Why Pam Beesley Is My Hero

To those of you who are not watchers of The Office (US), this may be a wholly uninteresting post. Just letting you know.

Since I've been home I've gotten to catch up on all the episodes of The Office that I missed while I was in school. Watching the last few episodes of the season has reinforced my hero worship of our favorite curly-haired receptionist.

I've always identified with Pam, as I think a lot of women do. She just reminds me a lot of, well, me, and who I aspire to become. I can identify with her rather meek nature, her easygoing humor, her giggliness with Jim and her relative quietness. She's smart and likable, but dresses down and seems to have no drive or ambition to be something other than a receptionist. She is so much more accessible to me than other women on TV, like the motor-mouth females on Gilmore Girls, the harpy wives on other sitcoms, or the sex-obsessed interns on Grey's. I feel like I get her, and even when I find myself shaking my head at her actions sometimes (who could turn down Jim?!), I shake my head because I know exactly why she does what she does and I know that I would do it, too.

Well, this season has been all about growth for Pam. She is single for the first time since (I assume) high school. She's called off her wedding because she knew it wasn't right for her, and she's working in the office without Jim. She's pursuing her hobby of drawing, and even shows off some of her work at a local art exhibit.

"I am going to just tell people what I want now," she tells the camera. When a bartender gives her regular beer instead of lite beer, she hesitates, almost walks away, but then changes her mind and asks for her lite. It seems like a small, insignificant thing, something that people do all the time, but I can understand how that's a big and somewhat scary step. Wow, that sounds kind of pathetic, and I guess in a way it is. But I can identify with that, and it's something that I try to work on in my own life.

Pam has also made differences in her relationship with others. She gives Roy another chance, but lays out clear groundrules, tells the truth about her relationship with Jim, and breaks it off when she sees his violent response. She doesn't procrastinate, or cower, she acts immediately and decisively. And she finally says something to Jim, in front of everyone, no less. She doesn't beat around the bush, or change what she says to lessen his (and her) discomfort.

Pam's Speech to Jim

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And in the next episode she apologizes to Karen, but only for making her uncomfortable. She doesn't regret what she says.

You go, Pam.