Gemma

Pisano 1

Assignment One
HBOs The Leftovers: Pilot

These observations take place during 3 separate episodes in a season. This
show takes place in the fictional town of Mapleton, New York. On October 14, 2% of
the worlds population disappeared (about 140 million people). The show takes
place 3 years later and follows many characters as they try to return to normal lives
again. This may not be an easy task because of the Guilty Remnant. The GR is a cult
of about 200 people that live in Mapleton. Their main goal is to remind people of the
departure. I really liked the first episode because it answered all the right questions
and left me asking some too. This show did seem confusing at first but from episode
one, I was sucked in.

Figured World
A figured world is a social group that has specific ways of communicating. Within
this figured world there are certain appropriate behaviors, defined by the
community.
In The Leftovers, there are many unspoken rules within the community. The
Departure affected every single person in the world, whether or not they lost
someone, they were still affected. In Mapleton, it is known to not bring up
the Departure around certain people. Each person in Mapleton has the same
goal, to forget about the Departure and move on. Appropriate behavior in
Mapleton is basically staying sane. If anyone shows that they are unstable, or
suicidal, they are sent to a mental hospital immediately. This is not only a
rule for citizens but everyone, including law enforcement and town officials.
All everyone wants to do is live a normal life again so certain unspoken rules
are set throughout the town.
It is also a social norm to shun the Guilty Remnant. The Guilty Remnant is a
cult filled with people wearing all-white who dont talk. Their main goal is to
remind people of who they lost due to the Departure. This being the exact
reason that the entire town hates them. If you are seen being nice to a GR,
you, also, will be frowned upon.
A very common action from the townspeople is trying to justify why the
devastation happened. Some lean toward science, other lead toward religion.
Some try to dispute religion, proving that most of the departed were not
perfect people. Whether you think it was God or nobody at all, the Departure
happened, and there might not be justification for it at all.


Actors
Actors are the people who make up the community. Each person has a specific role
and contributes a significant quality to the group.
Kevin Garvey: Chief of Mapleton police, Kevin is often looked at as the hero
in this show. He is the main character and has a wife, daughter and son. He
never lost any of them to the departure, yet he is often alone in the show. His

Gemma Pisano 9/20/14 4:42 PM

Comment [1]: In the figured world
section, you mention every character was
affected.In what ways were the
characters affected? You might want to
include how this group of people
disappeared if that is information that you
know. It might help the reader better
understand what the Departure was and
why it happened. You mentioned that the
appropriate behavior in the show if to stay
sane; what factors are influencing the
sanity of the characters, and how do they
manage to stay sane? (Cassidy
Wuesthoff)

Gemma Pisano 9/20/14 4:50 PM
Comment [2]: In the actors section you
did a good job with explaining who each
character is. I suggest with Kevin Garvey,
the main character, just explain him a little
bit more. Tell us why he is looked up to as
a hero and more about his family
problems. We should know as much as
possible with the main character to better
understand the show itself. Also with
Meghan Abbott why is she so unhappy?
How can the GR help her out of her
depression? - Maddie Riley

Gemma Pisano 9/20/14 4:44 PM
Comment [3]: Are there only three main
characters in the show? (I've never seen it
before) If so you might want to consider
how the three main characters are related
in someway or how they interact with each
other. I like how overall your character
description were in depth, it helped me
better understand each character's
personal situation regarding how they
were affected by the departure. You might
want to mention more about the hero of
your show, Kevin Garvey, and WHY he is
seen to be the hero. (Cassidy Wuesthoff)

Gemma Pisano 9/20/14 4:47 PM
Comment [4]: When explaining Kevin
Garvey in the actors section, I would
explain a little more on why he is viewed
as the hero of the show. Why has he
usually alone? Has he befriended anyone
who is going through the same situation as
he is? (i.e. his wife leaving and son
running away) As a reader, I would like to
hear more about why he isnt with his
daughter either, since it seems she is still
there with him. - Bailey Dukeman

