Start a Conversation

Talk is a public forum where you can ask questions and share your commentary with fellow Mad Men fans.

All talk topics for Talk: Mad Men »

Secrets

Mad Men is filled with people who have secrets. The last episode brought many of them to the surface. Don has kept Anna secret from his NY world, Anna has kept secret that she is a widow and not a divorced woman. Betty is keeping secret that she doesn't know where Don is and that they aren't together. There are many more. But, Betty took a first step in revealing a secret. She told Sally that Betty and Don weren't together. I thought Sally's reaction was interesting. Betty was fearful of telling and Sally was acting out because she was fearful of knowing what was going on. Once the truth was said, the secret became much tamer. What do you think about secrets and their impact when revealed?

Posted by Sizzie
October 24, 2008 6:34am

Comments

user-pic
By boop on October 24, 2008 4:36 PM

What do you think about secrets and their impact when revealed?

Sizzie,
SECRETS? They are toxic. My mom was a big fibber. She kept secrets from the kids. The secrets were more of an emotional nature. "No, I am not crying." (found mom in bathroom after grandpa died). Like that. She also hid my sister's behavior from me. (underground abortions, menses, running away to marry a guy she met that afternoon, at the age of 13).

When she came to me in high school and complained I don't tell her anything, I was stumped. Now I know she taught me to edit/deny all of my feelings. Sister was one big secret/liar.

Perhaps I was too honest with my daughter because of this.
I spew everything, hoping she would be open with me. I am a terrible liar.

Ex was also secretive, and I allowed him to be that way.
I now can guess that he had two lives while married to me.

default userpic
By Sizzie on October 24, 2008 8:43 PM

I agree boop, it took years for me to find it out, even though, in hindsight, it doesn't sound that difficult. Secrets build stress for me. Don's lightness could only be shown to Anna because Anna is the only person in his life to whom he has no secrets. It takes trust to live that way, though.