During the initial airing of Traveling Salesmen, Pam was practically invisible with minimal scenes. However, in the extended scenes of the newpeat, she came alive with a rare sense of excitement and even touches of emotional honesty. It's apparent the Pam's journey towards emotional honesty has been going on continuously since BFV instead of in spurts. Obviously, the emotional rawness of BFV is still effecting Pam. This episode comes fresh off the heels of Pam's infamous crying scene, where she realizes just how important Jim is to her. The same reality hits her again when she wins her art contest. As excited as Pam was about her accomplishment, winning the contest became secondary to her need for a positive reaction from Jim.
Pam once again mirrors Jim's past behavior as she searches for validation in regards to her win in an art contest. While in Stamford, Jim searched for validation on a myriad of levels to attain a sense of belonging and confidence in his choice to transfer to Stamford. Pam's search for validation follows the same lines in that she searching for acceptance of her artistic abilities and reassurance that she's doing the right thing in following her dream. Pam needs Jim's validation. He has always been her biggest supporter in her artistic endeavors. In effect, he has always been her cheerleader. Despite the void that exists between them, she still needs him cheering her on from sidelines. Aside from being a confidence builder, Jim's validation also helps to forge a connection that is hanging on by a thread. His acceptance creates a sense of hope and a return to the "old days" that Pam is desperate to resurrect despite the impossibility of that desire.
The advent of the newpeat has created a unique situation where analysis is retroactive. The story has continued and emotional development along with it. Connecting the dots is no longer just about looking to episodes that aired before Traveling Salesmen. Instead, the behavior pattern connects to subsequent episodes. Pam's actions in The Return, Ben Franklin, and Business School now take on a new dimension as her new experiences in Traveling Salesmen shed light on her eager attitude towards Jim, "flirting," and her art show debacle. Amazingly, four small new scenes provided the missing link to Pam's behavior pattern.
Pam Wins an Art Contest:
Pam answers the phone with her usual drab face and vocal tone, "Dunder Mifflin, this is Pam." However, like a light switch her demeanor changes to one of sunshine and glee. A huge smile graces her face and her eyes begin to sparkle. Her cheeks even flush a little bit in response to her excitement. Pam later tells the camera in a talking head that she has won an art contest. Her excitement on the phone takes on new meaning as art is obviously her passion.
Pam starts her talking head much the same way she initially answered the phone. She says, "I did a watercolor of Frances Willard Elementary School for a contest they were having," very matter of fact and with little emotion until the end. A smile tries to sneak out, but she holds it back. She continues with "They were calling with the results," where her excitement is trying even harder to escape her restraint. Pam rarely lets out her emotions openly to the camera and she is trying to maintain that behavior pattern. In this instance, Pam is trying to be mature and dignified, but fails horribly as her excitement takes over, (which is beyond adorable!). She says "And I won." This is probably the first time she said it loud and it felt great. She nods feverishly and smiles brightly. Saying it out loud, made it more of a reality released all the excitement she tried to hold back. She can't help herself and repeats "I won!" exuding enthusiasm and pride.
Pam rides the feel good tide a little bit longer by reiterating again, "My painting won." The repetitive nature of Pam's news is an indicator that this may be the first time Pam has ever accomplished anything like this with her art. It is a big deal to her. Pam furthers this notion by going on to thank her mother for all of her encouragement and her father for buying her first set of art pencils. Of course, Pam doesn't forget to thank the 6th grade class that selected her artwork. For Pam, it's like she won an Oscar instead of a simple elementary school contest.
The thank you "speech" overlaps a beaming Pam at her computer as she pulls up an image of her watercolor on the internet, (the website descriptor on the screen indicates it's a watercolor, so it can be assumed it's hers). She loves showing the camera her work. Pam is proud of her herself and wants to show off a little bit. The camera gave her an opportunity to toot her horn without fearing judgment. Furthermore, the cameraman apparently showed an interest by focusing on Pam's artwork on the computer. Her reaction to the camera looked like she was asked to pull it up on the screen. She was more than happy to oblige and loved the attention. The wide smile on her face leaves no room for doubt that her confidence is through the roof as is her excitement and sense of accomplishment.
On another note, Pam was in rare form in front of the camera. This is the most emotionally forthright she's been since breaking down and crying during her talking head in Boys & Girls. However, it isn't sadness that overwhelms her, it's happiness, (which is quite refreshing). She just can't bottle it up. This small spurt of emotional honesty directly relates to her crying scene in Back From Vacation. She had a small epiphany of emotional honesty and it appears to be translating to all aspects of her life. Despite the roadblocks in Ben Franklin, Phyllis's Wedding, Business School, this emotional honesty is still within Pam. She just recently began exploring it again in Cocktails.
