The Character of Chandler Bing
Starting off a streak of Friends‘ character analysis pieces, first in line is (mostly) everyone’s favorite; the sarcastic Thanksgiving hater; the statistical analyst and data reconfiguration genius; we could speak of none other than Chandler Bing himself.
The sad man.
Whenever we start developing these character pieces, we first ask ourselves about core character values and qualities that may lead us to interesting discoveries. So the brain train starts and we explore; to try and reveal something about these long-loved characters that may not be clear unless thought off. For Chandler, we realized, that reveal, at least to us, is how sad this man turns out to be.
Chandler’s core characteristic, and the thing that truly drives the character forward, is his humor; his sarcasm and objectively funny outlook on life — both the good and the bad parts. He himself admits, as do the people around him, that this humor is nothing but a defense mechanism — a way to distance himself, to escape, from the things that truly bother him about himself, his life, and the world around him.
Chandler Bing’s upbringing.
It’s not spoken of, but we can deduct that Chandler actually grew up pretty rich; his father slept with the pool boy — this means that his family not only had a pool, but employed a man to take care of said pool, which can lead us to the logical conclusion that Chandler’s family was quite wealthy.
So the boy falls into an archetype stereotype. He becomes the child that was overlooked by his rich parents — both because of the wealth they owned and because of who they were as people. Chandler was probably closest to the nanny, or to the butler, much like Rachel, although he did not embrace the values this upbringing might bring to, but rather pushed them away.
Chandler’s parents were not that caring of the boy; his father probably had his own discoveries to make, coming out as a gay man when already having a family can put a strain on any relationship, and his mother, as portrayed by the show, is not the most nourishing person.
So Chandler Bing grew up — sad.
He hates Thanksgiving. He hates it because it’s a day for family — and his family was never really there; actually, they were even further away than usual. They care for other things, not for their child; he was an accessory.
He carries this burden in his adult life. The way we grow up shapes who we are today — and it’s no different for Chandler. He feels neglected; like he isn’t enough; he’s pessimistic about the world because the world has shown him nothing else but its bad side; he’s sad — he may hide it, or may not even understand it, but it is the case.
Statistical analysis & data reconfiguration.
Unlike Phoebe, who find her escape into positivism through art, Chandler may have even lost that drive. He pushed himself into a dead-end job, one without any release, one that actually puts a bigger mental weight on his life than many things before.
For a long time, it was only the group that probably kept Chandler relatively happy. Which brings us to another conclusion — although he may not show it, again because of his upbringing, Chandler is probably extremely grateful for the Central Perk gang. They are his escape; his gateway to happiness and a daily smile.
But there is a light.
Because eventually, Chandler faces his past; he reconnects with his parents and moves forward from the scars they left on him. He moves away from the dead-end job and find a career in something that truly makes him happy.
And of course, Monica. Monica is what really saves Chandler Bing. The man was always afraid of commitment — because he was always afraid the woman on the other end was going to leave him, hurt him, like his parents did. But Monica didn’t.
You make me happier than I ever thought I could be.
— is what Chandler says to Monica when they get engaged. Love plays a huge role in Friends and that’s most evident here. She is his true salvation; not escape — salvation. Because Monica is the real key to Chandler’s path of moving forwards, of accepting himself, of truly loving himself and fighting away the demons of the past.
Chandler Bing —
A sad man; one tortured by the his past, by his parents, by the neglect they enforced on him; a man who finds escape through his friends; a man who needs that escape because life is grey. And at the end of the day, a man who grows by finding love. Maybe all along, the data that had to be reconfigured — was Chandler himself.
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— Pouty Boy