What a character
I want to put a placeholder out there regarding the recent H&M update. The ever insightful Lupaza noted in her review the following:
I have to snicker at Pierce's horrified realisations, and the
reverse-kill-list. Definitely a Guy, though, and amusing as such. This isn't a
typical way for a character to endear themselves to me, but Pierce manages it.
He's sweet, in his own entirely-not-innocent way.
It's a bit disturbing to see how Pierce and his ilk see the Northerners, but I
suppose that is the point. The contrast between that and how he notes himself
thinking of Jina and the Rats "as someones rather some thing" is a nice and
clear show of time passing. Is it bad that I want to pat him on the head and
say, "Good boy"?
katharhino has just made a similar point in her review that these characters are sympathetic but still products of their environment.
These are not a characterizations I think one sees in female-written fan fic very often -- at least not intentionally and not where we are supposed to like the character in some way. Pierce is displaying some very traditional, very chauvinistic and (for me anyway) not very attractive character traits. I did at least give him the self knowledge that he is aware of them and he's certainly not abusive. Moreover, Maeve, who has thus far been written as this very hard, driven character is very much weakened by the fact that this man thinks she is pretty and desirable. This is all deliberate on my part, I think it's very typical in mainstream media content, and how many of us know in real life women whose brains were sucked out of their heads once they started dating a guy? Pierce's reflections of male pride in making a woman pregnant are uncomfortable reading but also very, very real. I've got more to say on these characterizations, especially Maeve, in the next two chapters.
For now, I'll just say "Yeah I know and I wouldn't want to date him, either" and "Maeve, snap out of it! Stop checking your brain at the door!" When writing something so giganormous, with so many characters, I don't need to have one single character carry the burden of male enlightenment or feminist virtue.
I have to snicker at Pierce's horrified realisations, and the
reverse-kill-list. Definitely a Guy, though, and amusing as such. This isn't a
typical way for a character to endear themselves to me, but Pierce manages it.
He's sweet, in his own entirely-not-innocent way.
It's a bit disturbing to see how Pierce and his ilk see the Northerners, but I
suppose that is the point. The contrast between that and how he notes himself
thinking of Jina and the Rats "as someones rather some thing" is a nice and
clear show of time passing. Is it bad that I want to pat him on the head and
say, "Good boy"?
katharhino has just made a similar point in her review that these characters are sympathetic but still products of their environment.
These are not a characterizations I think one sees in female-written fan fic very often -- at least not intentionally and not where we are supposed to like the character in some way. Pierce is displaying some very traditional, very chauvinistic and (for me anyway) not very attractive character traits. I did at least give him the self knowledge that he is aware of them and he's certainly not abusive. Moreover, Maeve, who has thus far been written as this very hard, driven character is very much weakened by the fact that this man thinks she is pretty and desirable. This is all deliberate on my part, I think it's very typical in mainstream media content, and how many of us know in real life women whose brains were sucked out of their heads once they started dating a guy? Pierce's reflections of male pride in making a woman pregnant are uncomfortable reading but also very, very real. I've got more to say on these characterizations, especially Maeve, in the next two chapters.
For now, I'll just say "Yeah I know and I wouldn't want to date him, either" and "Maeve, snap out of it! Stop checking your brain at the door!" When writing something so giganormous, with so many characters, I don't need to have one single character carry the burden of male enlightenment or feminist virtue.