Daria and Politics: Difference between revisions

The political views of the characters of the ''[[Daria (TV series)|Daria]]'' show is a frequent topic of debate among fans. Because [[Daria Morgendorffer]] herself is so thoroughly characterized as both cynical and sarcastic, and fully lives up to those labels, it is hard to know whether to take her seriously when she offers her "opinions." It is generally believed that she, like several of the show's major characters, has a mild leaning toward the political left. Her parents have much stronger liberal-leaning attitudes about politics, but even they have moderated their views since their teenage hippie years, and they are prone to change their opinions in conversation with others to be agreeable.

 

 

===Angela Li===

 

Even more revealing, and putting her character even further over the top, is a letter she wrote on school letterhead that appears in ''[[The Daria Database]]'' (under "Political Acumen"), ostensibly mailed to then-governor George W. Bush of Texas. She congratulates the governor for the large number of executions under his administration, and in a breathtaking display of cheek explains that she is attempting to acquire actual electric chairs from Utah and Texas—the ones used to execute Gary Gilmore and Karla Faye Tucker, respectively, though she will settle for a copy of the latter—to place in the entrance hall of [[Lawndale High]] as a deterrent to students who might "cut a class, fail to use a No. 2 pencil, or otherwise start down the long road to a squandered, felonious life." She ends the letter expressing a hope that Bush will run for president in 2000, a rather prescient comment given that the book itself was published in November 1998. One is left with the feeling that her political views fall somewhere to the right of most neo-cons.

 

O'Neill is shown to be achieving almost the exact ''opposite'' of what he's trying to achieve as a teacher. However, this seems to be less because of his ideals - and "[[Esteemsters]]" makes clear that he doesn't actually ''understand'' them - and more because he's incompetent with them: notably in "[[Is It Fall Yet?]]", his attempts are failing because he's not taking on board what the campers are actually saying to him.

 

==Politics in ''Daria'' Fanfiction==