Close-Up : Glee’s Rachel Berry
Glee’s Rachel Berry is vocal lead in New Directions. She’s a self-obsessed, ambitious diva, with a heart. Having conquered every other challenge set to her in high school, her only dream is to be popular and to have a boyfriend, so she joined Glee. But is Rachel a prima donna, or a portrayal of every girl’s true self?
- Rachel Berry : Glee’s Prima Donna
Now, Rachel is not the most popular character to come out of Glee, but for me, she’s every girl I have ever met. At the start of Glee she was unhappy with her life, although she had conquered much of what high school had to offer, she was also the target for many bullies, like the cheerleaders. Now this not to say that every girl is bullied, but we have all experienced that moment when we felt the world was laughing at us, when all we were trying to do was our best.
Rachel becomes obsessed with being accepted within the popular clique, a common occurrence in high school. After joining glee club, Rachel becomes happy knowing every solo is hers, disregarding the fact that the club has other members. However Rachel’s obsession with being accepted changes, when she develops a crush on new club member Finn Hudson. Rachel is repeatedly left in love limbo because Finn keeps running back to his cheating ‘’clean teen’’ pregnant girlfriend Quinn. Everyone has fallen for the wrong person before, knowing they are taken but you just can’t help it. So things start to look bad for Rachel – the boy she ‘’loves’’ doesn’t want her, her solos are shared out between new members of the glee club and she is still having slushies thrown in her face. So she quits New Directions and joins the school musical, run by Sue Sylvester. However after coming to her senses, Rachel realises her friendships with glee members is more important than landing the lead. Rachel then starts a relationship with Puck, Finn’s best friend. Despite the fact she’s dating the hottest guy in school, Finn is the only boy she wants, and so she dumps Puck, but they stay friends.
After sharing a kiss in previous episodes, Rachel decides it’s time Finn sees her in a new light, which will hopefully win him over. With Kurt’s help Rachel gives herself a makeover, styling herself like Sandy from Grease. Wearing a cat suit and massive hair, Rachel tries to seduce Finn but he thinks she looks better before and he is runs back to Quinn. Rachel is left abandoned is the hallway, as she watches Finn and Quinn walk hand in hand exiting the school. Rachel’s heart is left broken. Rachel is a typical teenage girl who suffers as much as she gives ,and we can all relate to that.
Rachel’s shared many moments in Glee with us; here are the Top Five.
5 – (Wheels/Showmance) Rachel hits the high note – Ok so Kurt deliberately failed to reach the high F, but Rachel’s rendition of ‘’Defying Gravity’’ was excellent and emotional.
4 – (Mash-up) Puck and Rachel’s short romance. It may have only lasted a few days but I was happy to see Rachel date someone, even better that she chose PUCK!!
3 – (Showmance) Rachel’s first attempt to win Finn. During a private practice between Finn and Rachel, she sets up a picnic in order to have a romantic meal with Finn. The pair kiss, but Finn obviously runs back to Quinn.
2 – (Ballad) Rachel’s crush on Mr Schuster. Despite how cringe-worth it was to see Rachel fall head over heels for her glee coach, it reminded me so much of my school crushes and was great to watch, even if I had to look away sometimes, especially at her performance of ‘’Endless Love’’.
1 – (The Rhodes not taken) Rachel is reunited with the Glee club. Despite everything Finn has put her through, and her solo being given away, she knows when a friend is in need. After April runs out on New Directions during a performance, Rachel steps in to prove that her place is with the glee club.
Although she shares the spotlight with other characters in Glee, in this writer’s opinion,Rachel is the best and most realistic character.
Glee Every Monday 9PM E4 and on DVD from April 12th
