MovieChat Forums > Flesh and Bone (2015) Discussion > Explanation ...

Explanation ...

posted 9 years ago by Pinkyoooo
11 replies | jump to latest

I just finish watching 7 episodes of this series but they have a couple of questions

first, why does she sleep with books on her legs ?

second, the chest tattoo (kafir) which mean non Muslim that doesn't make any sense why would they put this chest tattoo on him when he didn't even serve in an Arabic country ?

Third, she truly loves her brother and I mean in a totally weird way .. but why did the writers include this in the storyline?

Fourth, I think with the end of the series .. if there will be no second season we would never know why did they include Ramon and the Mafia and their storyline

They shouldn't be in this show if the writers will never explain it in the future ooooor in a second season !!!!!

Finally I really liked this show and I think they need to make a second season for it

[–] mynameis-03073 9 years ago

*May contain spoilers*
These are just my interpretations of those events....

- Books on legs - Claire sleeps with the books on top of her, like a shield, covering her whole body. I feel this is a trick she used when younger to protect herself and feel less vulnerable at night when Brian was sexually abusing her. It's almost as if the weight of the books on top of her helps her sleep by giving her a sense of security, compared to being awaken by the weight of Brian on top of her if she didn't have the books.

- Chest tattoo - I understand that he was serving overseas; some posters have said Afghanistan, others Iraq, but regardless of where exactly it was, my understanding is that their people follow Islam, which makes them Muslims. The translation I found for "kafir" is "unbeliever, disbeliever or 'infidel'. The term also alludes to a person who rejects or disbelieves in God and the religious truth revealed through the mission of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad, and thus demonstrates ingratitude towards God...."

- Incest storyline - that's definitely a question for the writers! The series' plot is described as "...a talented but emotionally troubled dancer...." So I'm imagining that if the writers wanted their protagonist to be emotionally troubled, but still functioning, and with something less cliché than ordinary depression, anxiety, or a simple eating disorder, then I guess that incest is the way to go. Besides, it is that suffering from those tormented years of abuse that light up her fire when dancing. It fuels her. And also....why not (include this as their storyline)? :) Do you think they shouldn't have included it at all?

- Second season - I read on several posts that a second season will not be produced because of the high cost per episode, so they had no choice but to leave it as a mini series. For sure Romeo's and Sergei's storylines would have been developed further in future seasons, but I don't think the question is "why they were included" but "how their storylines would have been developed; what would happen to these characters or how they would affect those that come in contact with them". You want to include storylines from the beginning that allow the writers different paths for the opportunity to take the viewer on an interesting trip.

I hope this answers some of your questions :)

[–] cuechick 9 years ago

*Spoiler*

"abuse by her brother" this point is confusing as she certainly seemed to be consenting to me, she actually initiated the Thanksgiving encounter... I don't know, I felt the way it was written was just very confusing.

[–] mynameis-03073 9 years ago

*Contains spoilers * I agree that this relationship is confusing & that Claire initiated the encounter on Thanksgiving. The way I imagine this started is with Brian abusing Claire when they were younger, and it then turned into an incestuous relationship. There is a lot of anger from Claire towards Brian that is shown on different occasions; there has to be a reason for it. Why would she allow the bouncer to beat him up? At the same time, there's the Thanksgiving incident and she giving him her hair at the end. It is not uncommon for people suffering from abuse to have a difficult time separating from their abuser.

[–] mjwm44 9 years ago

I got the impression after the home video scene, that Claire and Brian clung to each other as children for physical affection and comfort, because of their (non-sexually) abusive, emotionally-absent, alcoholic father.

I don't think Brian forced himself on Claire sexually. I think their childhood dependence on each other for cuddling and comfort developed into a sexual relationship as they were growing up. Brian's attention might not have become unwelcome (despite the obvious shame) until after Claire became pregnant and Brian was sent away.

[–] stephanieericsson 9 years ago

Incest is very complicated and chances are, if you aren't a survivor or if you didn't study its psychology, it would be very confusing. You should count that as a good thing.

One in three-to-four girls, and one in five-to-seven boys are sexually abused before they turn 18, an overwhelming incidence of which happens within the family. These statistics are well known among industry professionals, who are often quick to add, "and this is a notoriously underreported crime."

The Atlantic www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2013/01/america-has-an-incest-problem/272459/

God made man because he loves stories. —Rabbi Nachman

[–] !!!deleted!!! (5167015) 9 years ago

The writing kept the origins of the incest between the two of them ambiguous.

We can infer part of the reason could have stemmed from their absent mother.* Claire flatly says she never knew her mother, which made me imagine she took on more of a maternal role toward her father and brother when she was still a child. (This could have been suggested with her Thanksgiving visit when it's obvious she did the cooking.)

And there's also the impression that their father was probably not present in spirit for them while growing up. So Claire and Bryan may have relied on one another while growing up, helping to raise one another.

* -- In Claire's childhood home, are they are family photos of her mother? I don't recall that there appeared to be any on display.

[–] stephanieericsson 9 years ago

The writing kept the origins of the incest between the two of them ambiguous.

There was nothing ambiguous about their incest. I don't know where you are in the episodes, so I can't respond by referring to scenes you might not have seen yet.

But, absent mothers or non-present fathers don't cause incest. The cause of incest is the objectification of a child into a sexual object, to be used for private sexual satisfaction. It's not a natural urge. It's an urge born out of learned behavior and a lack of civilized boundaries. Between siblings, nearly 100% of the time, there has been a previous sexual and/or incestual trauma with an adult. Any family, any person, who has appropriate boundaries finds even the idea of sexual contact with a relative abhorrent. That's what is natural to a healthy individual. It's Natures way of preventing interbreeding.

Claire & her brother's home situation is ripe for them to turn to each other for comfort, and their alcoholic, abusive father makes their situation worse because they will naturally want to hide the dysfunction. It's an extremely complex dynamic all on its own, and with incest thrown in, is much more.

But, don't pity Claire for the dysfunction that she comes from -- that dysfunction is the source of her iron will.

God made man because he loves stories. —Rabbi Nachman

[–] Ms_White79 9 years ago

That's not what Eighties Robot said. They said the writers were ambiguous about the ORIGINS of the incest. I agree. I would love to know how/who initiated it.

[–] Ms_White79 9 years ago

Actually, thinking back on the very beginning of the show, I feel like a dunce. At home, Claire had her door padlocked which is a clear indication of who the instigator was.

[–] 9 years ago

[deleted]

[–] !!!deleted!!! (5167015) 9 years ago

I saw Claire and Bryan's inappropriate relationship as a ballet story itself being played out across the episodes. I was shocked by it and the things revealed about it... and yet I found myself feeling sympathy for the two of them, much to my surprise (and shock). Their love for one another crossed the line, and became a tale of unrequited love that they were both trapped in. Thus, like in a melodramatic ballet story, one of them had to die.