Gemma Pisano 2

wife converted to the Guilty Remnant shortly after the departure, his son ran
away and his daughter is acting out in high school.
Matt Jamison: Matt used to be a pastor but now he preaches an entirely
different message. He goes around Mapleton and informs people that there
is no way the departure was a religious epidemic because some of the
departed did evil things. He himself is ultimately facing the fact that he was
not chosen in the sudden departure.
Meghan Abbott: Meghan is a middle age woman who seemed to be happily
engaged but it turns out that she is not as happy as she seems. She reaches
such a level of depression that she seeks help from the Guilty Remnant. She
showed up on the doorstep of the GR and they gladly let her stay. The show
follows her as she goes through a training process before she earns her white
clothing and pad of paper.

Artifacts
A tangible object that serves a specific purpose within a community. Often an object
or emotions of great significance.
Blue: This color signifies hope and honor for the departed. Blue flags are
often seen blowing outside of peoples homes, as well as blue ribbons on
street lamps. This color is not a negative reminder of the departed but a
happy reminder that they are still with their loved ones in spirit.
Notepad and Pen: This is the only way that the GR can communicate with
not only each others but the townspeople as well. These signify the only
bridge between the regular people.
White Clothing: The color of choice for the GR, this color clothing is not
something you would want to be seen wearing. This is what makes finding
the GR so easy, and also what makes them such easy targets.

Communities of Practice
Groups of people that have the same goal or interest. These groups also share the
same literary practices and practices within their community.
The Townspeople: Almost everyone within Mapleton has lost someone
from the Departure, and because of this, they are all bonded. They each know
exactly how the other is feeling so there is no miscommunication. They
continue to live their lives just as they did before the Departure, yet they
know it will never fully be the same.
The Guilty Remnant: A cult of townspeople that have given up on hope for
things to get better. They dress in all-white and made a vow never to speak.
They are loathed by almost everyone in Mapleton. The GR are often subject
to drive-by stonings because people who see them just want them to go
away. Just their presence alone has the ability to anger the entire town. They
are not a violent group and they never retaliate. In fact, they like when people
hurt them because its the exact reaction they are looking for. When people
react it shows that they remember and they care about the departed. Most, if

Gemma Pisano 9/20/14 4:45 PM

Comment [5]: In the Communities of
practice section I like how you compare
the townspeople and the guilty remnant.
Why do the townspeople dislike the guilty
remnant so much? Is it because they have
given up hope that things will get better?
How do the townspeople think things will
get better? Do the townspeople blame the
guilty remnant for the departure? I really
like how you added the part about the
guilty remnant liking when the
townspeople show emotion toward them,
and how it shows that they haven't
forgotten. (Cassidy Wuesthoff)

Gemma Pisano 9/20/14 4:46 PM
Comment [6]: When you write about the
Guilty Remnant under the figured world
tab, what do you mean that if someone is
nice to one of them, they will be frowned
upon? Do the other townspeople not talk
to them or completely shun them out
altogether? You could elaborate on this a
little so that the reader will get the full
effect on how bad this Guilty Remnant
allegedly is. - Bailey Dukeman

Gemma Pisano 9/20/14 4:48 PM
Comment [7]: In the communities of
practice section, I really liked how you
explained both the townspeople and the
guilty remnant. As I read, I was inspired to
start watching the show because you
made it sound really interesting. The
explanation of the Guilty Remnant was
very well-written and it gave me a great
sense of how and why they are hated by
everyone that is not a part of their group. Bailey Dukeman

Gemma Pisano 3

not all, the member of the GR have given up on life and they do not care what
happens to them.

Domain
Domain is shared goals or interests toward a particular community of practice. It is
the main focus of a group and is highly valued. It is focused on more as an entire
group, not just by one actor.
Normal Life: Striving for a normal life is the main goal for people of
Mapleton. They want things to back to how they were before the Departure,
but they also know that can never happen. With no end to the GR in sight, it
seems as though they will never be able to live a life without reminders of
their departed loved ones.

