Culture can be defined as all the ways of life including arts, beliefs and institutions of a population that are passed down from generation to generation. Culture has been called “the way of life for an entire society.” As such, it includes codes of manners, dress, language, religion, rituals, art. norms of behavior, such as law and morality, and systems of belief. Norms are a fundamental concept in the social sciences. They are most commonly defined as rules or expectations that are socially enforced. Norms may be prescriptive (encouraging positive behavior; for example, “be honest”) or proscriptive (discouraging negative behavior; for example, “do not cheat”).
long-standing dreams of attending an Ivy League school and the responsibility that came with teenage parenthood. By choosing Rory, she sacrificed her hopeful career and success. Likewise, 2006 Rory would have had to choose between her potential to be a successful journalist and her chance to be a mother. However, in 2016, the choice has already been made for her as she has no job, dreams, or ambition; a child would not inconvenience her or deter her goals in life, given she currently has none. The staggering difference between teenage Lorelai and adult Rory eliminates the parallel that Sherman-Palladino wanted to create. She demonstrated that we are not destined to end up like our parents since Rory, simply, does not end up like her mother. When Sherman-Palladino left the original show before writing the ending, something was broken that nothing (not even a six hour revival) could repair. A decade later, she tried to glue the scattered pieces back together, but the cracks were too visible to ignore. She should have let the abandoned and long-forgotten remains where they belong: in the past.
In the original series, Rory personified the future I imagined for myself; she achieved then extended past my aspirations, something that had always resided in and inspired me. When I saw her get accepted into her dream school, become the valedictorian, and then begin a journalism career with ample potential, I thought that I, too, could transform my dreams into reality. However, where I once found comfort in her character, I now find complete dissatisfaction, thanks to Sherman-Palladino’s revival. The films compromised and diminished every bit of respect I once held for Rory. Sherman-Palladino banished the hard-working, decent Rory, and replaced the beloved character with immoral counterpart. This new Rory was indifferent toward her career, repeatedly unfaithful to her boyfriend, and more entitled and stubborn than ever. Although Rory sometimes acted in such an immoral manner throughout the original series, it was okay because she was a teenager, and that’s what being a teenager is all about: growing up by fucking up. At 32, she should have matured or, at the very least, learned from her past mistakes. She is ten years older, yet has not aged a day. Her representation reveals Sherman-Palladino’s betrayal. The original series emphasized optimism and persistence, whereas the reunion highlights pessimism and failure.
The lack of realism in the reunion films tainted not only these six hours, but also the preceding seven years of material I love. Correction: loved. Sherman-Palladino laid too much emphasis on Luke and Lorelai’s struggle to communicate. While it is unlikely that Luke and Lorelai still would be unmarried after ten years, I can choose to look past that. However, the idea that they never have even discussed th