Telling Kevin:
Pam walks up to Kevin fresh off her confidence high, but loses a little bit of her nerve after "Hey, Kev." She breaks eye contact and takes a little breath before saying, "Guess what?" This is a combination of nerves from not knowing how to start and being a little uncomfortable. Pam has never really gone up to Kevin to start a conversation. Nonetheless, Pam is excited about her win and she wants to tell someone other than the camera. Pam's likely first impulse was to tell Jim or Phyllis (she was very supportive of Pam's art in Boys and Girls). The absence of the entire sales staff left Pam with very few options. Kevin was probably chosen because he was at the copy machine. She simply took advantage of his close proximity, rather than going to seek him out.
Pam proceeds to tell Kevin, " I won an art contest today." Pam's tone is noticeably different than her talking head. Despite her confidence, Pam is a little intimidated. As a result, her enthusiasm is scaled down. Pam isn't sure how Kevin is going to react considering she does know him very well. On top of that, Kevin is the first person she's told face to face, which opens her up to possible judgment. It's very FNB of Pam to take a chance like this into the unknown, but then again so is entering an art contest.
Kevin's response is less than enthusiastic. Instead of congratulating her, he asks in his usual monotone voice, "How much did you win?" Pam answers "a hundred dollars," still hoping Kevin will respond with more enthusiasm. She smiles while scrunching her shoulders and head together in hopeful anticipation that Kevin will offer some sort of congratulations. Unfortunately, Kevin does not live up to Pam's expectations as he downplays her victory by mentioning he won $400 on the Celtics game. Pam is noticeably disappointed but, but she plays along and warmly congratulates Kevin with a forced smile and a pair of still hopeful eyes. Kevin thanks her, but offers nothing else.
Pam doesn't say anything more, but waits for a return on her sentiment. She searches Kevin's face for any sign of acknowledgement for her accomplishment. She continues to stare him down to the point of wearing out her welcome. She is trying to prod a response out him with a non-verbal cue, "Hey, I congratulated you, now it's your turn to congratulate me." For Pam, this should be a fair trade off. However, underneath it all Pam is pleading with Kevin to be excited for her.
After what seems like an eternity, Pam grimaces a little when she starts to realize Kevin isn't going to give her the response she wants to hear, yet she still holds out with a trace of hope. Kevin simply says, "So sweet," in reference again to his own victory. This dashes Pam's hopes and she finally gives up. This is doubly devastating to Pam in that she lost on her gamble into the unknown and her accomplishment felt outweighed by Kevin's $400. Pam takes on a grin it and bare it mentality and pairs it with a matching face as she turns to walk back to her desk. She sits in her chair deflated and disappointed. Pam saw this scenario playing out differently in her head.
Pam needed Kevin to have a reaction similar to her excitement, in order verify her own sense of pride. When he didn't, it left her questioning herself. Deep down Pam knows that the contest is small apples, but she needs it to be big apples. It's bothersome and hurtful to her that Kevin doesn't "get" her or the importance of her artwork.
Telling Angela:
Pam doesn't let the Kevin debacle get her down for very long. Pam is still searching for validation and selects Angela as the next person to hear about the contest. Angela shared her "happy" news at the coffee shop so Pam feels like Angela would be more receptive to her own good news. After Kevin's less that stellar response, Pam is looking for someone that is can offer her a more pleasing response. Angela normally has a tough exterior, but Pam saw a soft spot earlier and is banking on that to play in her favor.
Encouraged by their earlier coffee bonding session, Pam calls out to her over the partition that divides their workspace. Pam tells her, "I got good news today, too. I won an art contest." Pam's tone this time around is much more confident than it was with Kevin. The soft spot aspect is definitely providing some comfort to Pam and therefore she has a little more courage. Angela actually responds kindly and with a smile, (who would've thought Angela could smile so wide!). She genuinely says, "That's great, Pam." Pam nods in acknowledgement. Angela's reaction is a little more encouraging, but Pam still wants more. S
he wants her excitement level to be matched or surpassed or her sense of accomplishment diminishes. A similar pattern occurred in Boys and Girls when Pam told Jim about the possibility of a graphic design internship. Pam was excited, but didn't let it take over her hope. Jan first planted the seed that Pam is capable of doing an internship, but Pam needed more than that. When Pam tells Jim, he was thrilled for her and it validated her dreams. Jim has the all-important ability to help Pam believe in herself. In contrast, Roy's lack of encouragement caused her bubble to burst and her confidence level sunk. Essentially, Pam is trying to get a "Jim" response out of Angela (and earlier from Kevin). She wants that same feeling of validation that Jim previously gave her on a regular basis. Pam needs a cheerleader. This is especially true at this stage of her emotional development and transformation into FNB. She is still pretty fragile at this point and needs encouragement.
