Category busting and the maternal connection -- A Tribute to Lost and Delirious

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Date Posted: 12:57:26 08/16/07 Thu
Author: Alex Wood
Subject: Category busting and the maternal connection

One of the things I really like about "Lost and Delirious" is its refusal to put its characters in categories. Not only does Paulie reject the "lesbian" label, but the film-makers also refuse to portray her relationship with Tori in simple butch-femme terms. Tori initiates what, to me, is one of the most joyous and erotic kisses in the movie as Paulie stands next to her bed (I think working on the falcon enclosure). Likewise, in the balcony scene, Tori is the one holding Paulie.

This scene also makes me think that Paulie's need for Tori may involve more than erotic love. Tori has given Paulie a very comfortable place to snuggle, and she seems to be supplying some of the maternal nurturing that is missing from Paulie's life. The physical differences between Piper Perabo and Jessica Pare may be significant here, too. As the bed scenes make clear, Tori is endowed with much larger breasts than Paulie. While our sex-obsessed society thinks of breasts mainly in sexual terms, their function is to feed and nurture babies.

Maybe this aspect of the relationship also helps explain the intensity of Paulie's feelings for Tori. You can find another lover, but, as is made brutally clear to Paulie when she tries to contact her "real" mother, mothers are hard to come by.

Alex Wood

P.S. I am using my full name on this post because some of my ideas may be controversial, and I noticed that another Alex has posted here.

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Replies:

Re: Category busting and the maternal connection -- Icaredor, 10:32:54 12/14/08 Sun
- Re: Category busting and the maternal connection -- Alex Wood, 17:07:09 12/15/08 Mon
  - Re: Category busting and the maternal connection -- Icaredor, 21:21:09 12/16/08 Tue
    - Re: Category busting and the maternal connection -- Icaredor, 09:35:48 12/21/08 Sun