Dawn the Role Model?
Now, there are nice things to say about all the Pokegirls, some more than others, but in this article we will see how Dawn makes Pearlshipping such a good ship to support, as well as some of her negative points. How Dawn makes Pearlshipping good, largely rests on how good a role model she is, so let's explore how Dawn is a good role model, and in what respects she isn't.
Why Dawn is a good role model:
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Ambition
From the start of her journey, Dawn knows what she's going to do. I'm not saying that not knowing what you're going to do from right at the start is a bad thing- some people take longer to realize their dreams than others, but Dawn is very much driven by her ambition in her journey, and that is the thing that motivates her to start it. Why does that make her a good role model though? The demographic Dawn will be influencing is young girls, and I know older people watch Pokemon too, but they won't be as influenced by her. Dawn encourages children to have a goal, and not just do things for the sake of romance, which shouldn't be their top priorities anyway.
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Intensity
Dawn takes her training with an intensity that matches Ash's. You can see this in the way she develops her contests moves, like Flame Ice and Ice Chandelier. Added with that, her training also highlights the importance of learning new skills to help you with your ambition.
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Innocence
Dawn is almost about as dense as Ash, and pretty much as dense when it comes to inter person romance. When Lyra says Dawn is "number one of the bunch.", neither of them know what she is talking about, and this suggest they both suggest the innocence and purity of heart that is so precious and should be shown by children of their age, especially. Their innocence also means that the main purpose of Pokemon as a show isn't detracted from. They also show that friendship, and only friendship between them, is the most important at this stage, as opposed to Serena, who keeps attempting to "get" Ash.
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Competitiveness
Over competitiveness isn't a good thing, but competitiveness in moderation is good. The fact Dawn competes with Ash on occasion helps them both to increase their ambition and skill, as well as strengthening their bond, as neither of them are bitter when one of them beats the other, as seen when Dawn loses to Maylene while Ash draws with her, or while Dawn makes it further in the Ping Pong tournament than Ash.
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Self Belief
Towards the end of the series, Dawn's self belief is immense, to the extent where she gets over her childhood nickname Dee Dee. But let's look at her self belief at the beginning of the series. Dawn is very unsure of herself, and Ash, Brock, and Zoey help her with that, but the fact is, she's unsure of her skill and how she should go about achieving her goal, not the trivial matter of whether she can hold a boy's hand or not.
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Kindness
All the Pokegirls exhibit kindess to an extent, but Dawn is not hesitant to help others when they need it, much like Ash, although this can lead them both into trouble at times. But what is important is that she isn't cynical, she's willing to trust, and she has a good heart.
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Independence
Dawn doesn't need the approval of her companions, even Ash, to decide to do something. While this is good, the fact that Dawn is stronger when she is with Ash highlights the point that teamwork is best, and no one can truly be completely independent.
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Humility
Dawn doesn't boast about her achievements. She takes pride in them and is happy with her sucesses, but she does not boast. This could be said to be the same of practically all the Pokegirls, but one thing about Dawn that not all the Pokegirls show is that she doesn't try to be superior to Ash. She tries to be his equal- while still pursuing her own, independent goals, and she suceeds in that.
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Determination
Dawn's determination is seen in all of her significant contest battles, especially the final of the Grand Festival, and when confronting Team Galactic. The thing about Dawn is she does not give up, but while this could be seen as stubborness and a bad trait, Dawn is still a flexible person who can adapt to situations (as seen when she was willing to take Maylene on to help her regain her confidence), and her determination brought her to second place in her first Grand Festival.
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All these traits show Dawn as a good role model, as well as having excellent character development, but now let's look at:
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Why Dawn is not a good role model:
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Her Dress Style
This is pretty much the only significant drawback of Dawn. While she was slightly whiny at the start, this disappeared within the first season. But the length of her skirt, as many shippers mention, is rather....short. But the thing is, this DOESN'T reflect in her character. She doesn't try and attract boys on a regular basis, and she isn't vain. She takes pride in her appearance but she doesn't shove it in other people's faces. Also, appearance could hardly be said to be a person's most important characteristic.
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So, in conclusion, Dawn is a pretty much excellent role model for girls and it's easy to see why she was so popular among them in Japan. Her character itself is a huge contribution to the fundemental values of Pearlshipping and what makes it such a good ship.