Angela changes the subject without giving Pam any further validation. She tells Pam, "I like having these little moments with you." Pam accepts the compliment with a friendly face, but she is more disappointed that Angela will not be doling out any further congratulations or enthusiasm. Pam is once again faced with someone who just doesn't "get" her. The divide grows as Pam refuses Angela's gift of a kitten. The soft spot Pam saw earlier has reverted back to a harsh and unforgiving disposition. This leaves Pam somewhat alienated and isolated. Therefore she is still on the prowl for validation. This is the second time she's struck out. Kevin one-upped her accomplishment with his own and now Angela turned back into the ice queen.
On the up side, Angela's response helped Pam regain some of her confidence. Angela provided a solid congratulations that was genuine and even a tad enthused. This response is key in refueling Pam with the courage she needs to tell Jim. Not only that, Angela's tinge of validation was like a small drop of water to a very thirsty Pam. She is still searching for the well.
Telling Jim:
On his way out for coffee with Karen, Jim heads to the coat rack to drop off his messenger bag (my favorite Jim accessory besides that glowing smile), and grab his coat. In a very friendly manner he asks, "Beesly, coffee?" Pam responds in kind, "No thanks. I had some already." However, her words are hurried. Pam is anxious to tell Jim about her art contest. He's been out of the office all day and she just can't wait any longer. She wants to get past the coffee talk (Oooo! SNL flashback), and change the topic to her artwork. Jim turns to walk away with Karen, when Pam calls out to him, "But hey, Jim . . . " to redirect his attention towards her.
This moment is pivotal in that this is very FNB of Pam to call out to him when his attention is no longer focused on her. Old Pam would've waited for another time. FNB decides to take advantage of Jim's slight attention from a moment ago and remold it to her benefit. Her previous "failures" with Kevin and Angela have made her even more hungry for validation, which creates a surge of confidence and bravery. Pam's need for Jim's support even neutralizes the intimidation factor of Karen being present. Pam needs Jim right now and in her mind Karen has to be nonexistent in order to have Jim to herself for this moment.
Jim immediately responds and turns back around to face her. Pam smiles brighter than she did with Kevin or Angela as she tells Jim, "I won an art contest today." This is the third time she's used the same line, but this time Pam's voice is warmer as it exudes a sense of accomplishment. The tone of her statement signals she is doing more than just telling Jim about her contest. She is sharing it with him. With Kevin and Angela she was simply telling them about the contest. With Jim, she wants him to be part of it. As a result, Pam is much more confident than she was in her previous attempts, with the exception of her talking head. Even with heightened confidence, Pam is still nervous. Her hands are fidgeting slightly under the cover of her desk. Pam thinks Jim will "get" her and her achievement, but she's still unsure of how he will react.
Part of her fears the distance between them will score her another lackluster response, while the rest of her is expecting Jim to be the warmhearted and enthusiastic man she needs and loves. Pam's nerves are more than understandable, (she deserves a round of applause for not letting them get the best of her). She stands an equal chance of being crushed or validated. Jim's opinion is the one that matters that most to her, so a lot is riding on his response to her news. As a result, her voice also carries a small undertone that is pleading with him to be happy for her.
Jim comes through in a big way as his face becomes wildly animated with zeal in response to Pam's news. He exclaims "No way!" with a huge smile that shows he is genuinely happy for her. Finally, someone has matched her level of enthusiasm! Off camera, Pam responds with a drawn out, "yeah." It's hard to hear underneath Jim's jubilant "No way," but its significance cannot go unnoticed. She says it just as Jim's face lights up. She is relieved to know Jim "gets" it and how important this win is to her. Pam finally has the validation she's been searching for all day. It's a huge release for her which allows her to once again celebrate. Jim continues with "Alright Pam! Congratulations!" Pam is ecstatic with Jim's response and it shows when she wears a huge smile as Jim comes up to her and gives her one of his patented high fives.
