Featured Story of January: Lessons and Obsessions
Hello H&V!
Wow, this is so unexpected! I hadn't prepared a speech.
Well, needless to say I'm quite honored. I've finally reached the point where the time since I finished Lessons and Obsessions has almost met the time that it took me to write it. Having been away for it this long, it's such a treat for it to be brought back to my attention in such a ( Read more... )
Wow, this is so unexpected! I hadn't prepared a speech.
Well, needless to say I'm quite honored. I've finally reached the point where the time since I finished Lessons and Obsessions has almost met the time that it took me to write it. Having been away for it this long, it's such a treat for it to be brought back to my attention in such a ( Read more... )
1) This is a classic dilemma for a lit student/critic not just in fanfic but with things like adaptations of literature (movies, comics, etc). My fellows in the world of literary academia (both in general and down to specific people in classes I took) have a wide range of thoughts on the matter, especially since we favor different schools of criticism. I, as someone who sees adaptations as something that can augment and illuminate the original material rather than cheapen or damage it, am well suited to participate in the world of fanfiction.
It's a treat for me to be able to participate in literature that I love through fanfiction. I really believe that meaning in art is created through a conversation/connection/collaboration between artist and audience. The reader matters. With fanfiction I get to be both a reader in conversation with the artist (in this case J.K. Rowling) and an artist in conversation with the readers of my fanfic.
Through fanfic I get to take characters that I love and imagine scenarios that might have existed between the lines of canon or if aspects of canon had gone in different directions. I love "what if" stories. I get to explore dynamics that exist within canon, like those between/among characters, and see what might have been if things had gone differently.
To get at the core of your question, I firmly do not believe that in order to like canon, fanon must be rejected, or visa versa. In fact, I believe the opposite. It's the same with the films, for instance. Are the HP movies different from the books? Very much so. Are they better or worse? No. Translations from one medium to another require adaptations. A director (or other new artist) should have creative license to translate the work so that it makes the best use of the new medium.
Okay, that was a bit wordy XD
2) Oooo, nice one. Obviously, everyone has their own idea of what "canon" Draco and Hermione are like. That's part of the beauty of fanfic: people get to express or idealize their conceptions of who the characters are. Like I said, literature is a conversation between writer and reader. The reader brings his/her own experiences to that conversation. Sometimes people write Draco more like a Mr. Darcy type character, and Hermione can end up like an Elizabeth. Some people really emphasize the hatred between the two, while others try to show a softer side of Draco that becomes more evident when Hermione gets to know him.
I don't think that any of these interpretations are wrong. I do think that, as with any interpretation of literature, misreadings exist, and I'm disappointed by them. I don't think that one can ever say that Draco's not an asshole in canon, for instance. He's totally an asshole. Just like Hermione can be obnoxious, Ron oblivious, and Harry self-involved/melodramatic. That doesn't mean that they don't have nuances or adhere only to those characteristics, but I don't appreciate people trying to idealize characters to the point where they ignore those fundamental qualities.
My favorite Hermione is both gutsy and insecure. She's a Gryffindor; she's undeniably brave. She shows us that in canon on multiple occasions. But we also see how insecure she can be when teased about her academic enthusiasm or her looks or heritage. That puts Draco in a prime spot (we see this in canon a bit) to really get under her skin. I like my Draco to be the kind of character who exploits that. Like I said, he's an asshole. Canon gives us a lot of reasons for why he's like that, and also gives us a great look into his complexity, especially in HBP and DH. They both have the power to unsettle each other, and their dynamic can take their relationship in unexpected directions. I adore that about them.
Okay, that was a lot. Thanks for the great questions and for your flattering compliments! They mean a lot in general but especially coming from you :)
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Congrats on your feature! I know I loved your Draco Big Bang story, so I can't wait to check this one out.
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