Practices of the Community
Practices within a community are somewhat of a common ground. It can also be, an
agreed upon way to reach a goal or help each other in a certain way. These may not
be always spoken to each other but they are commonly known without being told.
Live a Normal Life After the Sudden Departure: A common practice within
the town of Mapleton is living a normal life again. So many people were
affected by the Sudden Departure that it seems as though their lives will
never be the same. The townspeople practice not bringing up the departed
because all they want to do is forget and move on.
Remind Everybody about the Departure: This is a practice within the
Guilty Remnant. Though they do not speak, they fulfill this practice in various
ways. Whether it be by holding signs or posting pictures of departed all
around the town. While the entire town is trying to forget, the GR refuse to
let them.
Literary Practices
Literary Practices are ways that people within a certain community communicate.
This can be both verbal and/or nonverbal. Some communities practice specific
literary practices that other communities may not practice.
Notepad and Pen: The Guilty Remnant does not speak at all, so, in order to
communicate with others, they rely on a pen and pad. The fact that they do
not speak frustrates the townspeople and gives them an even stronger hate
toward the GR.
Speech at Parade: The speech given by the Mayor at the Parade was no easy
feet. When addressing such a sensitive topic it is hard to say what you need
to say without offending anybody. She did a great job by honoring heroes
and not dwelling and mourning the departed.

Observation One (Episode 1, Season 1):
1:00mins: A black screen appears with the words October 14 written. A sound of a
baby crying is overheard as a woman (the babys mother) is at a laundry mat while
talking on the phone. As she does her laundry and talks on the phone, the baby
continues to cry. She finishes her laundry and walks to the car and puts the baby

Gemma Pisano 9/20/14 4:51 PM

Comment [8]: In the domain you explain
the common goal of the town, but is that
the same goal as the GR? Since they are
the ones that keep reminding everyone
about the departure do they also want to
reach a normal life again? It may help the
reader understand the GR better and their
purpose if you mention their common goal
of forming the group. - Maddie Riley

Gemma Pisano 9/20/14 4:51 PM
Comment [9]: In the practices of the
communities you did a very good job
explaining the goal of each community and
how they try to reach it. It shows how
different the two groups are affected after
the departure and how they lash out. It
really helps explain the purpose of the GR
and how they dont want to forget what
happened and they wont let anyone else
move on. Reading the difference helped
me understand the conflict that may ... [1]
Gemma Pisano 9/20/14 4:52 PM
Comment [10]: In the literacy practices
why dont the GR speak? It will help the
reader understand the GR better if they
knew why they dont speak, is it just a
agrees rule and what would happen if they
do speak? Also maybe add in another way
the townspeople communicate with each
other. They speech is a good add, it helps
... [2]
Gemma Pisano 9/20/14 4:45 PM
Comment [11]: I really like how detailed
your observations are. It makes it a lot
easier for the reader to understand what is
going and be able to relate each character
to one another. I like how we get to see
both points of view (the townspeople and
the guilty remnant). This really made me
think about which group of people I ... [3]
Gemma Pisano 9/20/14 4:49 PM
Comment [12]: In the first observation, I
liked how you explained what was going
on because I got a feel for the show. I was
already interested before, but now that I
know the first 30 minutes of the first
episode, I want to watch it more. I would
only suggest writing a little more emotion
into it; for example, explain the emotions
... [4]
Gemma Pisano 9/20/14 4:53 PM
Comment [13]: In the observation
section it will help the reader understand
the story better if the time periods were
closer together. Add more detail on what
happened in the episode. The reader
should be able to picture what is
happening in the figured world step by
step. Explain the little details that
... [5]

