[spoilers] Lucas. Just Lucas.

[binkie]

(13-01-2011 02:32 PM)HellsBells Wrote:  I always thought his initial statement of 'we learn by doing' rather harsh and uncharacteristic for Lucas and maybe an indication of the state of mind he had to adopt while in prison.

Good point about the uncharacteristic feel of "We learn by doing" (and well remembered on the line!).

I think this was probably intentional on the part of the script and the performance. In part, it underlines absolutely your observation about an automatic response motivated by recent experience of a more severe environment. The way in which he moves quickly to soften the effect on Jo of what he has said also acts as a consolidation of the extent to which Lucas is a fast and intuitive learner. He may lament to Sarah in 8.4 that he hasn't been able to feel anything for a long time, but he nevertheless retains an acute emotional intelligence. He recognises the humanity in others, often identifying the character of their motivations before they are themselves able to articulate them. His responses to others, and his anticipation of their actions and conclusions, are often more disarming than confrontational. That's something else he shares with Jo.