Yes, I can sort of see how I have judged Joan sometimes by twenty-first century standards. I want to say, “have mercy on the guy, for heaven’s sake and help him out a bit!” :D But she is living in the 60s, and, as much as I love Fred Thursday, he is definitely a tad too autocratic at times. I remember once Fred expressing surprise that Joan had any interest in Ronnie, and she says something to the effect of “You scared all the good ones away.” And you’re right—that money! He didn’t even ask Win .. and then he tries to make it up to her by buying her an *oven*???? Oh, Fred, no. No, no, no...
Anyway, your fic has got me considering Joan in a whole different light. I’ve always thought of Morse and Joan as opposites: an introvert and an extrovert—-but now I see their similarities, too—they are both sort of still figuring themselves out. I guess it is almost as if they just miss each other, because that scene at the fair in Pylon is sort of the inverse of the “rooftop scene”—she’s at a point where she is embarking on a promising career and feels her life is coming together, and she reaches out to him—but by then he’s on his way to becoming cantankerous Morse.“ Humph. Maybe I’m not me.“ (um, okay! Not sure what she’s supposed to say to that...) Oh, yay, more chapters! I am off to read the rest :D
Maybe you have judged Joan by twenty-first century standards. Let’s not forget that in the 1960s and 1970s, a woman could not even have a bank account without her husband’s consent. Have a look at this, it’s quite enlightening. In that light, Fred Thursday’s attitude is “typical” for the era (even if I don’t approve of it and understand Win’s fury and disappointment very well.) It would be the same, and even more of the same, regarding Fred’s attitude towards his daughter, even if she is a young woman. Even if she is working in a bank, Joan needed her father’s authorisation to open a bank account and probably to have a job!!! His control over her life extends (of course!) to her love life… It must be stiffling to a so spirited young woman. Thus Joan’s flight. Her shock merely gave her the impetus to try to take control of her life.
I see Endeavour and Joan as two sides of the same coin: they both use their nature to hide from others. Joan’s lightness and light flirting is as much a defence mechanism as is Morse’s restraint. They would have balanced each other perfectly, I believe, if Colin Dexter had given Morse a possibility of lasting happiness.
In Pylon, Joan is back on her feet, while Endeavour is still rocked, shocked and stupefied by Fancy’s death and the aftermath of the closing down of Cowley Police Station. Hence the moustache: he’s literally hiding under his facial hair; the uniform further changes him from his usual silhouette. Endeavour and Joan do miss each other: they are never in synch, even though they both want the same things: stability, love, a family, respect from their partner. And they are more than a little bit in love with the other. Such a tragedy.
I hope you’ll enjoy the other chapters. It’d be lovely to read your thoughts.
Such a nice dialogue you and Astrid have had about our Joan! Really shows how complicated a character Russ and Sara Vickers have put together. Gotta love this wonderful show. Every character spoils us rotten.
Complicated characters are a joy for the audience...and food for thoughts for the ff author! Indeed, the show is very special for the care and subtle details written into all the characters: there aren’t really any 'secondary' ones! I wish there were more fics with Joan: she's such an interesting young woman.
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