Meme: Death fic
Saw ruuger post this and found it interesting, so here goes! (Note: I'm going to fill this out in terms of fanfic, even though it seems it could be asking about fictional realms in general.)
1. Do you dislike, tolerate, or enjoy fiction or art that depicts people dying?
I'm not a fan of the characters I love dying. :\ I avoid reading (main character) death fics as a whole though there are always exceptions.
I used to write a fair amount of death!fic. I haven't done much of it for years, though... and I tend to do it "accidentally" in that it has to develop logically (a.k.a. fit in with the story).
2. How do you feel about ratings/warnings when it comes to depictions of violence or death?
Death in fic in and of itself shouldn't warrant a change in rating. Base rating on overall content. As for warnings, I want there to be some way to check - I'm a big fan of the "highlight for warnings" trend. I'm also fine being surprised by character death that isn't a main character. Like I said above, I tend to stay clear of main character death these days.
3. Does what you'll consume vary depending on the medium or author?
It's more likely to depend on my mood... but yes, author is a factor. I'm far more likely to give a familiar, well-liked (by me) author a chance with death!fic than I would a random find.
Spreading away from fanfic, I'm more okay with death of characters in movies, I think. Maybe. I don't know. :\ Whatever the medium, it has to be done well and have some sort of sense to it. (Joss, I hate you sometimes. >.<)
4. To what extent do you think what you produce or consume is affected by personal/cultural/religious views/beliefs you have concerning death?
I tend to look at characters and situations within the context of canon and their environment. Personal interpretation of course comes into play, but I try to reflect on what would be in-character.
5. Are there any characters/groups of characters (apart from the 'bad guys') that you are happier to read dying than others?
Sometimes it's cathartic to see characters I extremely dislike get killed off. However, I really need believability in something I'm supposed to take seriously.
6. In terms of fiction, is there such a thing as a 'good death'? How would you define that?
"Good" death...? I'm not even sure what that means. I suppose a death that is written well would involve it being seamlessly integrated into the story...? IDEK.
7. Do you prefer deaths to be explicitly depicted or to happen 'off-screen', if at all?
If it's gonna happen, I need more than a passing mention. I don't need every nitty-gritty detail, but I want to understand how/why/where/when the death happened if it's supposed to be of any significance. The death itself might occur "off screen" or prior a story's start, but if it's impacting the plot, I need something to roll with.
8. In general, do you have a preference/anti-preference for the perspective from which a character death is written/discussed, be it the dying person, the killer or a bystander/someone else?
Can't say I have a preference. As already established, I'm not a big death!fic reader (or writer, anymore) so I haven't seen a lot of variety to consider what's "preferable." And it also probably depends on the situation.
9. Are there any forms of violence you're more/less comfortable with than others?
Extremely explicit and drawn-out violence gets to me. Of course this depends on my mood, what context the violence is occurring... that sort of thing. The more "intimate" types of violence - involving close contact so things like cutting, rape, scratching, etc - are also more likely to affect me negatively. I also have a dislike of whipping, it's something that I won't go out of my way to avoid, but it's definitely something that makes me more uncomfortable than a lot of other things.
10. Are there any situations in which you think a death cannot/should not be 'brought back' either through resurrection or soap-style coma/amnesia retconning?
I'm all about believability and genre. This applies to cross-overs too. :p If something's in the sci-fi/fantasy genre, I'm much more likely to roll with the idea of someone being "brought back." (Then again, if we look at Firefly I can't see it being believable to bring back dead characters. It doesn't work within its established universe.) I'm more likely to accept a bring-them-back type fic if there's something in canon establishing the possibility. Like Stargate with its Ascension and aliens like the Nox that can revive recently deceased people. Or Buffy-verse with weird mystical elements and stuff. However, take me over to more reality-based worlds like CSI or Criminal Minds, and I'm not going to buy a bring-em-back sort of deal. You need to go alt-canon to keep the character then.
11. Will you produce/consume depictions of the afterlife/dimensions or realities beyond our own that are usually accessed through death?
It's not something I care much to explore, I suppose largely because I don't have a firm opinion or belief yet established. I will totally go along with the "in-between" worlds where we tend to think of ghosts inhabiting, there's certainly been interesting reads I've found there. But I'm not real interested in reading (or writing) fic that takes place primarily in some sort of afterlife realm. (Again, there are exceptions, although they are very few.)
12. Does it matter to you whether the afterlife depicted is positive/'heavenly', neutral or negative/'hellish'?
I don't really have a formed opinion, like I said, so I'm willing to check out what sort of interpretation an author's presenting.
13. Does it make a difference whether the characters depicted in these realities have died or are 'just visiting'?
Um, not so much. Although given that we're talking about afterlife realities, the primarily "populace" should probably be the dead, and visitors should be those dying/on the edge of death. Right?
14. Do you have any pet hates when it comes to depictions of death?
I hate when it's obvious that a character's been killed off just so the author doesn't have to deal with them (whether it's because the author can't write the character, hates them, or the character was in the way of some other relationship <--especially this last one gets me). I also get annoyed when it appears that killing someone/everyone off is a way to get out of a troublesome writing block or wrap up the story. Death simply for the sake of shock value isn't appealing either.
15. What do you wish more stories containing character deaths would include?
Um... In general, more believability? IDEK. I suppose I'd just like authors to clearly have put some thought into what they're doing. Show me why the character had to die for the story to work.