This is more than just a congratulatory action for Pam. The high five is reminiscent of the "old days" that Pam is desperate to recapture. Jim gave Pam a high five in Office Olympics for her origami doves. Later, in Halloween Jim and Pam did an "air" high five after pulling a prank on Dwight. Jim's high five reminds her of the days when the void between them did not exist and she had him all to herself.
Pam lets out a small thanks, but it is still jovial and again full of relief. As if Jim's reaction wasn't enough, he takes it step further by asking Pam for more information. His curiosity is equally as important to Pam as his enthusiasm. Neither Kevin nor Angela asked Pam about her art or the contest. His curiosity adds to Pam's excitement and builds her up immensely. Jim's question also prompts the possibility that they've been talking about Pam's art endeavors. He asks, "Which one was it?" as if he knew about some of her current work and genuinely wanted to know what painting she was talking about. This episode does follow BFV where they had a very personal conversation about Jim's relationship with Karen.
The lines of communication may have been opened a little more than previously thought. Pam responds to Jim's question all too happily "I sent in one of my watercolors." She is once again confident and smiles throughout her answer. Jim's enthusiasm makes her proud of her work beyond an internal level, which causes her to talk about it in a much more confident and open manner. Jim continues his enthused interest by saying "Cool." Even thought the tone seems much more serious, it still conveys Jim's interest and focus on Pam. Pam is not lost on this and continues to keep his attention by telling him "It was a new one I did." Pam is again radiating with confidence in response to Jim's curiosity and interest. Jim again answers back with genuine appreciation of Pam's efforts with, "Oh, nice." He even looks like he wants to hear more, which undoubtedly means the world to Pam.
Pam's bubble bursts when Karen interrupts to ask, "You ready, Jim?" Pam expression resembles a number of emotions. On the surface, Pam doesn't want her time with Jim to end. Internally, Pam is thinking, "Please don't take him away from me, yet." Their brief exchange gave Pam a taste of the old days and she doesn't want to let it go so soon. Not only that, Jim is feeding Pam's innate need for validation. Everything she needed all day long is standing right in front of her. However, Karen's interjection is a reality check that Jim is not alone and she doesn't have him to herself. This creates a touch of jealousy that is hardly detectable, but nonetheless is present in Pam's face. She feels like Karen in invading her territory. The reality of the situation forces Pam to back down and accept the circumstances as they stand. Jim is with someone else and she can't keep him with her.
Pam is saddened that Jim has to go, but she gets another dose of validation as he heads out. Jim's combination of enthusiasm and curiosity brings her right back up again as he asks, "Can I see it when I get back?" Pam's smile returns as she says, "Yeah." She doesn't elaborate any further, because she knows she's lost his attention to Karen at this point. She is a little more closed off, but she knows she can't encourage any further conversation. She already stole his attention once before and knows she can't do it again.
Jim offers another congratulations and tacks on two words that Pam needed to hear, "Big deal." Jim is acknowledging what Pam felt since hearing the results of the contest. Jim treated like it was the Oscars and not just an insignificant contest. Having someone understand this is bigger than winning. The fact that he turned around once again to face her with a smile before leaving left a lasting impact on Pam as well. Jim obviously wanted to continue talking to her about it, but couldn't because of Karen's insistence to go for coffee. Pam is comforted and elated that Jim's interest was focused on her and he didn't want to leave. The Karen issue that divided them before disappeared for another brief moment.
The camera pans back to Pam as she sits at her desk overflowing with validation. On another level, she is wearing her feelings for Jim out on her sleeve. She is trying to hold back a big smile but is failing miserably. She glances quickly at the camera a little embarrassed. She knows the camera caught her "liking" Jim. However, it's not enough embarrassment to minimize how good she feels. She glances at the camera a second time for the same reasons, but this time a smile sneaks out as she looks back to her desk. She couples her wide smile with a giddy shoulder shrug that indicates just how happy she is on this inside. Pam not only got the validation she needed, but she also got a few moments of being closer to Jim. Now that's something to smile about!
Connecting the Dots:
This is just a quick look at how the extended scenes in Traveling Salesmen connect to Pam's behavior pattern in a few subsequent episodes.
The Return:
Pam's "look" in Jim's direction when Andy is annoying him with his ring tone, now has more meaning. Pam is including herself in his world and feeling his "pain." Pam feels a stronger connection to him.
The synergy and closeness of Jim and Pam during and after the prank makes more sense as well. It flowed well enough from BFV, but the added scene of Jim's reaction to Pam's art contest creates a deeper understanding of their interaction. There is a stronger connection that isn't so much being rebuilt as it is being strengthened.
