>> I always pictured Hulk as a really big, frightened and angry toddler age child. <<
Yes, that's how I have tended to interpret Hulk, across many iterations of canon. One thing I've noticed is that he's more often driven by fear and frustration than by anger, despite the verbal descriptions. If you look at the action triggers and the body language, it's there. Mark Ruffalo really plays that up in The Avengers. The only version I've seen that really exudes simmering rage is Edward Norton. The speech patterns in particular, across canon, are distinctly toddler-age.
>> I like that Coulson uses activities appropriate for that age group to help Hulk but is ware enough of Bruce-and-Hulk to know at behind Hulk's rage is Bruce's intellect and education and so doesn't treat them like a child. <<
Coulson uses his handler skills to assess what will help each asset. Bruce-and-Hulk are challenging because they are so layered. Both of them have some emotional "stuck" points at toddler age due to child abuse. For Hulk that's compounded by having very little front time; almost all his experience is either filtered through Bruce, about fighting, or both. Their education was disrupted by childhood issues, but they've got a genius brain, so they managed to compensate for that somewhat. In their own areas of expertise, they're brilliant -- but Hulk's are split again, because his physical skills are well developed but he's been shortchanged on the socialization that would allow him to capitalize on his emotional genius.
Coulson helps by starting where they seem to be, and encouraging them to move forward. You can see that Hulk quickly catches on -- faster than a chronological toddler would -- because he's older and smarter. Once given decent resources, Hulk will make brisk progress. But he has a simplicity and emotional responsiveness that make me suspect he'll be the kind of adult who never outgrows books and movies intended for children.
This is, in my observation, the best approach to dealing with people whose development is spread over a wide range. You work with where they are in each area, provide opportunities for growth, but don't push so hard that it makes them uncomfortable. It's okay to be farther along in some areas than others.
Come to think of it, the first lessons must have ranged from pre-game night through "Love Is for Children," because Coulson mentioned how Hulk used to have a tendency to run off after a fight, and then he stopped doing that. "Don't run off and get lost" is one of the first rules a child needs to learn, as soon as their feet hit the ground. But abused children don't get that; they learn "run and hide when people yell." Hulk was probably baffled at first when the response was "Thank goodness we found you; that scared us!" instead of guns and cages.
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dancing_serpent
Yes...
Date: 2014-02-13 08:11 pm (UTC)Yes, that's how I have tended to interpret Hulk, across many iterations of canon. One thing I've noticed is that he's more often driven by fear and frustration than by anger, despite the verbal descriptions. If you look at the action triggers and the body language, it's there. Mark Ruffalo really plays that up in The Avengers. The only version I've seen that really exudes simmering rage is Edward Norton. The speech patterns in particular, across canon, are distinctly toddler-age.
>> I like that Coulson uses activities appropriate for that age group to help Hulk but is ware enough of Bruce-and-Hulk to know at behind Hulk's rage is Bruce's intellect and education and so doesn't treat them like a child. <<
Coulson uses his handler skills to assess what will help each asset. Bruce-and-Hulk are challenging because they are so layered. Both of them have some emotional "stuck" points at toddler age due to child abuse. For Hulk that's compounded by having very little front time; almost all his experience is either filtered through Bruce, about fighting, or both. Their education was disrupted by childhood issues, but they've got a genius brain, so they managed to compensate for that somewhat. In their own areas of expertise, they're brilliant -- but Hulk's are split again, because his physical skills are well developed but he's been shortchanged on the socialization that would allow him to capitalize on his emotional genius.
Coulson helps by starting where they seem to be, and encouraging them to move forward. You can see that Hulk quickly catches on -- faster than a chronological toddler would -- because he's older and smarter. Once given decent resources, Hulk will make brisk progress. But he has a simplicity and emotional responsiveness that make me suspect he'll be the kind of adult who never outgrows books and movies intended for children.
This is, in my observation, the best approach to dealing with people whose development is spread over a wide range. You work with where they are in each area, provide opportunities for growth, but don't push so hard that it makes them uncomfortable. It's okay to be farther along in some areas than others.
Come to think of it, the first lessons must have ranged from pre-game night through "Love Is for Children," because Coulson mentioned how Hulk used to have a tendency to run off after a fight, and then he stopped doing that. "Don't run off and get lost" is one of the first rules a child needs to learn, as soon as their feet hit the ground. But abused children don't get that; they learn "run and hide when people yell." Hulk was probably baffled at first when the response was "Thank goodness we found you; that scared us!" instead of guns and cages.