Adam Kotsko refers to awkwardness as a “social phenomenon” and states that the emphasis should not just lie on “awkward individuals” but on the entire “social situation in which awkwardness makes itself felt.”[1] Awkwardness is not felt to the same degree for a person who partakes in such behaviour in their own company. Awkwardness by its very nature thrives due to relationships between people and it’s when a certain behaviour is performed socially that awkwardness becomes more pronounced. Even though Fleabag is considered a zany character, at certain moments she takes the burden of another person’s awkward situation – becoming the center of awkwardness. In Fleabag, Claire’s horrific experience of a miscarriage is deflected onto Fleabag, resulting in her reactions of silence and shock which in turn creates a space of awkwardness. Her behaviour becomes even more awkward given the social space they are inhabiting and the conflicting perspectives of other family members. Ultimately, awkwardness is created by Fleabag’s violation of a norm but also by the reactions and comments of others in the social situation. During the family dinner, Claire tries to pretend as if nothing has happened. Her attempt to distill the awkwardness and move on with the conversation, results in more awkward energy being instilled into the scene. Other family members underestimate the seriousness of the situation, passing unacceptable remarks which further infuses both conflict and awkwardness into the scene. Even though Claire attempts to “roll with the punches” and is not paralyzed by her situation, Fleabag is.[2] In this instance, Fleabag’s ultimate awkwardness violates the “stable norm” breaking the flow of the social occasion.[3] Awkwardness persists as Fleabag departs from the standard acceptable norms that are upheld at a family dinner. Fleabag’s silence makes the situation more awkward especially since she is in the company of others. Hence, the emphasis is not just on her reactions, but on the reactions of others around her. She exists, and her awkwardness is felt primarily in relation to others.
[1] Adam Kotsko, Awkwardness: An Essay (Ropley: Zero, 2010), p. 7
[2] Ibid, p. 6
[3] Ibid, p. 7
I think your comments about how silence often elevates the awkwardness of a situation are really pertinent. It reminds me of the extreme awkwardness of silence in gaps intentionally left after jokes in stand-up comedy – it is painful how the audience does not meet the comedian’s expectation that they will laugh.
There are many awkward situations in Fleabag but I think the scene you talked about is definitely one of the most awkward in the whole series: Fleabag usually breaks the fourth wall when something awkward happens but she does not do it in this scene, which makes her silence even more awkward.
I love your example of Fleabag as awkward comedy emphasizing reaction rather than action itself. I think much of this comes from the fourth wall breaks as well which toy with the boundary between actor and audience that Ngai thinks the zany can uphold (187). Fleabag temporarily crosses into audience territory without dissolving the divide. This acknowledgement unifies the audience’s response with her own, mediating the tension of social norms in a way that makes it funny rather than purely awkward.