Tarot: GIlmore Girls Edition, part 1
Firstly, I love Gilmore Girls. I love everything about the show - it’s presented an isolated, encapsulated world in which even New York City feels like a tiny snow globe of perfection where stressful situations feel safe, yet not too twee, always landing witty banter and of course. . . fast dialogue.
Lorelai Gilmore played an important role for me when learning tarot, particularly the Court cards. Court cards are rather complex studies of a personality type. It was suggested to me to assign people I know (of) to the Court cards in order to remember the essence of the card. The first card I identified in this manner was related to Lorelai. On that note, I thought it would be fun to figure out tarot cards for each character. So let’s dive in.
Lorelai Gilmore: Be ready, you can’t unsee this.
Queen of Wands through and through, right?!? She’s charming, courageous, and delightful at a party. Her charisma and drive get her favors around the Dragonfly Inn (R.I.P. Independence Inn), Chilton, and with the O.G’s - original Gilmores - Richard and Emily. Her magnetism has men fawning over her (back of the line, Luke!). Her courage boosts all around her to follow their dreams, as out of reach as they may seem. Rory wasn’t getting into Harvard with Lorelai. Sookie would never have asked Jackson out on a date without Lorelai. Michel would have never left his boogie hotel gig to return to the Dragonfly Inn without Lorelai. Madeline and Louise were definitely getting murdered at that party without Lorelai swooping in to save them. Shall I go on, Christopher??
However, do not cross this fierce bitch because she will be equally as horrible. At her worst, Lorelai is selfish, thinking of herself at the worst times. It’s true, I sometimes side with Emily. Her blowup at Sookie for bringing green mac & cheese to kids birthday party? Unnecessary. Pulling up to Fran’s funeral just to butter up the family to get the Dragonfly Inn, not a good look! Not talking to Rory for like a full season because she dropped out of college, no one wanted that! But it’s this cut throat ruthlessness that got her where she is today.
The darker aspects of our Queen is merely a reflection of the hurt she feels on the inside, and so we’re quick to forgive and forget. Love ya, Lor!
Honorable mentions:
The Star - a guiding light to Rory
Five of Cups - always ready to be disappointed and cannot see how to salvage the situation
Five of Pentacles - a little too proud to ask for help sometimes
Rory Gilmore: When the show first aired, I related most to Rory. I wanted to be her. So this may reflect that admiration. You may disagree.
The Sun because, and hear me out, she had to be positive in dealing with the more negative aspects of her mother, the Queen of Wands. She had to be a bright light to a young, struggling mother (could have lived in a mansion L, just saying). And like the young child on the horseback on the card, Rory was somewhat sheltered despite a lifetime of exposure to subcultures of art and music. She seemed to approach new situations with a naive optimism. Her demeanor on her first day working for Mitchum Huntzberger says it all. Or what about the Donna Reed dinner for Dean?
But we all know what happens when Rory’s joy is taken, she straight up stole a yacht in one instance and grounded herself for missing her mother’s graduation in another. This is the shadow side to the sun - sadness. Rory had plenty to be sad about too. Her dad wasn’t around, she was kept from one set of grandparents and the others flat out never seemed to care about her, like ever?
The Sun also represents illumination of the unknown, gaining knowledge, and learning. Needless to say Rory is a star student, first attempting Anna Karenina at age 10, and later an aspiring journalist, casting light into dark corners. The Stars Hollow Gazette never had better writing!
Let’s not forget the gloominess (“I like this song, it makes me gloomy.”). When a child burns as bright as the sun and doesn’t fulfill every wish and hope put upon them, they are bound to crash and burn. A Year In the Life should just be called Rory’s Slow Burnout. I like to think that was her rock bottom and she’s out there somewhere being the Sun to some great kid.
Honorable mentions:
Eight of Pentacles - the diligent apprentice
Ten of Wands - too much pressure to perform!
Ten of Sword - hoisted by her own Logan
Six of Wands - the mascot of Stars Hollow - and of Taylor Doose’s ice cream shoppe!
