Coronation Street - Current Episode Discussion - IV

[parkerman]

I'm not trying to defend Tracy as such and I agree with you, Dazzle, about her nature in general. All I was saying, in response to others who had posted on here about Tracy's lack of feeling by ripping off Robert's clothes on the day of her mother's funeral, was that I think there was good reason for it. And I do think that even Tracy had feelings for her mother and felt deeply hurt by Ken's rejection at such a time. We might say well it's nothing less than she deserves. That's as maybe and I wouldn't disagree with that, but I can see why she would want to seek love, affection and comfort with Robert and not purely as an uncaring selfish act.

[Dazzle]

I don't deny that Tracy has some feelings about the death of her mother, I just don't believe they're feelings you or I would class as "deep". They're more about her loss than about Deirdre herself.

As I feared

Spoiler:

Kate Ford says about Tracy: "I think she's a lot more humble these days. Because she feels a sense of loss about Rob and now Deirdre, she is going to show a kinder, more human side"

Taken from: http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2015-...star-kate-ford

They can write Tracy as a changed person all they like, but I know that characters like her don't change in real life and I'm not going to start sympathising with her any time soon. Maybe if she confessed to Charlie's cold-blooded murder and her part in Kal and Maddie's deaths, and served a real prison sentence, then I'd be convinced of a change of heart - but we all know that won't happen.

[mariba]

Tracy is Deirdre's daughter-in good and bad. We have to remember that Deirdre wasn't an angel either..
I've said this and say it once more-I think Tracy genuinely loved/ misses her mum, I don't agree with some comments that she wouldn't be capable for such feelings. Of course she is. For Deirdre, Amy anyway..and Ken and Peter&Si too. She loves her family-and she did love Rob(I hate they had to split them up and make Rob the murderer). But it's her darker side, that need for revenge when things go wrong..that's when she changes her colours. But of course-it wouldn't be interesting if she was good and a model citizen.

[mariba]

Tracy is Deirdre's daughter-in good and bad. We have to remember that Deirdre wasn't an angel either..
I've said this and say it once more-I think Tracy genuinely loved/misses her mum, I don't agree with some comments that she wouldn't be capable for such feelings. Of course she is. For Deirdre, Amy anyway..and Ken and Peter&Si too. She loves her family-and she did love Rob(I hate they had to split them up and make Rob the murderer). But it's her darker side, that need for revenge when things go wrong..that's when she changes her colours. But of course-it wouldn't be interesting if she was good and a model citizen.

[Dazzle]

Tracy treated Deirdre like dirt a lot of the time, and often delighted in mocking her and being spiteful to her just like she does everyone else. She went out of her way to hurt her, without provocation, many times.

Deirdre wasn't an angel but she wasn't deliberately cruel. Tracy spends her whole life saying the cruellest thing possible because she enjoys the hurt she causes. She isn't even just outspoken like Blanche was: hurting people is her favourite pastime. She's a sadist.

Her dark side is there in virtually every day-to-day interaction, it's not something that only comes out when she feels wronged. Remember how she spitefully mocked a dying Hayley? It's part of her core personality, and that's why I'll never believe she can change. People like her just don't; the prison system's full of them and no psychiatric help can change them.

[Snagglepus]

Tracy was only ripping Roberts clothes off because she was after a s**g, she is the street bike, didn't she once give David Platt a ride.

[sarah c]

don't you see Tracey as damaged goods? and she has never truly been loved by anyone but Deidre? so she uses attack as the best form of defence?

people are going to let her down so get in and hurt them first sort of thing?

I am not a fan nor a hater but the psyche is an interesting one

[Perdita]

I disagree, she did not hurt to protect herself when she tricked Roy Cropper into her bed and claimed she was pregnant by him and when she demanded 20.000 quid for handing the baby over to Roy and Hayley....She did not hurt to protect herself when she claimed Becky pushed her down the stairs causing her to have a miscarriage or by getting Tony to cheat on Liz and then try to get the Rovers for herself ...and lots of other things she has done over the years that were downright nasty but uncalled for...

[Perdita]

Tracy was only ripping Roberts clothes off because she was after a s**g, she is the street bike, didn't she once give David Platt a ride.

She teased him but they never did it in the end

[Dazzle]

don't you see Tracey as damaged goods? and she has never truly been loved by anyone but Deidre? so she uses attack as the best form of defence?

I simply don't think that's true Sarah. Ken isn't blind to her faults but he loved her enough to adopt her, and I doubt he's going to chuck her out of the house even though he's been so angry with her. He's forgiven her many a past wrong. She's a daughter to him, and I've no doubt he'll soon forgive her for upsetting Deirdre by having the affair with Tony.

Her first husband, Robert, loved her but they finished because she cheated on him (he obviously still has strong feelings for her). Rob loved her but in the end she put herself first by shopping him to the police (for which she ludicrously blames Carla). Amy loves her too, as did Blanche and Peter.

In fact, Tracy's actually luckier than most in that she had someone in her life who loved her so deeply she forgave anything - no matter how heinous. Deirdre knew that Tracy planned and committed a totally unprovoked murder for which she has no remorse and hasn't been punished, but she forgave her for it. Tracy's now lost that support so of course she's deeply unhappy, but she was incredibly fortunate to have it in the first place.

She's had plenty of love and is far less damaged than many soap characters who don't turn into cruel, remorseless, cold-blooded killers. Tracey has a personality disorder (probably anti-social, aka sociopathy/psychopathy) and such things can't be fixed in real life. If anything, the death of someone they "love" makes them even more bitter, cruel and determined to punish the world.

There are many damaged characters in fiction who I sympathise with, often despite myself. However, Tracey's long-term sadistic glee in hurting others (usually unprovoked) precludes me from feeling the slightest sympathy for her no matter how the writers try to redeem her.