gets It Together
is the fourth volume of a six-volume work by Bryan
Lee O’Malley. In reviewing other volumes of the series, I’ve mentioned that
the story is a pilgrimage.
In this volume, things start moving.
Nothing signals a figurative move like an actual move. Scott’s
friend and bandmate, Kim, moves from
her apartment into a house with some friends. One of these friends has sound
editing equipment, so Scott’s band, Sex Bob-omb,
moves from playing clubs to recording an album. Eventually, Scott is forced to
move because the lease is up on the apartment he shares with Wallace.
The important moves in the series, though, are Scott’s stumbling from
an extended adolescence
toward adulthood.
His internal challenges are represented by external challenges. In order to
have a place to go when he leaves the apartment he shares with Wallace, he
proposes to move in with Ramona.
One can imagine how disastrous this might be in the state of their relationship
at the start of the book; Scott must make an emotional move to Ramona and responsibility
first.
This emotional move is achieved in several stages. Scott practices self-control
by resisting the temptation for an easy, breezy summer fling with a woman he
knew from school who has a crush on him. He takes on responsibility by getting
his first job
as a dishwasher at age 23.
His other conflicts are represented or resolved in combat. It wouldn’t
be Scott Pilgrim without cool fight scenes. His relationship with Ramona is
haunted by his not actually broken off relationship with Knives.
Knives’ vengeful father hunts down and attacks Scott. In addition, another of
Ramona’s evil exes arrives. It’s neat that he survives combat with Mr. Chau and
defeats Roxie. The powerful actions he takes are to confess his love to Ramona,
accept the baggage of her past, and treat Mr. Chau (an through him Knive’s)
with respect.
Self-control, responsibility, love, acceptance,
and respect are a decent set of virtues for a
young man to practice. Scott is not perfect, but his journey isn’t to
perfection, it’s to maturity.
Bryan Lee O’Malley also wrote
If you’re interested in this book, you may also be interested in
No comments:
Post a Comment