In an interesting parallel, Jim "got" Pam in Traveling Salesmen the same way Pam "got" Jim in The Return. Both even mirror each other by going to two people before finally finding validation in each other. Jim searched for acceptance in both Karen and Ryan, while Pam went to Kevin and Angela for the same purpose.
Ben Franklin:
Pam's odd behavior in Ben Franklin takes on a new dimension when correlated to the extended scenes in Traveling Salesmen. Pam's interaction with Jim in TS, gives Pam a sense of hope and a certain degree of emotional honesty. After the events of TS and TR, Pam thought she had something going with Jim. She felt as if there was little momentum and she wants to take it for a spin. The return of Jim's cold shoulder caught her by surprise and therefore created a sense of urgency to regain the momentum. Hence, her disastrous flirting spree. Instead of revitalizing the connection, Pam slams head first into Jim's wall and becomes really confused. This confusion partially contributes to Pam's fateful decision to rekindle her relationship with Roy in PW.
Business School:
In the original analysis for Business School, it was assumed that Pam's art show was her first real venture into displaying her artwork. However, this is no longer the case. As a result, Pam's heightened emotions for her art show resonate a little deeper. After finding some success with an art contest, Pam is under more pressure to succeed at her art show. This creates a stronger need for validation from her co-workers. They didn't acknowledge her art contest with the enthusiasm she wanted, so she's on a mission to get it this time around. This explains why she went to several co-workers on an individual basis to inform them about her art show and pass out flyers. She was much more proactive in soliciting support. Her reasons for avoiding Jim remain the same as in the original analysis. Nothing in the extended scenes indicates that Pam expected Jim to be there. The disasters in BF and PW killed any hope that Jim would provide his support. The awkwardness that ensued following those two episodes also prevented Pam from inviting Jim.
Despite Jim's absence from the art show, his presence can now be felt, thanks to the extended scenes in TS. Jim's reaction to Pam's art contest directly contrasts Roy's disposition at her art show. Roy didn't provide enthusiasm, curiosity, or very much validation. In the original analysis for this episode, it was stated that Pam began to see through Roy. Pam's ability to see through Roy so quickly can be attributed to her experience with Jim in TS. She saw how someone who really cares would react in comparison to someone who doesn't care.
Pam's emotional state during and after her art show makes a little more sense as she is severely let down with this failure, more so than originally thought. This failure comes soon after her art contest victory and therefore hurts a little more. She had higher hopes for this show as a result of her win. Unfortunately, she was crushed. This increased let down helps to explain Pam's gratitude and connection with Michael at the conclusion of her art show.
One more tiny thing . . .
Pam seems to be very good at drawing and painting buildings. Her doodle of the office park in Boys & Girls was shown just before Jan gave the internship pamphlet. Her watercolor of the office park hangs in the office courtesy of Michael. And finally, her painting of the elementary school won the art contest. I couldn't help but notice!
- - -
No Optimist/Pessimist Observations
See original Traveling Salesmen analysis.
Questions to Ponder:
1) Why did Pam first tell the most emotionless people in the office about her art contest? Why didn't she tell Kelly?
2) If Jim were in the office, would Pam have told him first about her win, rather than Kevin or Angela?
3) Would Pam still have seen through Roy as quickly as she did in Business School without Jim's validation in Traveling Salesmen?
4) Did Pam get to show Jim her art work when he got back from having coffee with Karen?
5) Is Pam's need for Jim's validation detrimental or necessary for her transformation into FNB?
Chapter End Notes:
Commonly Used Acronyms:
PD = Pam Dichotomy,
JP = Jim Paradox,
CN = Casino Night,
FNB = Fancy New Beesly,
QTP = Questions to Ponder
This post was written nine years ago so go easy on me in terms of writing style! I’ve decided not to revise the original posts beyond filling in missing words or fixing wayward punctuation. Call it nostalgia if you will, but there’s something to be said for preserving this little snapshot of fandom.
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.
PD = Pam Dichotomy,
JP = Jim Paradox,
CN = Casino Night,
FNB = Fancy New Beesly,
QTP = Questions to Ponder
This post was written nine years ago so go easy on me in terms of writing style! I’ve decided not to revise the original posts beyond filling in missing words or fixing wayward punctuation. Call it nostalgia if you will, but there’s something to be said for preserving this little snapshot of fandom.
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.
