Why I Like Gwen...
by Articman on 1/3/2001:
 

When Passions first started, they had a survey on their website. In this survey, you were asked about various characters and why you liked or disliked them. I can still remember the reasons why I did not like Gwen at the start of the show. They were, in short, because she was so poorly written as to have no appeal and because her best scenes were with anyone but Ethan. However, over the course of the show, I have come to like Gwen and think more highly of her, then I can even attempt to think of Theresa.
The Reasons I like Gwen.

Honesty: Until Theresa was successful in getting Ethan, Gwen has been Honest with Ethan and Theresa and everyone around her. When Gwen was suspecious of Theresa's intentions towards Ethan, she came right out and asked her for the truth. She, rightfully, accused Theresa of being out to get Ethan. Unfortunately, due to the intervention of Whitney, Theresa was saved from exposure and Gwen apologised to Theresa for her accusations. Then when Gwen again suspected Theresa of being after Ethan, she asked her point blank about her suspecions and Theresa lied to her, again. As did Ethan when she asked him. When all is said and done, Gwen is basicly an Honest person. She is Honest in her dealings with others and expects them to Honest with her.

Loyalty: Even after Ethan called off the wedding, Gwen stood by him, supporting him. She was not motivated by being there so that Ethan would choose her, but because she loved him and was going to be there for him. Despite much speculation and wishful think of many of the posters, that Gwen was having an affair while away on her business negotiations. Gwen has been in a monogomist relationship with Ethan for the past ten years. She has been faithful to him. Even now, with Rebecca plotting revenge against Ethan, Theresa and Ivy, Gwen is clearly uncomfortable with her mother's schemings. She stood up to Luis, supporting Ethan in his decision to respect Sheridan's wishes. Gwen is a loyal person, loyal to her family, to her friends and loyal to Ethan. (Eventhough, he doesn't deserve it.)

She has a Life: Gwen's world does not revolve around one person, nor does her happiness. Gwen is well educated and putting that Education to use in her family's business. She has and pursues interests outside of her relationship with Ethan. Nor does she believe and or do everything that her mother tells her. She makes up her own mind and lives with those decisions. As Heartbroken as Gwen is now, she'll recover and find her happiness with someone else.

Gwen is not a Victim: Gwen is not a damsel in distress. She does not need others to come to her rescue. Theresa has repeatedly needed Ethan to come to her rescue. For him to Lie for her, to protect her, to make things right/safe for her. Gwen has not needed this. She is strong, independant and able to deal with problems without needing to run to someone else for help constantly. It is only after Ethan called off the wedding that Gwen has sought the help and support of her mother and others. Nor is she comfortable with playing the Damsel in Distress.

Compassion: Despite her problems with Ethan and with Theresa, Gwen showed compassion and caring for others. She understood the pain Luis was in and offered him words of comfort at Sheridan's funeral. She wanted to go to Ethan's side as soon as she heard about Sheridan's death, only her mother delayed her. She stood by Ethan and reassured him that it was right for him to respect Sheridan's wishes. But she wasn't just there for Ethan, but for Ivy as well during this time. When she learned that Sheridan could still be alive, that she had been buried alive, she rushed to the cemetary to be there for her. Her first thoughts and words were about Sheridan. Accept, when she had problems with Theresa, Gwen was supportive of Sheridan's relationship with Luis, encouraging her to work out her problems with him.

Respect: Gwen has been respectful of others and their feelings. When she was visiting Sheridan the night Sheridan was in jail. She was suportive of Sheridan, but did not excuse/ignore the fact that Sheridan had broken the law and that was why she had been arrested. When Gwen was suspecious of Theresa and accused her of being after Ethan, she withdrew/apologised for a comment she made in anger about Pilar being involved. Everytime, Ethan has asked for time alone, time to think, Gwen respected his wishes and kept her distance. Look at her treatment of Pilar and the other Crane servants. She has treated them like people and not like things, the Like Rebecca and Julian do. Most of All... GWEN RESPECTS HERSELF. She is not interested in behaving in a foolish manner or is she going to degrade herself to get, be with, marry a man, including Ethan. It is when she is under the influence of Rebecca that she engages in these kind of activities and unhappily so.

Friendship: Gwen is a good friend. She is concerned for and supportive of her friends and their relationships. However, she has been honest with her friends as well. If she has a problem with them or something in their lives, she confronts them about it, talks to them about it. She does not force, or try to force things on her friends. (ie Theresa kept pushing Whitney into a relationship with Chad and wanted to push Luis and Sheridan together so that Luis would accept her relationship with Ethan.) Gwen had and has discuessed her concerns with Sheridan about Sheridan's relationship with Luis and has not tried to push them one way or the other. I have found Gwen's Friendship with Sheridan to be a good one.

When all is said and done. Gwen is a good person. She is basicly honest, loyal, compassionate, respectfull and a real friend. These qualities make her much more likeable than Theresa is and the kind of person that I would be proud to call my friend. Yes, she can be a snob, but tries to avoid the more negative aspects of her upbringing and social standing. If Sheridan had died... I would have liked to see Gwen and Luis become friends and perhaps something more. However, since Sheridan has survived and been reunited with Luis, I still want to see Gwen and Luis become friends as well as Gwen and Sheridan's friendship to continue and to grow.

If there is anything that I really want to see is for Gwen to keep the Hell away from Rebecca. It has been Rebecca that has placed Gwen in those situations that are basicly against her nature, her personality. Rebecca cares more for power and social status then she does about Gwen, but she is the only one really taking Gwen's side in this Ethan/Theresa situation. So Gwen is being forced into a situation not of her making, that goes against the better aspects of her nature and can only lead to disaster and ruin for her and for Ethan. This is how JER has been setting this up, to turn Gwen into the Bitch, that she clearly is not, but needs to become to justify making Theresa his Heroine and keeping her with Ethan, without letting her face the consequences of her actions for the past year and a half.

Away from Rebecca's influence, Gwen is a better person then Theresa can ever hope to be. I hope that she gets a better story line soon. As I said before, perhaps a Freindship with Luis. But someone else in her life besides Ethan and Rebecca definitely.

What do you think?