Trent--What's the appeal to Daria?

It just seems so unlikely that someone like Daria would like someone like Trent. Unless that unlikeliness is the appeal.

My theory is as follows:

The thought of Daria being involved with someone like Trent would make her parents nuts.

And we all know Daria loves to mess with the mental health of the parental units. :-)

So, subconsciously, she likes Trent because he's so unsuitable.

Shannon

Daria likes Trent because he's older than her and, unlike the other males she knows, he's not a pretentious twat. Trent is this real life human, and he's tantalisingly almost within reach.

-Shez.

Recently, Shez said:

Excuse me, but Trent is a cartoon character.

Sorry, couldn't resist!

In article ,

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Trent's not a completely impossible choice for Daria. His appearance is different from what Daria is used to but Daria might consider that a plus. One thing to consider is that Trent, despite his somnolent demeanor, is intelligent (as is Jane) a trait that Daria values. He's a musician, which requires intelligence. (At least I like to tell myself that, even playing the piano at my present level.) From Daria's perspective there are things to admire about Trent. In addition to being intelligent, he's honest and harbors no malice toward anyone. In conversation he manages to avoid trite phrases like, "it really makes you think." Daria appreciates that.

Also, from what we're to understand about Daria, she hasn't had much experience with men. Being unpopular, most of Daria's experience is theoretical, derived from books; rather than real world experience, derived from fights where you exclaim, "it's really over over." I think everyone will agree that reading about the thoughts on the subject of love, even from some of the great writers of history, can only be a poor substitute for the real thing. You have to do it. Trent might not be a dream match for her, though she could easily do worse, but he'll do to learn on. I would never seriously expect that Daria would end up with Trent. Daria's just too intelligent to marry the first guy she meets. (I realize I might be tiptoeing into a mine field here. Maybe some of you who are married did marry the first person you met. If there are any comments anyone wants to make just try to be civil�and I'll put on my Nomex underwear anyway.) Of course after surveying the field, Daria might end up coming back to Trent, concluding that he was the best choice. Life is funny that way sometimes.

Bob Henry said:

He looks a lot like his sister Jane, who is Daria's best friend and whose appearance she would thus have pleasant associations with. Though she liked him at first sight, if you remember. ("Invitation").

VERY important.

And a poet (he writes his own lyrics). Admittedly, not a very GOOD one yet, but give him time ...

EXCEEDINGLY important. Daria despises dishonesty and senseless hostility; Trent is an honest, nice guy.

As far as we know, she's never even been kissed, which is pretty darn inexperienced for 17. Even for a "nice girl" at 17.

Yep. And observation. One of the reasons Daria has little respect for the society she sees around her is that it so rarely lives up to its best ideals, and so often goes haring after its worst ones. This is true in terms of love as many other fields of human existence.

Maybe. I think that the plot may be going off in another direction, though.

Well, it depends who "the first guy" (or girl) one meets happens to be, doesn't it?

In my opinion, Daria is definitely predisposed to marriage, and probably younger than most of her contemporaries not driven to it by pregnancy, because of her known family background and demonstrated attitudes. Helen DID marry one of the first guys she got seriously involved with, based on the evidence from her flashbacks. For all their flaws, Helen and Jake are a stable couple, and this is Daria's earliest image of "love" (all children first learn how to love from their parents' example).

The reason why first relationships often don't work is that is likely to pick someone unsuitable the first time. Not because there's anything inherently wrong about staying involved with someone simply because he or she is your first love.

Is Trent really suitable? It depends. I think that he is an inherently intelligent, good, and honest man. I also think that he is immature ... actually, more immature than Daria in all the important ways (regardless of his superior experience with sex, probably drugs, and of course rock and roll) :) I think that Trent has some growing up to do before he would be truly worthy of Daria.

I think that the direction in which the series is headed is that Trent, essentially taking Daria for granted, demonstrates his lack of interest for her (in one of the eps we're going to see real soon, #307 I think it is) and Daria realizes his flaws, and gets over the crush. I think that what will probably happen after that is that ANOTHER guy will start dating Daria, and Trent will realize when it's almost too late that he really does love Daria.

I do think it's probable that Trent and Daria will wind up togther in the end, though. If Trent just matured a little, they'd be well suited for each other.

Sincerely Yours, Jordan

"All the Universe or Nothingness ... that is the question. Which shall it be?" (H. G. Wells)

Trent is trying to expres his inner self like Jane. Jave paints and stuf, Trent play's and sings. And he dosn't hid his bad habit of sleeping a lot. Daria herself writs her inerself and all. all 3 try not to be a trobelt pool of shalonis.

And that at first site part. trent took Daria as she was/is. Daria looks like a bit afraide for same shanses and so doing it slow. first season she was more hiding away and now she axcapts same and maks les coments about it. Trent lils to do it slow to, and like daria winters them over when he dont like it.

Make it dubbel

And daria liks that poet part too. She writs storis like it o so they realy have that in common.

Look at the first thing I edited. He like Jane isn't hiding himself. Only Daria is doing that. more corss she's afraid of geting hurt (My opinion).

