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Good Omens (TV version) and Modernity
Kestrell and I were having a conversation about the use of language in Good Omens. She noted that Crowley (and *all* the demons) had "lower-class" accents, while Aziraphale (and many angels) spoke in Received Pronunciation. We talked about how this reflected the British class structure for a while, but I poked at some interesting holes in this model. The angel Sandalphon is *not* upper-crust; he speaks (and acts) like a thug. And Gabriel, of course, speaks (and dresses) like an American businessman. Heaven isn't marked as upper *class*; they're marked as *rich*, almost capitalist.
Then it hit me that there's a very interesting contrast going on. The story makes it clear from the beginning that one of the things that distinguishes Crowley from other demons is that Crowley understands modernity in a way that the other demons simply don't. Aziraphale is the perfect reflection of that. Aziraphale understands the values of *tradition* in a way that the other angels have clearly forgotten, while they have embraced modernity. It seems like most of Heaven took management courses during the twentieth century, and adopted the lamentable "win at any cost" attitude. (As Kestrell put it, "They're Sloanies.")
Not sure whether or not that was consciously intended, but I think it's neat.
Then it hit me that there's a very interesting contrast going on. The story makes it clear from the beginning that one of the things that distinguishes Crowley from other demons is that Crowley understands modernity in a way that the other demons simply don't. Aziraphale is the perfect reflection of that. Aziraphale understands the values of *tradition* in a way that the other angels have clearly forgotten, while they have embraced modernity. It seems like most of Heaven took management courses during the twentieth century, and adopted the lamentable "win at any cost" attitude. (As Kestrell put it, "They're Sloanies.")
Not sure whether or not that was consciously intended, but I think it's neat.