BELONGING TO PERCEPTION OF SELF
Identity: Social, Ethnic, Political, Cultural
Belonging to Ethnical sense, cultural and social and to some extent, political degree in a mediocre degree with the Dean and the school's officials.... is the biggest feature of a self perception of each characters in "Community". Race talks appear frequently in season 1 especially between Pierce and the minorities of the group. Annie being a Jewish as well as Abed sense of pop cultural belonging and interpretation of everyone as a character of a TV show (Ironically they are
) such a clever meta-narrative. This list is endless
Singular or Multiple
Whether a character has different perceptions of self around others or act differently in different situations. Not a common topic discussed but certainly showed plenty of times with Jeff's life outside of study group. Abed portraying characters and emotions in order to communicate effectively. Troy's naivety sometimes led him to be the child of the study group alongside with Pierce's stubbornness despite his old age. Many more can be outlines in examples of the school's image and attitude as well. Especially Dean's concern of school reputation driven him to insanity at times
Restrictive/Real/Biased
Obvious example would be Shirley's moral conduct from her Christianity belief limits her sense of perspective and judgment at times. Real perception of Britta of her awareness for humanity concerns and her goofyness at the same time. Possibly very Biased perspective of the study group of Ben Chang in later seasons. However evidence does suggest that Chang (slow hands clap....) maybe is crazy. Dean's costume wearing obsessions and fetish to a certain extent question such mysterious personality of merely a provocative complicated yet complacent messenger or simply a drag queen??
Power
Power plays central role of the study group and the institution of Greendale college. Jeff's natural yet narcisstic leadership have successfully guided the study group through the good and bad times. The role of study group in changing the face of the college became central theme of their lives and school's reputation as evident with their adventures and missions portrayed in Season 2. Greendale's poor political performance by an eccentric Dean became primary concerns of the students representation and their state of education. However it gives sense of empowerment also since they can pretty much do "whatever" they want or necessary
Exclusion
Exclusion of identities as explained earlier, guided by character's features of race, beliefs, social power or their mere personalities. Chang provides a perfect sense of exclusion. His craziness however sometimes very hard to be interpreted by mere logic. In Jeff winger's speech in episode "Asian Population Studies" stripped naked of Chang's worst qualities which interestingly create an opposite effect of trust and sense of understanding. Pierce's old age become factor within study groups social discussions and concerns. Often his incidental racism or discriminating comments become main issues. He effectively become the study group's scape goat, essential for the survival of the group
Possession/Ownership/Control
Dean's perception of being obsessed building a better and excellent school takes him far into the darkest side of Greendale characters, Jeff's political control of the study group put to the test during Abed's reign of chicken fingers power in the college. The idea of leadership and innovation is challenged by Abed's incidental role of the provider for the study group's wants. Countless possessions idea presented throughout series
Acceptance
Major theme of Greendale's Community slogan "You're already accepted" is quite symbolic in the sense that school's low reputation creates sense of safety net and "Chance" to fix and begin lives again. All character (except Abed) of the study group come to the school due to their past failures. Jeff's failed lawyer career, Shirley's divorced single mother (initially), Britta's gaining sense of orderly society from running of all her life with anarchy, Troy's lost football scholarship, Annie's high school breakdown from her drug attachment, Pierce's loneliness finding sense of familial relationship and youthfullness and so on. Acceptance evident across all level of the series. As well as demonstrated highly by the school's multiculturalism and so on. Endless list of examples
