The first time I heard 'canon' used was in English 101 at university. The whole point of the course was to define what the canon of English literature was, and to then decide what made it up. After nine long months of reading all kinds of crap, we were then told (as if we hadn't already worked it out for ourselves) that it's not something ever set in stone. Like HP, even if we all did decide the same stuff and think the same, it's always being added to!
Which is why I don't mind R/Hrs calling their ship 'canon', although I don't agree. I just then expect them to allow me to call MY ship 'canon' without objection. And they shouldn't expect the word 'canon' to hold much sway with me either.
Most of all: I WISH PEOPLE WOULD SPELL IT RIGHT! It's not CANNON! Captain Jack Sparrow has great skill with a cannon, but he wouldn't know WHAT to do with a canon.
Yet again, I read one of your essays and I am amazed by the blatant truths you pick up on that the rest of us tend to miss. I love it. Absolutely brilliant, as always.
someone told me about this essay so i ran out here to read it;-) couple of things i want to say... i was a rhetoric major that studied all sorts of literary essays on the canon and have been so confused how ppl have been using this word in the harry potter groups. canon does not refer to the actual words in the text.. its as u say about the "universal" and the belief that you can group different texts and say these are the standard set that everyone can relate to and vice versa : those texts define for the most part all humanity (hence universal for all)... major problem isn't even is there such thing as universal, the problem is who decides what should be universal. and that leads to universal not being something that can be defined. i hardly doubt the ppl living in Japan in the 16th century could relate to Shakespeare or that Shakespeare had anything to say about them... yet those plays are one of the most highly respected and read texts in the literary canon. anyway, as you stated not everyone is going to read a text and come to
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Actually that Hagrid is a half-giant is open to interpretation as everything else is. What if in Chapter 31 of HBP it turns out that Hagrid is actually a genetic experiment conducted by aliens that went horribly wrong? Or what if Rowling's text is an encoded message aimed at the native people of Tahiti in which "Hagrid is a half-giant" actually means "kill all tourists"?
Text is never not open to interpretation. To believe that there is a framework every single reader agrees on is assuming just too much about the audience. If just one reader disagrees with you on Hagrid, then according to your impromptu definition of "canon" it is no longer canon. Considering the amount of people who believe HP to be the Devil's propaganda I see no reason to agree with you.
You know in order to criticise my criticism of what I understand as the fandom concept of canon (which you won't find in serious literary analysis (Something to think about, isn't it?)), it would be nice if you could give me your definition of canon - since I have no clue what it is.
First you give "facts all readers agree on", then you give me... I have no idea actually. Could you explain yourself before you start telling me "that I got it all wrong."
Oh, and since this is a post about the fandom concept of canon, I didn't do an in-depth analysis of the dead author, reader response and/or deconstruction. Sorry, maybe next time.
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Which is why I don't mind R/Hrs calling their ship 'canon', although I don't agree. I just then expect them to allow me to call MY ship 'canon' without objection. And they shouldn't expect the word 'canon' to hold much sway with me either.
Most of all: I WISH PEOPLE WOULD SPELL IT RIGHT! It's not CANNON! Captain Jack Sparrow has great skill with a cannon, but he wouldn't know WHAT to do with a canon.
Great thoughts, as always! *hugs*
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I WISH PEOPLE WOULD SPELL IT RIGHT! It's not CANNON! Captain Jack Sparrow has great skill with a cannon, but he wouldn't know WHAT to do with a canon.
Thanks so much for this bit!! ;)
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(The comment has been removed)
Text is never not open to interpretation. To believe that there is a framework every single reader agrees on is assuming just too much about the audience. If just one reader disagrees with you on Hagrid, then according to your impromptu definition of "canon" it is no longer canon. Considering the amount of people who believe HP to be the Devil's propaganda I see no reason to agree with you.
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(The comment has been removed)
First you give "facts all readers agree on", then you give me... I have no idea actually. Could you explain yourself before you start telling me "that I got it all wrong."
Oh, and since this is a post about the fandom concept of canon, I didn't do an in-depth analysis of the dead author, reader response and/or deconstruction. Sorry, maybe next time.
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