Irresponsible Parenting

[VeloZer0]

This is certainly true from a modern societies prospective, however historically there have been many cultures that were not as protective with their children. (Heck even when I was younger things were noticeably different.)

Also I find 4 years old a little hard to believe based on how she acts.

[Ayen]

Then how do we determine what kind of society Gaia is based off of and why is this argument only ever brought up when someone points out a flaw in something laid out in front of them?

And the Final Fantasy Wiki confirms that Marlene was only four years old during the events of Final Fantasy VII.

[VeloZer0]

I only point it out because the uber-protective state we consider normal is indicative of a modern set of western values. In Sector 7 we see a world which I would judge to be more historical (industrial revolution level), and slum conditions which echo more the developing world than the developed world. Hence it seems a little off to me that we judge them by the standards we have for the modern western world when the closest real world analogues seem to be completely different.

The official sources can say whatever they want about Marlene's age, I go by how she acts. Even if she is 4 she is an extreme outlier for the age, and hence can not be treated as a regular 4 year old.

[Ayen]

Fair enough on both counts. I judge with such a mindset because it's inbred into me at a young age and how I view the rest of the world is affected by it, and I know I am not alone on that front. It was only recently I started to learn and acknowledge other culture and they're differences to our own that tends to influence their own original works. That is why I make threads like these. To promote discussion and see if there are things I'm not considering because of preset notions imprinted in my mind.

JRPGs seems to have a habit of making people act older than they are. That much can be seen in how the 30+ year old Barrett acts like an old, broken down warhorse (from what I can remember) when he should be a man in his prime.

[VeloZer0]

I wouldn't even say that the age thing is a JRPG thing exclusively, it is extremely common in Anime as well. And it drives me nuts.

[Jiro]

Then how do we determine what kind of society Gaia is based off of and why is this argument only ever brought up when someone points out a flaw in something laid out in front of them?

We determine it by examining as much of the evidence in the game as possible. It only comes up when people don't treat it as an obvious point; there's no point reiterating something which should be already accepted.

I can imagine there are places in the Middle East and Africa where there is constant fighting where young children are left alone while the parents fight for their freedom and safety. I can also imagine there are grandparents or someone who looks after groups of children, and the absence of this figure in Midgar is disappointing. Marlene could have had a guardian; it was lazy design to leave her on her own. But it has nowhere near the severity as it would if this took place in your town. There is a reason that both Tifa and Barret have to go and if they do not and the planet dies then good job on protecting your kid.

PS I find it funny that Tifa is prioritised as the bad parent when she's Barret's adopted kid, not hers (until AC in a sense).

[Ayen]

Tifa comes across as an acting mother in this to the point when I first played the game I thought she was Marlene's mother. I figured Barrett was implied in my original post since he's just sort of 'there' when all of this is going on and Tifa's placement of Marlene and sending Aerith after her is what gets Aerith abducted by Shinra.

[Mercen-X]

It does depend on the culture and the severity of a situation. My dad was working and my mom was asleep when I (six) and my brother (four) burned the apartment down. It's so easy for a child to do something profoundly stupid especially if the parents don't pay attention to the warning signs (my brother and I already had a habit of setting things on fire). Our family was not particularly close with many of our neighbors. I only know of one who risked his life to run into the smokey haze to try to find my brother before the heat got to him.

It's possible Marlene has been taught better and is more responsible. It's possible that the locals would stop at nothing to save her if some accident occurred. It's possible. But it's not an excuse. I don't know how kids are raised in American slums. I'm not even sure where they are. The closest I've ever been to living in a slum were rundown apartment complexes swarming with insects and heavy drinkers on the "wrong" side of town. It may not be my place to choose whether to condone leaving a four-year-old home alone... I just don't. No exceptions.

[black orb]

Right, so, before you and the gang go off to destroy the Mako Reactor in Sector 5 Tifa leaves Marlene alone to take care of the bar..

>>> Thats not good but there are way worse places in Midgar for a helpless lil girl ..

[Ayen]

Speaking of Johnny... I just replayed this part of the game today and when you talk with Johnny, he leaves town.

[Jiro]

Yeah, I noted that earlier. It dampens the idea that Johnny would help in that situation, but he certainly could have earlier, and such a nice guy probably has parents who are willing to help. They are, after all, a little melancholy about losing their kid.

given that Johnny was leaving town

[MissH]

A lot of parents end up kicking the bucket in this game. It's hard to be a responsible parent when there is something even more important than your own child at stake. Barret sums it up best when he's talking to Elmyra at her house pre-HQ assault.

Seriously?

They leave an eight year old in charge of a bar in a bad neighborhood. I don't see how this is acceptable in any setting.

I'm with you ToriJ, Tifa could have at least left Marlene with Grandparents or a responsible neighbour :-p

[Sephex]

I wonder if Marlene has a total misunderstanding of how law works and thinks she can pass a bar exam because of her upbringing.

[Colonel Angus]

Why is this on Tifa? Isn't Barret her guardian?

[Pumpkin]

I think Tifa was great with Marlene