Afraid of geting hurt does do that. thow it is afely in experinced. then again, Quinn is very experinced. She only knows Kidbois, And samthing tels me that much more that a fast kiss no boy ever has bold le gon (each time same boy gets to close quinn seemf very quik in going away..).

And Trent dont like the way it all is like Daria so one nather way of thinking thay share. And I think that Trent liks it that a girl dont jump on in like does groopies like he also meats at his preformenses.

I think there better metched then you think.

My brother and sister in law is a bit Daria and trent's story. My bro has had other girl's (not much thow) and my sis in law lurnd him when she was 16 but thay got involved when she was almost 18. She had no prior expirians. So it may nor hapen often but why not..

stable?? Stable in that helen is picing on Jake. Therest they swicht from hippy to juppy. That are the opesets... I'd say, as stable as the Titanik. OK maby Trent will turn out to be the iceberg.

Let him first wake up. and lets see what it brings if he was more awake.

Andrea...---...

(you don't see me for a wile and then you cant ceep seeing my name :)

Ariel1099 wrote in message ...

Not at all. In fact, they're made for each other. Some time ago, when I read this newsgroup regularly, I made the statement that Trent is not as "dumb" as he appears. Some folks disagreed, but I still feel the statement was justified.

Daria is bright, but she only understands people from a distance. She is not, by any stretch of the imagination, a real people person. Sometimes, she even makes errors in judging people.

Trent, on the other hand, is quite perceptive when it comes to people, although I know folks are going to disagree vehemently. That's because they've never met a Trent, or if they did, they didn't give the person the time of day ;)

If you watch the episodes carefully, you may see what I mean. "Pierce Me" and "Road Worriers" are definitive Trent episodes, although "Misery Chick" has a nice Trent scene as well. Of course, he's also quite laid-back and he's not very judgemental. There's something to be said for that when it's contrasted with Daria, who, despite her monotone demeanor is rather high-strung and very judgemental.

Unfortunately, I haven't seen many shows this season, so I don't know if they've changed his character around or not.

On Sun, 04 Jul 1999 02:48:32 GMT, "Chris Seamans" wrote:

Tons of smart people in the world. Upchuck is smart.

"A Trent"? Here's where you make your mistake. You are taking the limited viewing we've had of trent (not relative to the rest of the cast, but simply because it's still just a tv show. I spend more time with my girlfriend in a week than I've ever seen of Daria (not including reruns)) and you are applying the characteristics of people you know, who vaguely resemble him. Reading things that aren't there.

He's a nice guy. But that hardly means he and Daria were made for each other.

He complained when I hit him. All my friends do. Wusses.

Kyle wrote in message ...

read

<shrug> Smart isn't the issue here. There are also alot of smart people who are, in fact, "dumb" too.

I make no mistake. This is where *you* make your mistake, putting on some sort of haughty tone calling someone's perception of a character in a television show a mistake.

<sigh> First, I think it's entirely appropriate to point out one of the things about the show that makes it special. Everybody is a stereotype, or probably more accurately, an archetype. Whether it's Kevin, the pure jock, or Jodie, the over-achieving minority who feels that she need to be a perfect human being to overcome racial stereotypes.

They are not people. The characters in Daria are *placeholders* for people, and that is their appeal. By any sort of standard, the characters aren't really that well developed. Period. That's what makes the show so special to so many people. The fact that the characters *are* placeholders and archetypes.

I'm not making a mistake. I'm watching a show and commenting on relationships in the show.

Hell, in fact, I didn't think that there were mistakes in such an informal setting.

<shrug> Nor does it mean they are not.

Chris Seamans said:

They complement each other in many ways. Trent is a good-natured, laid-back, overly-trusting guy who really needs a sharp, driven, distrustful girl like Daria to watch his back. On the other hand, Daria is antisocial and really needs someone friendly like Trent to draw her out into the world.

VERY judgemental. Including judgemental of herself. Someone like Trent could make her relax for a change, which would be good for her long-term sanity.

Sincerely Yours, Jordan

"All the Universe or Nothingness ... that is the question. Which shall it be?" (H. G. Wells)

[email] (Jordan S. Bassior) wrote:

Ennh, sanity's overrated, IMHO. ;-)

rich.

Jane: You're a twisted little cruller, ain't'cha?

On 04 Jul 1999 05:51:37 GMT, some letters randomly coalesced from individual pixels, claiming to be from [email] (Jordan S. Bassior), and it said:

This is, however, only if he succeeded. The attempt could be bad for his short-term sanity... ;p

I think Trent is for Daria the same as Mack for Jodie. Jodie is allways puching the standerts and expektations the school and people have of her. Daria does the same but than the standerts SHE sets and expekts. aswel Daria as Jodie both fail at it at times and get same comfert and relexation by Mrent and Mack. Both mack and Trent dont expect the girls to be top standert all the time. they just expekt them to be themselfs. iaw, trent is the safty net for daria as it is visa versa when trend would be sleeping on the job (in this case the jow is a figure of speech not the speeping :)

Andrea

(I'm babeling to much alerady today in one thread)