We don't have time to mourn. We have work to do. Leia, ANH
This entry was inspired by another blogger's entry and my comment: She almost had to hide behind this mask...afterall, politics and emotion really did not go well together in the GFFA. This was in reference to the "mask" Padme' wears throughout her political career. In general, if you watch closely, you can "see" the difference in the manners of speech and appearance of the politicians during a session of Congress as opposed to their mannerisms outside of this arena. Buy why is it that they do not express emotion when discussion matters of great importance to them? Do politics and emotions work together or work against each other?
"Anakin? What are you doing here? It's still the middle of the afternoon..."
He looked up to find her standing in the archway in full Senatorial regalia...Instead of a smile, instead of sunlight in her eyes, instead of the bell-clear joy with which she had always greeted him, her face was nearly expressionless: attentively blank.
Anakin callded it her Politician Look, and he hated it.
These lines come directly from the ROTS novelization. The context of these lines is following Anakin's meeting with Palpatine where he instills doubt in Anakin's mind about his relationship with Padme'--that she could be having an affair with Obi-Wan. He goes to her apartment to "confront" her about this and finds her not too excited to see him in the middle of the day. Now in terms of the film, this is the scene where Anakin discusses feeling lost and wanting more. He feels her distancing herslef from him and is uncomfortable...instead of a smile, instead of sunlight in her eyes, instead of the bell-clear joy with which she had always greeted him. This was not the Padme' he knew outside of the political arena, the real Padme'...the kind, caring, selfless person he came to love, not this stiff, cold person who was standing before him at that moment. Later, Anakin stands in during Palpatine's meeting with the representatives of the Delegation of 2000, Padme' included...and referrs to her "perfect" appearance and manner of speech as her Politician Look and Politician Voice, the two things he hated most about her.
Even Palpatine acts differently in his roles: Senator (TPM), Chancellor, Sith Lord, Emperor, and in "private consultation" with Anakin. Sure, he wears the appropriate attire for the role he is "playing," but his mannerisms and speech are different depending on his agenda and his role. Once his "true identity" was revealed in ROTS and he was permitted to fully express his anger/fear/aggression (Sith traits), he was no longer made to "hide" behind his cloak of deception.
Fast forward to ANH. For the most part, Leia does not express much emotion when in her official capacity. Also, subtleties in her voice suggest she is on "official business" as opposed to her being herself. She says we don't have time to mourn, although her home planet of Alderran had been destroyed . Now, why does she not allow herslef to mourn, to "feel" for her loss? Sure, the Empire was in "hot pursuit" of her and the Rebel base, but she did not let on that she was saddened...except for the moment immediately following the destruction of Alderran.
Could it be that, to display emotion while acting in official capacity is a sign of weakness? Could it be that the political process directly/indirectly discourages emotion? Could the Galactic/Imperial Senate be more similar to the Jedi Order in terms of suppressing emotion than they would like to admit, or that they even see? It just seems that, in the GFFA, politics and emotions do not "mix," that displaying emotion while acting in one's official capacity is not highly regarded. To me, this leads to the politicians' burying themselves, their feelings so that they can serve the "greater good" for those they represent.
Thoughts on this...anyone?
May the Force Be With You, Always
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