Gilmore Girls

“Who cares if I'm pretty if I fail my finals?” These are the words of Rory Gilmore, one of the main characters in the critically acclaimed television series, Gilmore Girls. I remember the day I first started watching what would turn out to be my favorite show of all time. I will admit, the first episode, Pilot, was dry, I thought that I would give up on the series, like other shows, but the more I watched, the more I was hooked. 

The show tells the story of two girls. Lorelai Gilmore, the mother, who would like to someday own her own inn, and one of the main characters, and Rory Gilmore, who would like to attend Harvard University, the daughter of Lorelai and the character that appears the most in the series. The show is based in Stars Hollow, a tranquil and quaint neighborhood. The show goes through the different phases of Rory’s life, from early schooling, to tertiary education, as well as Rory entering the working world.

Now, the show may seem very boring from what is described and you might wonder why I would love the series so much. Well, apart from the drama between Rory’s boyfriends and the family drama, the show has a greater and deeper meaning to it. It illustrates the complicated relationship Rory has with her mother and her extended family. Rory had started off as a great, bright, student, but things would take a turn for the worse. It was very interesting to watch how a student like Rory could have even failed  in life. This show carries a lot of depth to it, but it is also humourous and light hearted, giving an interesting contrast to readers.

This show taught me many things, one of the main things would be not to get ahead of myself. From Rory’s behavior and circumstances, I have learnt the importance of humility. Rory was handed everything in life, a loving home, a supportive mother, intelligence, and was from a rich background. Yet, she still managed to fail as her person and in the character. She was praised everywhere she went and she never had to do anything to earn the things she was given, making her spoiled. Rory also cheats with a married man, and claims that it was not her fault. When she received criticism and feedback that she did not like, she broke down and was not able to work and improve herself. Instead, she threw a tantrum and dropped out of her Ivy-League university.

Applying this to our real world situations, when met with unfavourable circumstances and feedback we do not appreciate, what matters most is how we receive it. We could take it as a chance to improve and grow, or we could take it personally, be offended and nothing happens. Nothing improves. Nothing gets better.

A better example would be Lorelai Gilmore. Rory’s mother. Lorelai’s parents, Emily and Richard, were controlling and manipulative when it came to dealing with their daughter. They wanted Lorelai to fit a certain standard. They wanted Lorelai to get into Yale University and grow up to be an important aristocrat, mother, and housewife. Lorelai however, strongly objected. She wanted to live feely, and not be bound by her parents’ unfair expectations of her. She ended up getting pregnant at a very young age. Despite the terrible circumstances she grew up in, she was able to raise a good and happy child independently. She worked hard at a hotel and earned enough income to support her small family. She turned her somewhat dire situation into a favourable one, leaving her legacy behind for her daughter to eventually follow. 

This teaches me that no matter how many things one has or how smart one is, what truly matters is one's attitude towards life. One could choose to be like Rory, have everything handed to her in one-go and still be able to mess up and end up unhappy, or one could choose to be like Lorelai. Take whatever she has been given, and make the best out of a terrible situation.

This show, in summary, is truly a piece of art, depicting the little complications and dilemmas in life. It is truly a show that I would wish to watch for the first time once more.

Joanne Tan

Secondary 2 Purity

2025