Gemma Pisano 4

into its car seat (the baby still crying). She then gets into the drivers seat, starts the
car and realizes that the crying has stopped. When she looks back at the baby, it is
gone. Moments of frantic follow; she gets out of the car and screams for her child.
All awhile, a little boy is screaming for his father, cars are being crashed and
multiple police sirens are heard.
3:00mins: A screen flashes the words Three years later. Blue ribbons are posted
all along streetlights and pictures of people in black in white are on the sides of
buildings. A man is heard on the radio explaining that today is Heros Day, the day
of remembrance for all the souls lost in the departure. A parade will be held in
town.
16:00mins: Chief of police, Kevin, is seen walking into a police meeting with the
mayor; they are discussing the agenda for the parade. Kevin states to the mayor
that he feels that this parade will invite the Guilty Remnant to come and upset all the
people in the town. The mayor refuses to cancel the parade and Kevin storms out of
the room.
24:00mins: A group of people (Guilty Remnant) dressed in all white is gathered in a
circle inside of a house. They do not talk but pass notes to each other that say
ready?. They are then all seen filing into cars.
32:00mins: The parade has started. The whole town seems to be participating and
most are dressed in blue. People are seen holding signs saying, Where did they go?
and They will never be forgotten. Screen cuts to many people standing in front of
a stage waiting for the presenter to make a speech. Matt Jamison is seen in the
crowd screaming about certain people that were departed and how they were
murders, or rapists and that there is no way that they were chosen by God. The
mayor then gets on stage and gives a speech honoring those who have departed. A
statue honoring the departed is unveiled and soft clapping ensues. The clapping
slowly turns to anger when the Guilty Remnant are seen walking toward the crowd
holding signs. They lift up the signs to create one message: Stop wasting your
breath!. The angry crowd rushes toward the GR and begins pushing and punching
each of them. Kevin and police try to stop the townspeople from attacking the GR
but their emotions have taken over. The GR does not fight back but continue to be
beaten.

Observation Two (Episode 2, Season 1):
10:00mins: Kevin Garvey in sitting in a chair talking to a therapist. The therapist
asks Kevin about his wife, Laurie, and he automatically gets defensive. The therapist
then tries to talk more about how he feels about his wife but Kevin gets upset, yells
profanities, and leaves the room.
13:00mins: Jill Garvey and her friend are seen walking around town. A woman in all
white (GR member) is pasting pictures of an unknown person onto a wall in town. A
car drives up to her, yells hey looney, and throws what seems to be red paint all
over her. Jill and her friend see this, but dont stop. As they continue walking they
are then stopped by Matt Jamison, who is handing out flyers with a picture of an
unknown man. Underneath the picture it says This man abandoned his family.
21:00mins: Kevin Garvey and another police officer arrive at the Guilty Remnants
house. A woman in all-white answers the door, giving both of them a stern look of

Gemma Pisano 9/20/14 4:46 PM

Comment [14]: In observation 2,
10:00mins, you mention how Kevin
Garvey gets defensive about his family
problems when talking to the therapist. Did
he contribute to his family problems in
some way that he now feels guilty about?
What is the therapists reaction to Kevin
Garvey getting up and leaving during the
middle of their session? (Cassidy
Wuesthoff)

Gemma Pisano 5

disapproval. Kevin states that they have come to notify a person in the house that a
missing persons report was filed on them. She hesitantly lets them in without
speaking one word. They enter and Kevin sees a woman sitting at a table, dressed in
normal, colored clothing. She immediately catches his eye and he sits down across
from her. He asks her what her name is and she replies, Meghan Abbot. He then
asks Are you here on your own free will, Ms. Abbot?. She says yes. He also asks,
Do you need my help? She takes a few seconds to reply then finally says no. Kevin
stands up to leave, but before he does he hands Meghan a business card with his
name on it. He tells her that if she ever needs someone to talk to that he is always
willing to listen. The scene ends with Meghan putting the card into her pocket and
getting bad stares from fellow GRs dressed in white.
32:00mins: A man bursts into Kevins office demanding information about his
fianc. After the man calms down Kevin informs him that she has been recruited
by the GR. He tells the man that right now she is in the Pledge House which is a
sort of orientation for people who want to be in the GR. The man gets quiet and
somber and says, Why would she choose to go there?. Kevin informs him that the
GR often target people who are not happy with their current lives. The man starts to
cry and leaves the room.

