Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Myth, Metaphor & Morality

by Mark Field

Collected essays covering each episode of the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Genres: Nonfiction, Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Reference, Essays, Vampires, Ebooks, Horror

682 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2013

Reviews

[luciana · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.75/5

Instagram | review on youtube

just because i’m petty too.

[Briar · Rating 2 out of 5]

Some excellent content but in need of a SERIOUS edit and tidying up. This isn't a book, it's just some internet essays gathered together and while they're good, they aren't a book and trying to read them as though they are one is pretty painful. The author's bizarre concern for spoilers (understandable on the internet, nonsensical in a book) means that there's a huge amount of repetition. He constantly refers to episodes and actors by their initials - but not consistently. Sometimes he'll write a full episode title out and just use the initials a few sentences later. This isn't an easy or a smooth read, there are a lot of very poor stylistic choices which make the book far more of a chore to read than it needs to be.

[sammy · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5*

I feel... obligated isn't the right word, so I'll say inclined, to write a review for this book for a few reasons. 1) It's a monster and took me a long, long time to get through (this is not a bad thing; in fact, it's a very very good thing!); 2) Buffy the Vampire Slayer is my favourite piece of fiction, television, literature, and philosophy in the entire world (I would argue it's The Best Ever, but art is subjective, of course); and 3) I have a lot of thoughts on this book! So I should probably write them down!

I think some aspects of the text could use a lot of editing, but this isn't a huge issue for me. I think, although the end product comes together nicely, a superfan of BtVS like myself is not the intended audience for this text. I don't say that in the sense that superfans shouldn't read this book (the opposite - I have hugely enjoyed it and would absolutely recommend it to my fellow superfans). What bogged down my reading of the book was purely the fact that the author is dedicated to omitting spoilers for the sake of readers who are using the text as a companion guide. Of course, if I had access to this book while I was first watching the show, I would have been thrilled. Now, reading it as someone who knows the show inside and out and loves it, it becomes a little wearisome to approach topics and themes that ding those Will-Become-Relevant-Later alarm bells in my head, only for the author to table the full discussion of these topics and themes until later in the text for the sake of avoiding spoilers. While I think my personal experience of reading this book would have been enriched by spoiler-y discussions, that was not its intention. And I fully respect its intention: to enrich new watchers to the glorious art of Buffy. I think it would have succeeded on me.

I originally read this book because I'm a huge fan of The Passion of the Nerd on YouTube, who posts extremely thorough and beautiful guides for each episode of BtVS. He references Field's book multiple times, which led me here. And boy, does Field have a lot on his plate here! It's a tough task to dissect even ONE theme or motif or hell, even scene, of BtVS, for all of the philosophical, moral, and literary weight every syllable of the show carries. Field dissects Every. Single. Episode, and that is no mere feat. I am beyond impressed with the effort, dedication, thought, and passion that clearly went into this project. It only makes me want to rewatch the show a hundred MORE times. And I think that's probably his agenda - touche, Field.

As a younger viewer (I was only a year old when the last episode of Buffy aired), I was not privy to any of the discourse surrounding the show as it came out. Field's frequent inclusion of discussion boards and debates among passionate fans are some of the most exciting parts of the book for me! Getting to see the controversial opinions on specific characters, scenes, and episodes (how did I know Seeing Red would end up being the most controversial episode of the entire show?). I mention The Passion of the Nerd in this review not only because it alerted me to Field's book but also because his episode guide on The Body ended up being some of the most impactful and meaningful content I've ever seen on a public platform like YouTube. I think Field perhaps felt a bit afraid of tackling such a rich episode of television, and I was frankly shocked to see how short the chapter on it was. This is just a microcosm of multiple instances throughout my reading experience where I almost wanted the book to be LONGER for the sake of seeing more in-depth, richer analyses of certain episodes.

This book was undoubtedly a behemoth to even wrap the author's head around, let alone begin to sit down and write. I'm so glad I read it, and I'm so glad I spent the time methodically reading every single trivia note (super fun, by the way!), quotation, and literary reference. My small qualms with the text pale in comparison to the immense and emotional experience of reading a book penned by someone who loves my favourite show as much as I do.

[Eva · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is amazing. It's brilliant, detailed and thorough, insightful and extremely well written.

I have read pretty much all of the standard Buffy essays and books, but this one will definitely hold a special place in my heart.

