Rejection isn't easy and how we cope with it makes us who we are.  This was the case in last night's episode of Mad Men--artfully directed by John Slattery--where we watched as numerous characters were faced with circumstances that were less than favorable and everyone was forced to deal with their own sometimes surprising reactions.

Head Bang

The title of the episode, "The Rejected," gave viewers insight to the theme of the episode.  Pete had to deal with telling his father-in-law SDCP no longer needed Clearasil.  Allison had to face Don and make him understand that something did happen between them, only to be told by Don that she should write her own letter or recommendation after she had to stoop to even ask him for one.  Peggy's feeling of rejection came when she realized Pete had chosen a life with Trudy over pursuing her in the slightest.  Both her and Pete banged their heads against a desk and a wall respectively, showing their collective frustration over very different situations.   

Single Shame

Thankfully, being single in 2010 and not 1965 is more acceptable, although the same issues exist.  Women are still trying to figure out what men want, how to please them, and in Peggy's case, who we are ourselves.  The women being questioned by Faye let her in on their secrets and fears of remaining single forever and not being able to provide enough beauty or sexiness for a man.  For some of the women, being single was a shame that they voiced.  Interestingly enough, for Peggy, being single, or unmarried is something she tried to take pride in, but really does want what she has been conditioned to want: a married life with children.  She fingers Faye's ring as Don looks on teasingly in one of the funnier moments of the episode.  Funnily enough, single doesn't just mean single, it also means unmarried in Mad Men world and Don and Peggy appear to be in the same boat. 

Allison can't handle the discussion and in an interesting confrontation with Peggy, Allison confides in her assuming that Peggy was in her position at one time as well.  I loved Peggy's anger with Allison, scolding her for thinking they were similar.  Except they are!  The biggest different is who initiated.  Had Don agreed to sleep with Peggy when they first met and she hit on him, she would be living a different life.  Her anger at Allison seemed like Peggy yelling at her former self, angry she would ever do something so stupid as to sleep with her boss.
 

"I feel like I should kiss you."

Poor Peggy.  Even when she's having fun and feeling like she's fitting in, she still gets ridiculed for being in the soulless advertising world.  Were it not for the lights going out and the police coming in, I was sure we're see a perfectly pleasant scathing remark back to the guy who insulted her job. I like that Peggy has made a friend, albeit one that likes Peggy a little too much at first.  It's refreshing to see Peggy continue to be open-minded.  I love that we literally are seeing her ideas shaped first hand.  It's possible she is so accepting of homosexuality of the times because of who she first worked with at Sterling Cooper. 

Thank you to the writers that let Peggy say her boyfriend was renting her well, you know. 

Now, onto the line of dialogue I thought was so telling.  The 1960's were a time of doing what one thinks they should, even when it comes to kissing apparently.  Peggy, our lost little lamb who turned Joyce down is open to cheating on her boyfriend with another guy in some bizarre, but exciting circumstances.  That party reminded me of just how young Peggy must be.  The key word in the above line of dialogue is "should."   I feel like this is what we're supposed to do.  Society constraints are hovering around the beatniks and even though it seemed like a spontaneous moment, it was fueled by the idea of what was supposed to happen under a circumstance like that and both parties fell into it hook, line, and sinker.

Shattered Glass

The presence of glass in this episode of Mad Men struck me as significant.  The two-way mirror is only double sided for one half and Peggy has transitioned over to the half with the men.  The women being questioned can't see through to the other side.  Another appearance of glass occurs when Allison throws something at Don and shatters a glass picture frame, asserting herself as someone who wants to matter more to him.  I loved the shot after that of Peggy peering into Don's office after the incident only to slink back down and hide from Don's reaction.  Peggy created a double-sided mirror in that scene, a quick glimpse into Don's humiliation, but ducks out of his view quickly.

I was surprised to later see Don drunkenly typing up a letter of apology. Don rarely apologizes and it shocked me to see how affected he was by Allison's declaration.  Perhaps he is finally getting wind of how he is viewed by the general public: not favorably.  

Back to the glass-later Peggy ends up banging her head against a glass desk in her office after hearing of Pete and Trudy's baby, whereas Pete is surprisingly thrilled about the news. Perhaps it makes sense that he would be so thrilled at getting something he is supposed to want and have. 

In the most significant scene in the episode (arguably), Peggy leaves the office to go out to lunch with her single friends in the building and waits for the elevator outside the glass doors and makes eye contact with Pete.  The glass doors separate them, but they see each other clearly.  Peggy looked happy to be accepted by her age group, but still longing to be on the other side with the "adults."  Pete seemed content to be with the older crowd but there was a glimmer of sadness in his eyes as he watched his peer skip out to lunch with other young people.  His time for that has passed and both of them realize that they are now on completely different paths, but what they share will remain a source of tension in upcoming episodes.  As Pete said to Cosgrove earlier in the episode, the grass is always greener.

As for Peggy, I think she will explode at some point.  She's never broken down entirely, never screamed at anyone, never been completely out of control and her character is due for it by the end of the season considering she has a lot of issues regarding her baby and her own identity she has never fully dealt with.  I'm not sure if she'll pull out a gun and shoot pigeons, but she's holding on to some major anxiety and that is bound to eek out of her at some point.

I eagerly anticipate Betty's return and only want to see more of Don's downward spiral.