Observation Three (Episode 4, Season 1)
Note: This episode takes place during Christmas time.
5:00mins: Kevin is in his office, sitting at his desk. Adjacent to him is a woman
dressed in all-white (assumed to be a main leader of the GR). Kevin states to the
woman that he would like it if the GR did not interrupt the Christmas festivities. He
does not want a repeat of the Heros Day Parade (Episode 1). He says that this is
one time of the year that people can relax and spend time with their families. The
woman begins writing on a pad of paper and then turns it toward Kevin. It says,
There is no family. Confused, Kevin asks her what that means. The woman grins
lightly then stands up and leaves the room.
15:00mins: Kevin and the Mayor are seen talking to a group of police officers telling
them that they are to arrest any GR that do not follow police orders. A few officers
roll their eyes and make rude comments about the GR.
25:00mins: A Christmas gathering is taking place in the gym at a local high school.
Most of the town is attending to dance, drink and be merry with each other.
Everyone seems to be having a great time and all is going smoothly until Kevin gets
a call on his radio that the GR are outside the school. He storms outside and sees
about 30 members of the GR all lined up outside of the school. Every member of the
police force aggressively arrests the members of the GR, none of them retaliate. The
main leader of the GR smiles at Kevin mischievously. This makes Kevin say Where
are the rest of your people? Scene cuts to members of the GR breaking into peoples
homes and stealing pictures of their family that they have around their house. None
of them get caught.

Gemma Pisano 9/20/14 4:49 PM

Comment [15]: On the third observation,
you skip from episode 2 in season 1 to
episode 4. I would add some relevant
background just before the third
observation because the reader may not
understand the activities that went on
between the episodes that led up to what
was currently going on in the last episode
you observed. It is not so much needed
between the first two observations, but
maybe a little note could be useful
between those. - Bailey Dukeman

Gemma Pisano 6

Interview with Kevin Garvey

Q: Reflect, in detail, about the day of Rapture.
A: I was on the job, just patrolling through the neighborhoods. I remember thinking
how beautiful that day was, it was unusually peaceful. Unfortunately, that moment
was followed by complete chaos. My radio would not stop. I was getting calls from
police all over town trying to get my help calming people down. As I drove toward
the middle of town, there were cars crashed into each other, children screaming for
their parents and parents screaming for their children. It was hard to watch. I tried
my hardest to get people to calm down, but the truth was, I didnt even know what
was going on.

Q: What do YOU think the reasoning behind the Departure is?
A: I think its just a freak occurrence. No God would ever put his people through this
much pain and suffering. At the same time, I dont think it was science either.
Frankly, I dont know why the hell this happened, but I wish I did know.

Q: Tell me your reaction when you realized your wife and 2 children were still
safe.
A: I gave the biggest sigh of relief possible. But I dont think they really were safe.
Not anymore. This event has changed all of our lives. My wife joined a cult that lives
to make people sorrowful. My son left for San Francisco right after the event
happened and I havent heard from him since. And my daughter has to go through
her teenage years living with all of this. So, yes, my family was safe, but they will
never be the same.

Q: What are your feelings toward the Guilty Remnant?
A:I hate them. I hate what they do. They see all these people around them suffering,
yet they still continue to remind them of what they lost. Its sick. I hope every single
day that my wife will come back and realize how evil the people she lives with are.
They may not speak, but they prove that actions speak way louder than words.

Q: How do you see the rest of your life playing out?
A: Exactly how it has been. I dont see things getting better, I dont see people
forgetting. This event changed the entire world forever, I think its time that people
just learn to accept that its not going to get better.