Applying more or less one continuous reading to the underlying structure of the show, Field discusses one episode after the other, detailing how Buffy can be read as a grand metaphor for growing up.

Now that is not exactly news and by now probably every halfway aware viewer has caught on to Whedon's vision of high school as (literal and metaphorical) hell.
However, none of the other books or essays that I have read, have looked at it in this much detail, so thoroughly and so well embedded within the chronological context of the show.

There is only one aspect of the book that bothered me somewhat, but I can see why Field made that choice.
As stated before, the episodes are discussed in chronological order.
The author made the choice to avoid "spoilers" whenever an aspect of the current episode would tie into a later episode yet to come.
Personally I do not get the logic behind this choice. I would assume the typical reader picking up this book would have watched Buffy many times over already. Would a complete novice to the series read about and watch the show at the same time? Probably not.

However, in the grand scheme of things, this is a smaller point and does not detract from the overall quality of the work.

[Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

This has been a valuable companion to my experience watching Buffy since it served as a source of information that nurtured my fascination, appreciation, and pure love for the show.

Exploring all the themes, methaphors, narrative choices, the development of characters, and everything else that this show encompasses and that makes it so great was truly rewarding on many levels. It's not for no reason that Buffy generated more critical discussions and academic essays than perhaps any other TV show. There really is a lot to ponder on, plenty of moments of brilliance and insight into what makes us human and into the existentialist quest of giving meaning to life through the choices and the connections we create.

Mark Field's work effectively (and extensively) taps into the wonderful philosophical and emotional complexity of this show about which much was said, but perhaps never enough. Along with the works of people such as Ian Martin and Laini Diane Rich, this book illustrates just how impactful, exquisite, and revelatory stories can be, and how our passion for those stories can take us even deeper within them and within ourselves.

[Sammi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mark Field is an avid "Buffy and the Vampire Slayer" fan and has been involved in the online forums since the beginning. This is a collection of essays which discuss the overarching metaphors and meanings of each episode, season and ultimately the series, with many of Mark's own opinions thrown in.

I actually loved it. As it was basically broken down episode-by-episode it was super easy to pick up and put down. The detail brought me right back to watching the show and I loved how Mark interpreted and showed the symbolism and connections of things.

As it is from the internet this collection includes links to out-of-book discussions including spoiler discussions - I wish these were added as an appendix rather than a link-out since it made it difficult for me to navigate. I also agree with the other criticisms that there are grammar, spelling and abbreviation issues that could've used editing but overall this was so fun to read.

The 700+ pages really flew by and it was a delight to read! I think it is 99 cents on Amazon

[Jim C · Rating 5 out of 5]

No one in their right mind could have predicted what a summer replacement show based on a so-so movie would lead to. Who could have predicted that twenty years later that this universe would be still alive in comic form, lead to countless internet sites where this show is debated, and be the main reason for a television network to be put onto the map.

I have been a fan of this series from the beginning. I am up to date with the comics. I have lost count of how many times I have done a rewatch and I have plenty of music from this show on my ipod including the musical episode. I wasn't sure about a book that discusses the meaning of the show though. I am so glad I gave this book a chance.

Right away the reader knows that the author is a fan of the show. This book is made up of essays for each individual episode and with seven seasons that is a lot of episodes. I could tell right away the author has done his research and has put a considerable amount of time into this book. I liked the format of inspecting each episode as we get to see how each episode affects the whole entire show. Although I did not agree with all the author's takes this book is very informative and some of the connections he pointed out is amazing. At the end of each essay he would have a "trivia" section and he explains cultural references that were used in that episode.

If you are a fan of this show this is a must read. It brought back nostalgic feelings as I gained knowledge about this amazing show. If you are watching the show for the first time this would make a terrific guide. I would not recommend this to readers if they have not seen the show.

[Ylva · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is basically an episode-by-episode walk-through of Buffy analyzing the plot of the series. I loved this series to death, but fell off during the two last seasons. I've always wondered if I'd like them better as an adult, so somewhere down the road is a rewatch.

[sofia · Rating 4 out of 5]

look, this was a GREAT read for me on a personal level, especially following along with my rewatch, but i wouldn't recommend it to someone unless they're equally OBSESSIVE about btvs (and especially buffy summers as a character) as i am. however, if you ARE, have at it!

[K.C. Murdarasi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent analysis - without spoilers! That's so hard to find. This book is a series of essays on each episode, some short, some very long, depending on the philosophical underpinnings of each episode and sometimes on the amount of controversy generated.

