BWB & Call for Investigation (Cut for Spoilers)

[slashpine]

So much good meta on this last book! I'm loving the fast and insightful comments (WITH SPOILERS) by bethbethbeth, amanuensis1, erastes, catrinella (ultra-funny!), celandineb, maeglinyedi, musigneus, atdelphi, and many in lupin_snape and other places listed at The Daily Snitch. What a fitting tribute to the book and the series.

And already with the fanfic! (RIFE with SPOILERS) snape_potter has some great new chapters for the Potterverse, and

Comments

[slashpine]

*snerk*

Well put. In terms of restitution, it seems that fandom is already at work to restore the dignity and even lives of several neglected characters!

In an ironic way, I suppose I'm grateful that this series displayed so many literary flaws and social biases. What a huge data base for analysis of (in no particular order):

• sexism,
  
• hostility to sexual differences,
  
• racial and ethnic stereotypes,
  
• prejudices against (dis)ability (physical, emotional, and learning differences)
  
• borrowing from other literature
  
• world-building and its failure
  
• characterization (how to do it - and not)
  
• sheer moral determinism (you're either born a hero, or predestined for tragedy?)
  
• ... and oh yes, colossally divergent views of the "authority" of the canon, or author -- versus the interpretive effect of fandom. This analyzes so many ways: as text, as philosophy, and in social theory. JKR's closely controlled media phenomenon takes a pre-cyberculture, non-wiki, individualist view of "creation" that nevertheless acknowledges, by trying to exploit, the newer "convergence culture" (a la Henry Jenkins), with its communitarian and open-text views.

Damn, I want to get my *cough* "real work" in hand so I can think about doing some research on this for at least some decent meta here or even better, at an HP conference. The brilliance of fandom minds is amazing!

P.S. Icon love :D

[quivo]

I want to get my *cough* "real work" in hand

Lol, I know what you mean. Weirdly enough, I'm in about the same position as regards writing fic- was hit with a serious need to start writing something that I've been obsessing over how to write for a while, and once I started writing, it just kept coming.

The brilliance of fandom minds is amazing!
INDEED. I love that I can just pretty much forget about the last book and dive back into following the WiPs I was following before it started, or engage as deeply as I want in commenting to all the meta I'm sure will start pouring out. As you pointed out, there's a wealth of material for everyone to chew over, disregard and/or cling to now- I can't wait to see what fandom becomes now.

[quivo]

Oh, and thanks for the icon love! So appropriate now too *grins devilishly*