Flow of Madness

This is all about the complexity of Cassie. 

Cassie is a hard character for some to love. I understand though I do not understand at the same time. She is a complex character that has many contradictions. She is a character that defines duality. These are the many ways Cassie expresses this. I am going to begin with personality traits and then lead to lived experiences. 

Dumb vs. Wise 

Cassie has a personality that many people interpret her as being unintelligent. She talks in a spacey and disconnected manner that helps aid this opinion of her. Sometimes she even makes statements about the things going on around her as if she is not fully aware of what is going on. At the same time though she knows when Jal is keeping a secret. She knows the inner workings of Sid better than Sid does. She is aware of things many times she has a super awareness about what her friends are going through. She also has a philosophical nature that comes out in spurts that cancels out that seemingly naive persona. Not to mention her confidence that even if she waits to take her exam she would still get an A. 

Soft vs. Hard 

Kind of on the same level as the dumb vs. wise debate. There is also this idea that Cassie is soft. She is someone that can easily led due to her giggling and light hearted personality. However underneath this mask there lies a hard, embittered, and dark person. Who can easily act in revenge or act out if she needs to to make a point. Many people see one thing, but when you really look twice at Cassie she is also the other. She can be easily led but at the same time she can hold a knife and eerily say something morbid. 

Happy vs. Depressed

Outwardly she shows herself as an optimistic person who loves life. She skips, dances, smiles, and asks excited to see everything. However underneath it all we know that Cassie is depressed and somewhat defeated about things. She has been put in a psychiatric facility more than once. She has attempted suicide. She has a hard time with change. Which is strange since young people usually cannot wait for things to change. Cassie does not. She seems as if she is a happy and optimistic person who loves life. At the same time she is an unhappy and pessimistic person who fights life. Even in the things she loves for instance that casino arcade she shows Jal in Series 2. This place has the notion of being fun, innocent, and filled with games. However the reality behind Cassie’s desire to be there is quite sad. She wants to escape life and in many ways escape time. 

In terms of Lived Experiences (moments): 

Eating Disorder

Many people have said that Cassie’s eating disorder is portrayed poorly. I have never personally had an eating disorder. So I cannot speak personally on the matter. I have worked with people who have had eating disorders. What is interesting about Cassie is that she hangs out in places that have food for instance the diner. Sometimes she even orders the food, but doesn’t eat it. This is strange behavior, because most people with eating disorders avoid places with food and only order food when they want to disguise their eating disorder. Food scares the people I have met who have some kind of eating disorder. Doesn’t mean it’s the same for everyone, but it is curious. She seems to love food and at the same time she uses food as a way of control. She orders the thing that scares her. Organizes the things that scare her. Faces in many ways the things that scares her. She takes something that is usually a secret and talks honestly about it. She faces it. 

Family: 

She has two parents and a little brother. On the outside it may seem as if she has everything she needs. Two parents who absolutely adore one another and a beautiful baby brother. However despite the superficiality underneath her family is broken. Her parents are too wrapped up in one another and their art that they never see that their daughter is starved for attention. Even when they act all loving and caring in Cassie’s episode in Series 1. Their questions are superficial in the way we would ask someone we don’t know in a grocery store how they are. You ask without really listening. That is how Cassie’s parents behave toward Cassie and even her little brother. They do not see that they have a daughter that needs help and needs them to start loving her. 

Sid: 

After Sid and Cassie get back together after the whole misunderstanding and Michelle drama. Cassie acts like she is happy with Sid and that things are okay. Even though if you look hard enough you can tell that things are not okay. She passive aggressively puts Sid in a position in which Chris hits Sid. She is still dealing with the pain and disappointment she feels with Sid. On top of it time at Roundview is coming to an end. So much is going on, but her instinct is always to show herself as happy. Though underneath she feels the opposite. 

Cassie has such an interesting personality and world view that sometimes it is like trying to define the indefinable. She is who she is depending on the moment. She can be nothing and everything at the same time. Even her explanation about liking and loving shows her contradictory nature as well. Love is usually what we think is the highest form of affection. Cassie believes that liking is actually more powerful, because it is more particular. Because there is always something to love about everything, but to like something is quite different. 

Cassie may be a walking contradiction, but she is certainly not dull.