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In Gilmore Girls episode ‘The UnGraduate,’ Rory continues to slide along in her new life, slowly morphing into Emily Gilmore. Because that’s exactly what I see happening while this whole Rory-crisis period. When she doesn’t know what to do, Emily steps up to solve all her problems, and slowly we see Rory fade away under the Emily veneer.
In the last episode, Emily presents Rory with a job with the perfect flexibility at the DAR, an organization she chairs. Rory seemed sad and confused, but in this episode she’s already talking like she loves her job and is now Emily’s “inside man.” She tells Logan she’s happy with her life now, that Yale was a good chapter but she likes her job and her “pad” in the pool house.
Paris is not talking with Rory. Lorelai is not talking with Rory. And yet Rory seems to have easily morphed into the perfect DAR worker, the perfect volunteer and the perfect granddaughter. Is this Rory’s dissatisfaction with herself showing itself by over-excelling in other ways? And do you think Rory is willingly adopting her grandmother’s life?
And what do you think of Rory’s reactions at the end of the episode – seeing the orientation at Yale then being a part of the initiation into the DAR?
Watch “Gilmore Girls” ‘The UnGraduate’:
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521 days ago
I think part of the reason why Rory is excelling is because that’s just who she is. She can’t be bad at something if she tried. She needs to feel like she’s doing something useful with her life as a way to excuse herself for dropping out of Yale. As long as she keeps busy, she won’t have to think about school or her long-term future because she’s still accomplishing things. She’s also a sucker for pleasing people, and this makes Emily really happy because Rory is the Lorelai she never had. It’s also interesting the way Rory’s wardrobe has completely changed and is slowly becoming Emily-like as well.
I’d like to add how awesome this site is as well!! I just found it a few days ago and it’s a great Gilmore Girls fix. =)
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521 days ago
I completely agree with Jessica’s comment.
I would also add that once again it proves how Rory can be weak (that she definitely gets it from her father) and let herself influenced by other people.
I had to watch the DVD sets 4 times in a row to finally find out that Rory is not that smart but very very weak when it comes to men or obstacles on her path.
However, I think that in the final scene of this episode we can clearly see that she wished she was still at Yale.
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521 days ago
Hi Jessica
Welcome! Arieanna does a fantastic job with this site and there are always great responses to her posts. Its a great place for those of us who still need our regular fix.
I love the way that each generation seems to feel the need to rebel. Lorelai was the opposite to her mother – Rory as you have mentioned is like emily (also a rebelion against her mom). If we look at lane and mrs kim the same pattern emerges and we later find out that Mrs kim rebeled against her mother as well.
Mac – I agree with you about Rory haveing Christophers weakness of character. Both of them have ended up hurting Lorelai as a result of it. My only hope is that GiGi give chris hell and Rory goes on to have brat children of her own : )
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520 days ago
Addendum:
I also think that Rory is immature and ungrateful. When Lorelai, who sacrificed her whole life for her daughter’s well-being, doesn’t go her way she just shuts her out.
She does the same thing with her grandparents later. She’s glad to find them after the blowout with her mother but as soon as things go wrong she just dismisses them and turns to the least reliable person in her family: her father.
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520 days ago
I think those are great points about Rory being like Christopher in terms of her character flaws. I’d never thought about that before!
And I’m really glad you guys enjoy it here ;)
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520 days ago
Arieanna – how could we not enjoy this little bit of sanity lol. Great excuse to distract me from studying and house work too. :)
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