Light My Candle Question

Posted: 12/11/05 at 10:22am

Ok, I know that everyone is sick of these Rent threads, but I have one question. During Light My Candle when Roger takes Mimi's stash, does he take it because he wants her to give up the habit (my thought) or because he wants it for himself (not my thought). Thank you!
Also, is Rent always spelled all in capitals, or not?

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 12/11/05 at 10:24am

"Why don't you forget that stuff? You look like you're sixteen."
"I'm old for my age, I was born to be bad."
"I once was born to be bad. I used to shiver like that."
"I have no heat, I told you."
"I used to sweat."
"I've got a cold."
"I used to be a junkie..."

Doesn't have to be spelled in capitals, but it often is.

Posted: 12/11/05 at 10:27am

Yeah, I know the lyrics, but I never really understood that part. I always thought that he wanted her to kick the habit, so he took it so that she wouldn't use it.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 12/11/05 at 10:29am

Right.

And you get that *from* those lyrics. He's not looking to use the stuff again.

[YankeesFan175]

Posted: 12/11/05 at 10:35am

oh,i always thought he took it b/c he was gonna use again. guess not though!

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 12/11/05 at 10:36am

It ruined his life! And in the movie, he gets mad at Mimi when he catches her using it. Why would he use it himself?

[greenegirl87]

Posted: 12/11/05 at 10:36am

In the movie, you can also tell in the scenes from Without You where Roger gets really frustrated seeing Mimi trying to buy/use the stuff.

[YankeesFan175]

Posted: 12/11/05 at 10:40am

good point em. i dont know, it was a small moment in the show, that was always my first impression. it just seemed the way he sounded so nervous when he said "its a candy bar wrapper" and hid it in his back pocket. it just made it look like he was keeping it for himself.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 12/11/05 at 10:50am

I think *she* makes him nervous.

[YankeesFan175]

Posted: 12/11/05 at 10:53am

haha, thats a huge possibility.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 12/11/05 at 10:54am

She's practically throwing herself at him. I think he just doesn't know what to do.

[YankeesFan175]

Posted: 12/11/05 at 11:17am

thats true. id be a bit scared, as well.

i guess i just never thought he was hiding it from her so she will quit b/c he just met her about 3 minutes beforehand.

[Rebecca]

Posted: 12/11/05 at 11:58am

I get confused in the movie when Mimi waves the stuff in front of him at the end of "Out Tonight" like she knows he wants it or whatever. But then he gets really pissed off so maybe he does hate it.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 12/11/05 at 12:03pm

She's teasing him. Like "see, I got it back from you anyway!"

[guitargeek0624]

Posted: 12/11/05 at 12:06pm

I always thought that he just wanted her to stay longer to keep looking for it. He was somewhat pushing her away, but I think part of him wanted her to stay, too.

[JLSatUD]

Posted: 12/11/05 at 12:07pm

I was glad that the movie soundtrack has him sounding nervous with the candy bar line. I had the OBC recording memorized for months before I actually got to see the show and I didn't get it.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 12/11/05 at 12:07pm

"I mean you do have a nice -- uh *squeak* -- I mean..."

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 12/11/05 at 12:07pm

Considering he made it through heroin withdrawal (according to my psychopharmacology professor, it's the worst physical withdrawal of any drug), I can't imagine him wanting to go back on the stuff, especially after it f*cked up his life so much.

And the way he attacks the drug dealer later on, and then Mimi when she goes to buy it again, he's definitely more concerned about Mimi. He said she reminds him of April, so maybe he's trying to protect Mimi to make up for not protecting April.

Updated On: 12/11/05 at 12:07 PM

[Billboard Girl]

Posted: 12/11/05 at 12:26pm

I see it as a combination of him wanting to prevent her from going down the same path he went down and the way guitargeek interpreted it. I love how pretty much everything going on in that scene works on multiple levels - there are the fluffy awkward flirting moments, but at the same time one of the major conflicts in the Roger/Mimi relationship is established.

[Barnaby12345]

Posted: 12/11/05 at 1:08pm

I don't think I'd mind Rosario throwing herself at me :)

[rose&lark]

Posted: 12/11/05 at 1:16pm

I think, orangeskittles, what you said about the "reminding him of April" works, especially in the show, more so than the movie. I mean, Mark even says that Roger found the note from April, after she had already killed herself (at least that's my interpretation). So Roger probably blames himself for not being there for her, hence all of his protectiveness over Mimi with the drug dealer.

Also, Emcee is right, Roger is really nervous and awkward. This is the first girl in his life since his tragic relationship with April. Does he really want to start this again? Heck, I wouldn't feel all that comfortable if a person with Mimi-like traits started coming on to me, especially if I had an experience like Roger had with April!

[Mini_Mimi17]

Posted: 12/11/05 at 2:14pm

I personally think he takes it because me wants Mimi to stay with him and look for it, but she found it in his pocket.

[DancNdaMoonlite]

Posted: 12/11/05 at 11:40pm

"In the movie, you can also tell in the scenes from Without You where Roger gets really frustrated seeing Mimi trying to buy/use the stuff."

That scene breaks my heart every single time. It's one of my favorites.

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 12/12/05 at 1:59am

Thanks to the movie I now understand the "candy bar" wrapper thing. I wasnt sure if he was making a joke about her being a Junkie (ie Junk Food) but i guess it makes sense now.

[DancNdaMoonlite]

Posted: 12/12/05 at 2:02am

For the 1st few times I listened to it, I thought that it actually was a candy bar wrapper. lol