There are many lessons to be learned from played by Anya Taylor-Joy, suffers immense trials and tribulations in life that the viewer vicariously lives through, allowing for a refreshing perspective on many situations one may not have considered before. Beth isn't the only one viewers might look to for some food for thought, though, as opportunities for meaningful thinking are around each corner in this carefully executed show.
The ing characters in the show are just as inspiring to observe, allowing the viewer to step out of Beth's perspective and consider the multiple takes that can be had on any given situation. The show never quite lets one completely have a character figured out, either, always allowing for an element of mystery and complexity just beyond one's reach, reminding viewers of their own automatic assumptions and challenging them to look for the subtleties behind the obvious.
People Are Full Of Surprises
If there's one thing the show exemplifies well, it's the nuances of people. Each character seems easy enough to figure out from the start, but the moment they are at the pivotal point that would conform to the viewer's assumptions about them, they often come out and do the opposite.
Such as the heistress of the orphanage allowing Beth to continue playing chess rather than playing into the evil heistress archetype.
It Doesn't Always Pay To Be Independent
Beth excels at doing things on her own. She is very independently minded from a young age when she mostly had to figure things out for herself in order to adapt to her new world as an orphan.
This attitude follows her into adulthood, where she endeavors to beat the best chess players in the world with little help from outside sources. The end of the series shows Beth finally letting her friends in, and being all the better for it.
Talent Isn't Everything
Beth is asserted as a child prodigy in chess, and some might think that this means she will just sweep away any competition without much effort.
It's easy to assume that geniuses don't have to study, but this would be incorrect. Beth is talented, but she is not the smartest person in the world. Everyone who wants to be the best at what they do has to do their research to some extent, and Beth is no exception.
Rebellion Doesn't Have To Be Loud To Be Effective
Beth is without a doubt a rebellious figure, and she doesn't have to wave a flag or march at a protest to be one. Her actions are seldom loud, but they speak volumes. Beth arriving at tournaments with no credentials and insisting that she play upper-level players is unprecedented behavior for a woman at the time.
Beth later showing up to matches dressed in glamorous clothing also defies norms in the chess world, as people associate fashion with vanity and therefore matters that are not of the higher mind. Beth pays no mind to these constraints, proving herself quite the radical.
There's Such A Thing As Too Much Thinking
Beth's ability to problem solve in chess is astounding, but when this obsession with solving issues doesn't extend as easily into her personal life, like trying to understand her own history and mental health, it causes her to spiral.
Beth obsesses over the possibility that she could "go mad" like her mother - but as her friend Jolene so aptly puts it, it's best for her to simply "stop thinking about that. It isn't doing you any good", suggesting that one can't think one's way out of everything, and it's sometimes harmful to try.
Idealization Isn't Flattering
Jolene comes back into Beth's life right when she needs her most, prompting Beth to refer to her as her "guardian angel".
But Jolene's response rejecting this title emphasizes the fact that putting a person on a pedestal isn't actually respectful to them. Jolene is a flawed person, just like anyone else, and to romanticize her would be to ignore her intricacies.
Accepting One's Loss Is A Virtue
Mr. Shaibel teaches Beth early on that it's important to know when one has lost and to accept that fact humbly. He explains a rule of chess that is considered good etiquette, which is to resign when one recognizes that their opponent is set to win.
Fighting to the death is not, as many would consider it, the respectable or dignified approach.
Sometimes It's Best Not To Humor People
People say lots of things to and about Beth, but she doesn't give any of them too much attention.
Instead of reacting to people's often skeptical or even assertively insulting responses to her, she usually keeps a straight face and continues on her way, not dignifying their behavior with a response.
Chosen Family Is Family
Many characters in the show have somewhat broken families, at least in the conventional sense. Beth and Jolene are from an orphanage, Mrs. Wheatley's husband hardly pays attention to their relationship, eventually leaving her on her own, and several other misfit characters are shrouded in mystery that implies they are cut off from any traditional family unit.
Instead, Alma's death could attest.
It Pays Off To Trust Oneself
Part of the reason Beth does so well in the world is that she sticks by herself. People left and right have the opportunity to doubt and judge her and prevent her from excelling in life, but she always finds her own route and doesn't let people throw her focus off of her aims.
People in school tease her, Mrs. Wheatley is none too ive to start with, and in the first tournaments, she is met with contempt and uncooperative attitudes. Any of these things could lead Beth to believe she is unworthy of her desires - but she goes with her own belief instead of others, and this is what ultimately leads to her success. Without this quality, her talent may not have gotten her very far.