Yeah, I totally did this instead of working on my paper. >:p
1. Do you dislike, tolerate, or enjoy fiction or art that depicts people dying?
I'm not a fan of the characters I love dying. :\ I avoid reading (main character) death fics as a whole though there are always exceptions.
I used to write a fair amount of death!fic. I haven't done much of it for years, though... and I tend to do it "accidentally" in that it has to develop logically (a.k.a. fit in with the story).
2. How do you feel about ratings/warnings when it comes to depictions of violence or death?
Death in fic in and of itself shouldn't warrant a change in rating. Base rating on overall content. As for warnings, I want there to be some way to check - I'm a big fan of the "highlight for warnings" trend. I'm also fine being surprised by character death that isn't a main character. Like I said above, I tend to stay clear of main character death these days.
3. Does what you'll consume vary depending on the medium or author?
It's more likely to depend on my mood... but yes, author is a factor. I'm far more likely to give a familiar, well-liked (by me) author a chance with death!fic than I would a random find.
Spreading away from fanfic, I'm more okay with death of characters in movies, I think. Maybe. I don't know. :\ Whatever the medium, it has to be done well and have some sort of sense to it. (Joss, I hate you sometimes. >.<)
4. To what extent do you think what you produce or consume is affected by personal/cultural/religious views/beliefs you have concerning death?
I tend to look at characters and situations within the context of canon and their environment. Personal interpretation of course comes into play, but I try to reflect on what would be in-character.
5. Are there any characters/groups of characters (apart from the 'bad guys') that you are happier to read dying than others?
Sometimes it's cathartic to see characters I extremely dislike get killed off. However, I really need believability in something I'm supposed to take seriously.
6. In terms of fiction, is there such a thing as a 'good death'? How would you define that?
"Good" death...? I'm not even sure what that means. I suppose a death that is written well would involve it being seamlessly integrated into the story...? IDEK.
7. Do you prefer deaths to be explicitly depicted or to happen 'off-screen', if at all?
If it's gonna happen, I need more than a passing mention. I don't need every nitty-gritty detail, but I want to understand how/why/where/when the death happened if it's supposed to be of any significance. The death itself might occur "off screen" or prior a story's start, but if it's impacting the plot, I need something to roll with.
8. In general, do you have a preference/anti-preference for the perspective from which a character death is written/discussed, be it the dying person, the killer or a bystander/someone else?
Can't say I have a preference. As already established, I'm not a big death!fic reader (or writer, anymore) so I haven't seen a lot of variety to consider what's "preferable." And it also probably depends on the situation.
9. Are there any forms of violence you're more/less comfortable with than others?
Extremely explicit and drawn-out violence gets to me. Of course this depends on my mood, what context the violence is occurring... that sort of thing. The more "intimate" types of violence - involving close contact so things like cutting, rape, scratching, etc - are also more likely to affect me negatively. I also have a dislike of whipping, it's something that I won't go out of my way to avoid, but it's definitely something that makes me more uncomfortable than a lot of other things.
10. Are there any situations in which you think a death cannot/should not be 'brought back' either through resurrection or soap-style coma/amnesia retconning?
I'm all about believability and genre. This applies to cross-overs too. :p If something's in the sci-fi/fantasy genre, I'm much more likely to roll with the idea of someone being "brought back." (Then again, if we look at Firefly I can't see it being believable to bring back dead characters. It doesn't work within its established universe.) I'm more likely to accept a bring-them-back type fic if there's something in canon establishing the possibility. Like Stargate with its Ascension and aliens like the Nox that can revive recently deceased people. Or Buffy-verse with weird mystical elements and stuff. However, take me over to more reality-based worlds like CSI or Criminal Minds, and I'm not going to buy a bring-em-back sort of deal. You need to go alt-canon to keep the character then.
11. Will you produce/consume depictions of the afterlife/dimensions or realities beyond our own that are usually accessed through death?
It's not something I care much to explore, I suppose largely because I don't have a firm opinion or belief yet established. I will totally go along with the "in-between" worlds where we tend to think of ghosts inhabiting, there's certainly been interesting reads I've found there. But I'm not real interested in reading (or writing) fic that takes place primarily in some sort of afterlife realm. (Again, there are exceptions, although they are very few.)
12. Does it matter to you whether the afterlife depicted is positive/'heavenly', neutral or negative/'hellish'?
I don't really have a formed opinion, like I said, so I'm willing to check out what sort of interpretation an author's presenting.
13. Does it make a difference whether the characters depicted in these realities have died or are 'just visiting'?
Um, not so much. Although given that we're talking about afterlife realities, the primarily "populace" should probably be the dead, and visitors should be those dying/on the edge of death. Right?
14. Do you have any pet hates when it comes to depictions of death?
I hate when it's obvious that a character's been killed off just so the author doesn't have to deal with them (whether it's because the author can't write the character, hates them, or the character was in the way of some other relationship <--especially this last one gets me). I also get annoyed when it appears that killing someone/everyone off is a way to get out of a troublesome writing block or wrap up the story. Death simply for the sake of shock value isn't appealing either.
15. What do you wish more stories containing character deaths would include?
Um... In general, more believability? IDEK. I suppose I'd just like authors to clearly have put some thought into what they're doing. Show me why the character had to die for the story to work.
Yeah, I totally did this instead of working on my paper. >:p