The Jungian and existentialist analysis really added to my enjoyment and understanding of the show, and it was good to be able to read along episode by episode without running into spoilers. The author gives his own opinion but isn't just making these themes up because they're supported the commentary of Joss Whedon and others.

So why 3 stars? Because the book isn't formatted properly. There's no TOC, the "chapters" are entire seasons (and season 6 didn't even get its own chapter). Never have I used the "bookmark" feature on Kindle so much. Also, I found it hard to remember which episode was being referenced when only its initials were given (there are 144 episodes). With a bit of improved ebook formatting, this would easily be 4 stars.

[avery · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book through the youtube channel Passion of the Nerd and I am so grateful for both of these sources. I have been rewatching Buffy (and watching Angel for the first time) with my mom over the course of a little over a year and a half. I didn’t start my rewatch reading along, but caught up and have been since somewhere in season 2. It’s been absolutely amazing to be able to watch Buffy on a deeper level that I never would have been able to understand on my own. It’s influenced the way I think about the other media I consume, as well, and even awoke in me an interest in me an interest in philosophy. This book has been EXTREMELY impactful in my life in ways that extend beyond a better understanding of my favorite TV show.
I would recommend reading this along with a rewatch, not the first time you watch Buffy. Though Field was careful not to spoil future episodes so it certainly would be okay to, I think this would be more impactful upon rewatch when you’ve already got a basic understanding of the plot and characters, and can see where things are headed.

[Jacky · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is not often that a tv series inspires so much provocative and inspiring thought, and Mark Field continues that inspiration with his emphasis on the metaphors which describe existentialism, nihilism, and The Hero's Journey brilliantly.

If you always were a fan but couldn't quite say why this was not just another fantasy series, this book will tell you why.

[Corissa Gay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Going through a period of Buffy hyperfixation? Treat yourself to this extensive text!
I found the chronicling of all references made by the show an especially useful feature.

[Lindsey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Field had some really good analysis of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, but his delivery needed some work. I realize that he wrote a series of essays for a blog and then turned it into a book. But it needed to be edited accordingly.

1. Who is the audience for this?

This is probably the most egregious sin and it applies to both the original essays and the book version. The approach to the essays is caught in a horrible inbetween where it isn't clear who the intended audience is. Is it the audience that is new to Buffy? Or is it the audience who is already familiar with Buffy and is looking to gain deeper insight? In an ideal world, the answer would be both, but I think the answer is actually closer to neither.

For people new to Buffy, the essays are written to avoid spoilers. But this leaves many of the episodes without any actual meat to digest because the point he is trying to make won't get revealed until the end of the season. It basically leaves the audience having to read the essays through twice.

But at the same time he offhandedly refers to past episodes only by their title (or more often just an acronym of the episode title), instead of pointing to a specific scene in a specific episode and clearly illustrating his point. He relied too much on audiences having deep knowledge of the show and being able to follow his exact train of thought, even though we haven't been told the destination.

I think it would have been more beneficial to write a handful of essays that more concisely proved his point without having to obscure the point for the sake of spoilers.

2. Essay structure

The essays tackle each episode individually. I understand the approach to write an essay for each episode so that you can watch and then read an analysis as you go, but it didn't work for me. It goes against essay format where you state your thesis, then prove it. But the way it is written, we rarely know what the thesis is, so it makes it harder to track his argument.

Again, we are caught between two approaches and Field is failing at both. He is writing to analyze the season as a whole, but also writing to analyze each episode. The essays are written to avoid spoilers, but because he couldn't tell us his thesis, because of spoilers, he would defer talking about certain things until later, but he didn't always circle back and prove the point he was trying to make for the episode. Some episode essays had no substance as a result, just vague handwaved points. But because we didn't know the thesis, we can't try to infer what he is guiding us toward. I think a lot got lost trying to carry threads through every episode of the season.

3. General cleanup

-Because of the essay-per-episode format, it was very repetitive and unnecessarily long. At the very least, group the episodes into two or three episodes per essay.

-Get rid of using acronyms for episode titles. I've watched Buffy a lot of times and I had to look up the episode titles to understand what Field was referring to. This was a carry over from being on the internet, but they were painfully annoying.

-Add citations to quotes.

-Explain points specifically instead of vaguely referring to episode titles.

