Gilmore Girls is a show about a young single mother who raises her child as more of a friend than an actual disciplinarian. Lorelai Gilmore became pregnant at the age of 16 and through her teenage angst and dislike for her overbearing parents, ran away to the small town of Stars Hollow. Her daughter is the brainy, quiet and seemingly perfect, Rory Gilmore. Named after her mother, due to her feminist values and too much demurral, the younger Gilmore is angelic and by the way, people speak of her, could cure blindness.
Superiority Complex
Through her soft demeanor, Rory possesses what can only be described as a superiority complex.
As she transitions from Stars Hollow High to the prestigious Chilton, she quickly realizes that there are hundreds of kids just like her. In an English class, Rory receives a D on her first paper. A failing grade for the smartest girl in the entire world? How could this ever happen? At Chilton, Rory meets her foil in Paris Geller. Paris is the type of person that dies of stroke at the age of 30 but also represents the type of approach which many students utilize when attempting to get into Ivy League schools. Geller has a divide and conquer personality and unlike Rory has spent her entire life building up credentials that would even make Mother Theresa shake her head in shame.
In comparison to Paris, Rory is not that accomplished.
Her only extra-curricular activities include working for the school paper and her reluctant involvement in student government. However, in no other place is Rory's superiority complex more prevalent than in her interactions with her first boyfriend, Dean. Dean is introduced into the series as the first point of contention between Lorelai and Rory.
Up until that point, Rory had shown no interest in the opposite sex and told her mother everything. The most they argued about was who would drink more coffee at Luke's.
And while Rory tries to come off as the small town girl that will not be changed by the world of privilege and excess around her, as her relationship with Dean plays out, it becomes obvious that she finds him boring.
Dean represents the small town boy that stays in the exact same place and until he grows old. Dean has no aspirations of going to college, let alone Harvard. Rory's intelligence and vast knowledge is something that she could always hold over his head.
Lack of a backbone
Rory really shows her true colors when she accepts an internship from Mitchum Huntzberger. Rory, who by this time in the series attends Yale and is dating party boy, Logan Huntzberger, attends a dinner at her boyfriend’s house. She is treated like trash and scolded for her inadequate status as a Gilmore. With pride shot and the Gilmore name in jeopardy, Mitchum decides to offer Rory an internship at a local newspaper. She initially declines but after some thought agrees to take the job.
Rory had been told all of her life that she was special. As she finally enters the workforce, realizes that she is in over her head. The internship begins well and like the good girl she is, Rory does exactly what is asked of her. After a few weeks of working at the newspaper, Mitchum gives Rory an update on her progress. She sits down and smiles, expecting to be coddled and worshiped.
However, Mitchum states that she would make a great receptionist but does not have what it takes to become a journalist. With that one comment, Rory falls into a tailspin and steals a boat with Logan. As expected, she gets arrested and to make things worse, makes the rash decision to drop out of Yale. That one comment made this supposedly smart and special character change the trajectory of her entire life.
The decision to drop out of Yale led to a major rift between Rory and her mother. The once inseparable women spend months apart, without as much as sharing a phone call. It isn't until her ex-boyfriend, Jess shows up that she even realizes how childish she was.
Let's hope that the Rory in the Netflix revival has grown up a bit.
