Clara Oswald: A Study of the Impossible Girl
Guest contributor Ruth Long begins a tribute series looking back over Jenna Coleman’s companion.
As we close her final act, I wanted to pay tribute to the companion that has defined and driven my experience as a fan of the show. ‘A Study of the Impossible’ is a series of articles examining the character of Clara Oswald. In each chapter, we will be exploring the Impossible Girl in her journey with the Doctor: from the moment she set foot in the TARDIS, to the day she bade us farewell. This first part will predominantly focus on her 2013 run, though naturally, there will be references made to her entire tenure.
The Clara of Series 7 is often met with heavy criticism from the fan base: described as flat, bland and little more than a narrative tool. That was until she was finally given a ‘proper personality’ with the introduction of Peter Capaldi’s Doctor, of course. Now I agree with the sentiments that the writing for Clara initially wasn’t perfect, not by any means. That is not to say, however, that I subscribe to the view that she was merely a plot device. Indeed, the woman we first see isn’t as fully formed as in her later appearances, but that doesn’t necessarily make her the shallow companion she’s generally painted as being.
Series 7 serves as a foundation for the character of Clara – “page one” of her story. It’s the groundwork from which she is built, defined and crafted into the companion we know now. It’s the fundamental benchmark from which we can gauge her evolution. Equipped with the knowledge of her subsequent development, I found that revisiting Clara’s debut provided fresh insight into her character: her motivations, hopes, fears, flaws and vulnerabilities. This in turn enriched the way that I perceived her actions in Series 8 onwards, and helped me to better understand what made her the person she is.
Even more importantly, this series presents a number of crucial character points that effectively highlight just how much Clara has changed and grown in the time since; something which we will analyze in the chapters that follow. Though character studies are certainly not linear affairs, I’ve taken the liberty of marking these significant points in Red. Make note of them, because we’ll be revisiting them in the future. Well, that’s quite enough prefacing. Ladies and gentleman, let’s begin the story of the Impossible Girl. Starting on…
Page one.
Clara Oswald is defined by the stories she tells. Her very origin is a whimsical tale of a man, a woman and “the most important leaf in human history”. She grew up with her head in books; mind brimming with ideas of travelling to far away lands and embarking on grand adventures. Her mother is her fantastical hero; a “great woman” whose philosophy lay in baking and whose infinite legacy her daughter now carries. Clara’s past is coloured with a sentimentality and wistful reminiscence far removed from the cold reality of tragic loss and of a young woman desperate for control where she has none.
Though this has not been explicitly stated on-screen, it’s not outlandish to infer that Clara didn’t have friends in abundance. I’ve no intention to invent aspects of her history that don’t exist, but I don’t feel that this assumption is unfounded. It’s established that Clara has never been conventional; “off-centre” as Steven puts it. A child who prefers the company of lonely Time Lords to other children in playgrounds, a teenager who favours Roman philosophers over “pretty young men” and boy bands, a 20-something who spends her time as a nanny instead of doing “young things with young people”
This, in combination with her being an only child, forms the idea that she’s quite solitary by nature. I bring this point up for three reasons: firstly, it enforces the bond between Clara and her mum; secondly, it gives further cause for her to present an idealized version of herself; and thirdly, it suggests the notion that she sees herself as ever so slightly ‘apart’ from other people. With that in mind, what does all of this say about Clara? That she’s a romantic, an idealist, and, as we’ll discover, someone captivated by the idea of being better, and more, than she really is.
And so, Clara became the heroine she longed to be. At first, she did it in the only way that she could: giving up her plans to help the people who needed her, for as long as they needed her. Because this Clara never runs out on the people she cares about; this Clara is kind. But she hasn’t stopped dreaming, not for one second. Her bedroom is scattered with books, many of them about travel; her most precious possessions, each belonging to her mother, are kept close by. There are still 101 places to see, and beyond.
One day, she meets the Doctor, and it’s the best day of her life. All of a sudden, the entire universe is open to her; no longer is she constrained by the limits of the possible. Yet she’s not one to just jump in his “snog box” and fly away: even though her face is alight with excitement, even though she waits nervously the next day for him to return. In the words of Jenna, “He offered her all of time and space and she said ‘Come back tomorrow’ ”; because this Clara isn’t like that, or at least, she doesn’t want to appear so. This Clara is comfortably in control.
There’s a new story to be told, and it’s greater than she could have ever imagined. It is then that we come to ‘The Rings of Akhaten’: an episode that tells us a great many things about Miss Oswald. This ordinary woman, walking in the marketplace on some planet a billion miles from earth, does what she knows best: comforts and inspires a scared little girl who “looked like she needed help”. Because it doesn’t matter where she is: “in the jungle, or the desert, or on the moon”. However lost she might feel, this Clara doesn’t walk away; this Clara cares. This is Clara Oswald, and she’s so very human.
Whether she’s challenging ancient gods with nothing but a leaf, volunteering to negotiate with vengeful warriors, chasing ghosts through a haunted house, leading soldiers or saving worlds; this Clara is brave, confident and self-assured in the face of danger. ‘The Name of the Doctor’ is her ultimate fulfillment: worthy of a storybook hero. Just as she offered the things that meant the most to her to protect a child she barely knew, this Clara is prepared to live a million lives and die a million deaths for the Doctor. She is willing to do and sacrifice anything to save the ones she loves; this Clara is selfless.