-As the seasons progressed the essays got messier, which makes sense, but also doesn't. It makes sense because the seasons themes and metaphors got messier (i.e. Willow's magic being a metaphor for her self-confidence and sexuality, then in season six Willow's magic became a metaphor for drugs). But doesn't because Field tried to give historical context to the internet debates that were happening at the time as well as over-explaining both sides of the debates, instead of giving his own analysis of the episode. A lot of it was confusing, rather than helpful in explaining his arguments.

[Laurie Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

On the surface, Buffy the Vampire slayer was a campy genre-bending piece of light entertainment. Yet it was also a vehicle for teaching important lessons on how to grow up. The demons are actually metaphors for the problems that each of us faces in growing up. Just as Buffy accepts her destiny as a vampire slayer, each of us must take on adult responsibilities.

Vampires don't age, but neither do they grow up. In the show, vampires can feed off other people because vampires have no soul (i.e., no conscience). If a vampire's soul is restored, the vampire would then suffer from pangs of guilt and remorse. Thus, the series uses metaphor to teach something that I explain directly in my book Don't Feed the Narcissists! The Mythology and Science of Mental Health. The mental illnesses classified as personality disorders in the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual are forms of arrested development. People with personality disorders are adults who have thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that might be normal for a toddler but are inappropriate for someone of their age. Buffy shows us how to give up childishness without sacrificing the childlike aspects of her own humanity.

Each of the main characters actually represents an aspect of the human personality. Buffy represents the will and moral responsibility, Rupert Giles the librarian represents the intellect, Willow Rosenberg represents the spirit, and Xander Harris represents the heart. To slay her demons, Buffy needs all of these aspects to work together. In the story line, many bad things happen when Giles is knocked unconscious. Metaphorically, these bad things represent the consequences of failing to use our intellect.

This book provides an episode-by-episode explanation of the lessons on philosophy and morality that are being taught by the series. If you have already seen the whole series, you can binge-read the whole book. If you are new to the series, it would be best to read each chapter only after watching the episode it describes. The book is carefully written to avoid spoilers.

[Elizabeth Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a pretty good, readable discussion of buffy the vampire slayer that touches on philosophy in an approachable way and does an excellent job of looking at the whole picture and overarching themes of the show. I’ve watched the show more times than I can count and have read a lot of analysis and academia about it and this book taught me a thing or two. My only critique is the “no spoiler” approach limits depth of discussion which is a little frustrating. And abbreviating the episode tilted to initials drove me crazy! But the author has a deep appreciation for season 6 and 7 (my personal favourites) that is kinda rare and very nice to read. overall, a really good insightful read that make me want to watch the whole thing again.

[Stacey Handler · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books I've read about the best tv show ever made. I am a huge Buffy fan, and have had this book on my Kindle for a long time, and I wish I had read it sooner. It's a philosophical in depth look at the meaning of the story and the characters and what the show is telling us. Field's writing is excellent, his style is easy and straightforward, so you don't miss any of the nuances of his arguments. This book is broken down into a chapter for each episode and the best way to read it would be to watch the episodes as you read along. It will certainly open your eyes to new meanings and give you a deeper understanding of the show. I have to say it certainly gave me a new perspective on Xander, one of least liked characters. If you love the show, this is a must read.

[Ragna Ó. · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very thorough analysis of the best ever tv show, and yet accessible and readable in spite of a lot of philosophical and some legal jargon. It usually provides multiple perspectives so the author is not only forcing his opinion down the reader's gullet. I agree with other reviewers that avoiding spoilers seems unnecessary, as a first-time viewer is unlikely to start with a piece of work like that, but it didn't detract much. Overall, very enjoyable and insightful with loads of fun bits of trivia. Highly recommended for all Buffy-lovers!

[Gill · Rating 4 out of 5]

An episode-by-episode discussion of the show, with a focus on the philosophical themes and the major issues. It was fun recognising some of the names of people he quoted (Beer-Good-Foamy, Shadowkat) and diving back into discussions treating the show seriously, though paying respect to the humour and intensity - and the intensity of some of the fandom "debates" too. Thoroughly enjoyable, even though it makes me want to rush right back to watching it all over again. Not that it takes much to do that.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Strong analysis of the series with an emphasis on philosophy, backed up by everything from literature to interviews with Joss Whedon, other writers and producers, and cast. Rooted in love for Buffy and the show, Field uses posts from internet fan sites that were active as the series aired, and includes perspectives that challenge his own observations. Set up in a format that takes one episode at a time, with no spoilers, a reader can watch the series and read the chapters along with the show.

