The Art Of Writing Claire
I'll admit that I had a little bit of a giggle when toestastegood first approached me to write this up because isn't it just a tad ironic that the blonde Australian chick who writes about the blonde Australian chick from Lost is leading a discussion about her? Maybe it's just me. In any case, I've always identified with the character of Claire - and not just because we're both blonde and Australian either. In particular I get her trust issues with men, I envy her loyalty, share her stubborness and determination and I truly empathise with the way that everyone around her seems to want to protect her - even though it often pisses her off. I also love that she's just an average girl who used to work at a Fish & Chip shop and who grew slowly and awkwardly into her role as a mum to baby Aaron. She's not supermum, she's not a tracker or a fighter or a hunter but she makes the best of what she's got on the Island and for that I applaud her.
Crikey...I need to learn how to talk less - shut up Ellin. Anyway, before I launch into the main body of this I just want to take the chance to thank toestastegood for offering me the chance to lead this discussion. I hope I've done my Lost alter-ego justice :D
xoxo sapph
WARNING: spoilers abound - all the way up to the end of S5 and possible speculation to the end of the series in comments.
~*~
She’s cute, she’s blonde, she loves peanut butter and astrology - oh and she may have unwittingly given birth to the anti-Christ. Or something. We’re not entirely sure. Meet Claire Littleton - who was apparently the only Aussie on flight 815. Well...except for maybe Cindy the flight attendant. Her journey on the show has revealed her to have been a difficult teenager, a woman with severe abandonment issues and a fiercely loving and protective mother to her son Aaron. After her prolonged absence from the show, I’m sure I’m not the only fan of Claire who is wondering exactly how her story is going to end. But before we get into the penultimate season I think we might need a tiny bit of a refresher on her character...
She’s spiritual - but in a more new-age, hippyish kind of sense.This totally appeals to me because again, it's something we have in common. In season three we discovered that the sweet blonde girl we first met way back in season one had once upon a time been a sullen, black haired goth-chick and when I first saw it I remember thinking that it totally sets up for her grungy leather cuffs in early S1 and also her interest/belief in astrology and other forms of divination (like psychics). Her night terrors when she was pregnant were also strangely prophetic - and she’s also seemingly had visions/hallucinations of her father (who may or may not have been Jacob but still).
She’s usually prepared to give somebody a second chance if they screw up
- BUT she also has her limits and she sticks to them (especially if it's in regards to Aaron)Claire is certainly no stranger to screw ups; having put her own mother in a coma and gotten knocked up by her boyfriend within the same decade. But time and again we see that she is willing to forgive people if they make effort. Even before the island she hints to Richard Malkin that she’s hoping she and Thomas might still get back together and raise their baby together.
Her relationship with Charlie is a perfect example of this. In season one when he refuses to tell her about Ethan’s strategy to get her back again she is decidedly furious with him but after Charlie kills Ethan she shows her compassion by comforting him even though she herself is frightened - “I want to trust you”. In season two she blasts Charlie for bringing his drugs near Aaron (and later for stealing him) and yet she still gets Eko to baptise her and Aaron. She begins to forgive Charlie for his latest transgressions after he brings her a peace offering of vaccine and in the third season she takes the ultimate leap and forgives him almost instantly when she finds out why he’s been lying about Desmond’s death flashes; “we’re gonna be okay - you’re gonna be okay. We’ll get through this together.” I love that she steps up to the plate here and supports him when he’s obviously feeling very frightened and uncertain. Oh and while I’m on that note…
She and Charlie together one of the cutest bloody ships ever put on the telly - and they also make for some great flangstYeah, those of you who know me all knew it was coming hehe :D I’m probably a teensy bit biased when it comes to these two, but can anyone here honestly tell me that they have not had some great moments together? The peanut butter scene still makes me flail about like an absolute ninny and I’m also a huge fan of their conversation in White Rabbit where he tells hers that she doesn’t scare him. After Thomas’s total rejection of her and their child I can imagine how important it was for Claire to see that she could still be loved by somebody and not feel like a burden.
The girl has got some serious heart and determination.Like I said earlier - she might not be one of the heroines of the show but if she can help somebody out then she’ll do her damndest. