Dexter sinister
Posted on January 12th, 2010 in observations Dexter, tv
According to its Wikipedia article, the name Dexter (from the tv show of the same name) is a play on words from heraldry. Heraldic coat of arms are often separated into two sides – the left side being called the sinister, the right the dexter (left and right in latin, respectively). In positive symbols in the coat of arms are usually turned toward the right (dexter) side, while negative symbols – depictions of slain enemies like dragons, boars etc. – face the sinister, or left side. I find this fascinating, and I’m really looking forward to seeing the 4th Season now.
I tried to listen to the Dexter books (starting with Darkly Dreaming Dexter) during a road-trip to Virginia, but I couldn’t get through the introduction, which was basically a prosaic evolutionary vignette of a “spiritual” lizard, which is the cold-blooded, alter-ego of sociopaths. Well, maybe that’s a bad description, but get it from your local library and try it – I dare you. I might get the book and try again – the books are significantly different from the television adaptation to merit a read – but we’ll see if I get any further. I don’t know if Jeff Lindsay’s writing style is for me.
An interesting part in the wiki article are real life murders associated with the series. While quotes like “‘I feel just like him,’” might seem damning – especially to a conservative movement that was against the show when it came out, a part of the reason I really like the show is because I relate to the character. I spent the awkward years of my adolescence like a Dexter, sans the dead animals and impressive carving knife collection. Lots of kids do. There are plenty of people who have learn’t any real social skills and are ostracized because of it. And none of them because of a television show. And neither are they murderers – any more than my identification of Captain Blood makes me a pirate. (Yet, I yearn…)
I do believe Dexter is my favorite tv show from the last 3 years. At least.
January 13th, 2010 at 9:15 am
i think maybe captain blood is begging for a re-read. has that author written anything else compelling? maybe what you need to do is go back to the classics. like moby dick.