Dawn's Kleptomania

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Sineya
Does anyone think that it started earlier than when she stole the book and potion (or whatever was in that bottle) in Forever?

OR.. after stealing those things start her complusion and for what reason?

I think she probably started stealing other stuff after Forever but I'm not sure why. I don't know if it's one of those cry-for-help things or whether or not she just wanted to see if she could get away with it.

Any thoughts?
 
well, im not sure completely, but i think the fact that her mom had died right before she started stealing was a big factor. maybe it made her feel like she had control of what was going on, or maybe it let out some of the sadness, like a hobby. maybe it was just her way of rebelling, but was triggered by the death. i dont know; someone who has had someone close to them die could probly understand better.
 
Most likely, the shop lifting thing was something that accidentally was passed to her from Buffy's own character when the monks created her. In the episode that had the flashback to Merrick's first meeting Buffy, she says something like "...I MEANT to pay for that lipstick." It would seem that she went through a phase of shop lifting at about the same age that Dawn would later.
 
definition of insane
definition of insane
Good theory! I would have never thought of that. :)
L
Lily
nice connection - continuity fairy at play :)
Does anyone think that it started earlier than when she stole the book and potion (or whatever was in that bottle) in Forever?

OR.. after stealing those things start her complusion and for what reason?

I think she probably started stealing other stuff after Forever but I'm not sure why. I don't know if it's one of those cry-for-help things or whether or not she just wanted to see if she could get away with it.

Any thoughts?

She didnt really steal the book. Willow deliberately let her have it.
 
Actually, I was talking about the one she stole from the Magic Shop. She snuck it in her bag along with a bottle of something that I guess was for the spell.
 
i dont think it was really kleptomania until the sixth season. At least until after Buffy's death. I mean, yeh, her mom died, but it was both her mom and her sister dieing that made her kinda go off the edge..
 
It may not have been full on kleptomania until the season 6 but then again...she stole Anya's earrings in Intervention which is the episode straight after Forever and as far as I know, there wasn't any real reason to do so (unlike Forever where she had a purpose) so I'm thinking it started in season 5 but got heaps worse by the time she was caught.
 
well, i've seen the ep before, loads of times.
i just didnt recall that part until i saw it today.
so, my theory was off.
but it was only once that we've seen in Season 5.
so i'm gonna stick with it not really becoming an issue until season 6.
 
I think it was more of an "Ooh, pretty!" thing than an in-depth psychological thing.
 
i still think of it as a sort of attention-seeking behaviour - along the lines of 'i'm in pain, none of you are noticing, so i'm acting out' and shop lifting is one of those things where you're not going to get in a lot of trouble, you get some fun stuff out of it and she must have known at some point she'd get caught and somone would notice that she's messed up

i actually think the moment when buffy realised dawn had stolen her birthday gift and that look of disappointment she gave to Dawn was the first moment i had any real compassion for Dawn. so character development wise i liked that she did semi-normal teenage bed behaviour stuff, rather than the babyish tantrums or psychotic arm slicage
 
She may have just done it for attention, or could be part of Buffy's past. I think it was to 'feel.' Buffy was so busy in her slaying life, busy with friends, boyfriends etc. I think maybe it was giving Dawn somewhat satisfaction that Buffy wasn't giving her. I think I worded that wrong but I think you all get what I mean. Dawn always felt left out. Maybe stealing was her way of feeling better. Having things was nice for her. Probably felt good.
 
That or she just wanted to fit in with the group of friends she made.

They don't steal tho, which group of friends? You don't mean Buffy's friends do you? Cause like I said, they don't steal. If you mean the two vamp boys and the girl? She was doing it before them, unless I am missing something.
 
They don't steal tho, which group of friends? You don't mean Buffy's friends do you? Cause like I said, they don't steal. If you mean the two vamp boys and the girl? She was doing it before them, unless I am missing something.

Ive only watched through season six once so bear with me.

I was referencing the girl and the two vamps. I feel she stole to give her that bad ass image that they had.
 
Hey no worries, just wanting to make sure we are on the same page. Ya she was stealing before that. She had taken Anya's earings in season six, bargaining pt.1/2 I do believe the episode was. I just think she was going through a lot and was not getting the attention from anyone, not really, because she was just a kid. So she was stealing to 'feel' something. Sad isn't it?!
 
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Lindsey McDonald
Poor Dawn... Also, it was Season Five, Interventon where she stole Anya's earings.
Yes fivebyfive you are right it's not bargaining pt1. I had watched so many episodes that night and I guess I just remembered everyone (now minus Dawn) being at Xanders place at that time in Bargaining pt1.
 
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