Likewise, this Clara has the profound insight and understanding of others that makes a companion something truly special. She is able to look beyond superficial appearances and delve deep into the hearts of humans and aliens alike: those of Merry, of Skaldak, of Emma Grayling and above all, of the Doctor. Even as a child, all she need do is search “those big sad eyes” and she can see a man who’s lost something, who’s filled with regret, who’s afraid, who’s ashamed; one who’s “so much younger” and is yet to end it all. Because this Clara always knows. It’s Ironic, perhaps, that someone so perceptive doesn’t really understand herself.
She scattered herself across all of time and space, saved the Doctor countless times, changed the fate of Gallifrey with a shake of her head, answered the oldest question in the universe so that even the Time Lords would listen to her. This Clara is the Impossible Girl…
But she’s not the real Clara Oswald. Well, not all of her.
The Doctor’s right you know: This Clara is just too perfect. A valid initial complaint against her character maybe… or has an explanation already been given to us? She told us herself: She’s a “bubbly personality masking bossy control freak,” and that, my friends, is the key. The term ‘control freak’ describes a person “who feels an obsessive need to exercise control over themselves and others and to take command of any situation.” Though more prominent in her later episodes, Clara expresses such tendencies throughout Series 7. In fact, I’d say this definition fits her like a glove.
It’s evidenced in ways both major and minor. She’ll only travel with the Doctor on a Wednesday; keeping to a strict schedule and ensuring that it never interferes with the rest of her life and responsibilities. She relishes the idea of being “the boss” (“Yep, that’s me”); thriving in positions of authority, which she actively asserts over the Doctor on several occasions (“Pop off and get us a coffee”). Note that across the episodes Clara continuously tries to get her own way, and more often than not, succeeds at it (“Listen you lot. Listen! Help him change the future. Do it!”).
But that’s not the most important thing to take away from Clara’s personal summation in ‘The Time of the Doctor’. The imperative word to remember here is “masking”; because one of the main ways in which Clara “exercises control” is by, as I mentioned at the beginning of this article, “presenting an idealized version of herself”. Essentially, she maintains a pretense of the Clara Oswald she wants people to see; which in turn ties into her love of the fictitious. This is complemented by traces of “deflected narcissism” and egomania that enforce her desire to be “better, and more, than she really is”.
This can be seen in the way that she dresses, for example: always varied, tasteful and well put together outfits that balance style with practicality. Or in her determination to bake her mum’s soufflé over and over until she finally “gets it right”. Or in her using the convenient time machine at her disposal to remedy missed Birthdays, restaurant bookings and failures at cooking rather than live with her own mistakes. Or in her “inventing” a boyfriend at Christmas just to keep up appearances in front of her family. Or in her seeking reassurance that she did well after doing the “scary stuff” in ‘Cold War’ (“How did I do? Was I ok?”).
Sometimes though, the cracks start to show, and we get the briefest glimpse of a Clara who’s not quite what she seems. ‘Hide’ is one of the best episodes for seeing this in action: The Doctor’s trapped, and her composure breaks. “Sweet little Clara” rushes over to a weakened Emma Grayling and forcefully demands that she risks her life; what she did “wasn’t enough”. Professor Palmer’s intervention then prompts her into making the TARDIS to do the same, even though the endeavor could potentially destroy it. Her intentions may have been admirable, but her actions revealed a side to Clara that she’s not proud of, and one that will come to prominence in the future.
Above all, Clara is afraid. She’s courageous, yes, but not in the absence of fear: She’s far more scared “than she lets on”. Not long before challenging an ancient god, she was jumping at sudden noises in the dark. Valiantly offering to negotiate with a vengeful warrior is followed by shock at the sight of dead bodies, and singing to keep herself calm. She only chased a ghost through a haunted house (“Why would I want to do that?”) because the Doctor dared her. If fear is a superpower, then Clara really is a superhero.
You may be asking: Why? What compels her to behave in this way? It’s possible that the answer is right in front of us. A little girl who lived on stories; whose fairytale ended when she lost the person most dear to her. When control was taken away from her life, she sought to take control of it. Burdened with the “days that should have been” passed to her from her mother, she sought to write a story worthy of them. As people needed her, she sought to be the person that they needed. The carefully crafted veneer of Clara Oswald was created because “just Clara” isn’t enough, and it never will be, not until she learns to accept who she is.
So, if you remove the façade, tear away the pages… who are you left with? Someone who is kind, even if it’s not just for another; in control, even if she’s out of her depth; caring, even if she’s lost; insightful, even if she wears a veil; brave, even if she’s not fearless; confident and self-assured, even if she’s got an ego; selfless, even if it’s sometimes for herself; afraid, even if she’s learned to hide it, and very far from perfect. Clara Oswald is and will be many things: an impossible girl, a great teacher, a lousy girlfriend, an incredible liar, a good Dalek, an exceptional Doctor, a perfect companion… and an insecure control freak with a hero complex.
The question is: Where will that take her?
Writing this article has been a challenge. It took a lot of episode watching, note taking and more coffee drinking than is probably advisable! One of the things that helped me the most was the inspiration and insight of some very talented writers: whose work helped me to compose as detailed a character study as I could.
I’d like to thank Caitlin for her advice and her excellent pieces on Clara; you can check out her blog here. I also highly recommend ‘Till the Next Time Doctor’ for their fascinating interpretations on the character here: and ‘A Flawed Fashion’ for their immensely useful ‘Get to Know Clara’ series here:
I hope you enjoyed this article! What are your thoughts on Clara in Series 7? And how do you view her personality?