[Kim]

Read the intro... interesting. Jumped to the first episode that I loved, Angel S01E06. Bored now! I shouldn't have been but I was. It totally lost me when he paraphrased a quote about remorse. I had trouble understanding it. If that's an example of a favourite episode I have no interest reading any more. I'll stick to listening to the YouTube site Passion of the Nerd. He's read this book and puts it to good use critiquing Buffy and Angel episodes which are understandable and enjoyable to listen to.

[Marie Dooley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Welcome to the Hellmouth’s Mouth

As someone in her 70s new to Buffy, I was gobsmacked. I loved it, first to last & didn’t really understand why! Just riveted. Even when cringing @ the cheesiness of some of it, telling myself it was just the talent & beauty of the character, Spike, or the unusual amount of wit for an American show; I instinctively knew it was much more.

Mark’s interesting take on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, has given me tremendous insight, even when I disagree with him. Thank you, Mark Field. Late to the party but glad to be here!

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is adopted from the online discussions the author had about Buffy while it aired, and it takes the show seriously to look at what it is saying, deliberately and accidentally, how that worked, and what the implications are. Buffy stands up to this, because the writers also took it seriously.

There’s a bit too much worry about spoilers, which is out of place in a discussion of this kind, but still a fun way to revisit the show.

[Marysia]

You're not friends... You'll never be friends. You'll be in love till it kills you both. You'll fight and you'll shag and you'll hate each other till it makes you quiver, but you'll never be friends. Love isn't brains, children, it's blood. Blood screaming inside you to work its will. I may be love's bitch but at least I'm man enough to admit it

[Oscar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good book

Great insight into the meaning and metaphor of the show. It helps the viewer understand why Buffy was such a landmark popular show that led to many long serialized shows such as Breaking Bad and GoT.

[cutieee · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a good analysis of the show!!!

[Bunny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent analysis of BTVS by episode, I would recommend every Buffy fan check this book out, it opened my eyes to a few metaphors I haven't picked up on. And the trivia is super neat.

[Laura Rodríguez · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Rachel Mathis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful and insightful. If you are a fan of the series this book is a must read.

[Carola · Rating 3 out of 5]

Llegué a este libro -supongo que como tantos otros aquí- gracias a la recomendación del canal Passion of the Nerd. Después de terminar la serie y quedar fascinada de por sí por la calidad de la historia, tuve el fortuito y feliz encuentro con su canal de YouTube, que me llevó a comprender las segundas lecturas posibles. Buffy, veinte y tantos años después de haber visto la luz, sigue dando que hablar (ignoro polémicas recientes respecto a su creador porque no merece la pena que miserias humanas tiñan nuestro disfrute de un producto cultural con semejante legado).
Ahora, el libro. Por momentos lo encontré brillante (como dije, algunos argumentos ya los conocía porque son la fuente que cita Passion of the Nerd). El análisis del argumento de la serie es relación con la filosofía de Sartre y Camus, todo el análisis psicológico de los personajes, los paralelismos, los simbolismos que pasan inadvertidos. Todo eso creo que es enriquecedor no sólo para ver la serie con otros ojos, sino también para la vida misma, si se me permite la exageración. Esto fue personalmente para mí un encuentro feliz, un llamado a la reflexión profunda acerca de cómo encarar la pregunta por la búsqueda de sentido.
Por todo lo anterior, creo que el punto más flojo del libro es cuando se aleja de la teoría y analiza capítulos enteros desde la perspectiva de los debates en los foros de fans. Quizás es un poco antipático o elitista de mi parte, pero las charlas de un foro no son una fuente sólida de análisis. Mark Field es evidentemente un fan de la primera hora y eso se va a colar en la escritura inevitablemente, aunque a veces hubiera deseado que mantuviera un estilo más "formal".
Por último, como lectora no nativa en inglés, era un rompedero de cabeza que siempre estuviera usando las iniciales de los capítulos, me obligaba a un esfuerzo de memoria un poco absurdo. Quizás para los nombres de capítulos lo puedo entender como abreviación, pero para expresiones como "en mi opinión", ya es abusivo jajaja. De vuelta, es raro un momento estar hablando del panóptico y Foucault y al momento siguiente tener que estar descifrando abreviaciones, hace que el tono literario sea confuso. Pero bueno, después de todo no es un texto académico.