A Girl Who Is Very Misunderstood
Carmen - The Most Popular and Controversial Character in The Path
Nov 2, 2009
When one stumbles across a negative review of The Path on the internet, it is very common for Carmen to be mentioned or eluded to. The Path, a very non-traditional PC game that defies genre definition, would already be controversial on the basis of its gameplay, premise or unflinchingly dark elements, but Carmen’s character and ultimate fate seem to act as a catalyst. Interestingly enough it seems like those who are critical of Carmen’s character are also drawn to her - she seems to be the first choice character for most negative reviewers. To read a review of The Path, go here.
This article will examine Carmen’s appeal as a strongly archetypal figure who is frequently misunderstood, most often by those who might not have been exposed to unflinching examinations of modern western society. Part of thee genius of The Path is putting us into a position in which our societal stereotypes come into conflict with strong archetypal energies (for an explanation of this, see this article).
In the case of Carmen, players are confronted with a girl who is in essence the young maiden bursting upon her womanhood with ferocious curiosity and a healthy dose of romantic ideals. This archetype is something powerful and universal that spans across cultures, as all true archetypes do. It is very much a typical and healthy stage of development that young women experience. However, as The Path illustrates, most people live in a culture that replaces archetypes with commercially constructed stereotypes. In Carmen’s case it seems that there is a tendency to see her as some kind of tramp, even though most elements of her character and behavior fly in the face of such an analysis.
Carmen - Slut or Archetypal Maiden?
Carmen at first glance seems like the stereotypical “slut” who just will throw herself at anyone. This is because most people are very used to seeing this stereotype used over and over in the media, to the point that any young girl who seems to have any curiosity about sex begins to be mentally lumped into that category. However, the girl presented in the game is exactly the opposite of this media construct. Carmen, seemingly the oldest of the girls, is by far the most innocent. She approaches sex and men with the playful and innocent naiveté that any young girl might have. Nothing she says or does in the game reflects a personality that is perverted in anyway - she has a youthful and natural curiosity about her budding sexuality that is painfully childlike is some ways, with hints of classic western romance thrown in.
An Example of Carmen’s Innocence and The Path’s Critique of the Horror Genre
When Carmen fantasizes about swimming in the pond and having a handsome man spy on her, she is voicing something seen in many modern movies. Conversely, the common plot of a man spying upon a swimming girl has a very dark side our heroine-victim seems unaware of - stalkers, murders and rapists also fit the profile of potentially handsome young men who might spy on a young woman from the bushes. In fact, this very image is present in many horror movies, like Friday the 13th - women being spied upon by killers or monsters and then being killed.
In horror movies, this seems to be part of a moral, cautionary tale against women being comfortable in their bodies to the extent that men are, or women existing physically beyond the scope of a sexual object. In our culture, strangely enough, it is innocent things like swimming that get women labeled as sluts while their male counterparts would be admired for their adventurous spirit or simply not judged at all for the very same behaviors. Once one plays Carmen’s story through to the end, it is easy to see that a very unflinching, yet subtle critique of the horror genre and western media culture is laced through the game. For more on Carmen’s controversial “path”, read Carmen and the Wolf.
As with all of The Path’s character, the depth and meaning of the character is dependent upon the player’s willingness to explore sometimes troubling subject matter with an open mind. It is sometimes difficult to step outside our societal conditioning, but if one does so, playing the character of Carmen can be a very intense, but ultimately insightful and rewarding journey.
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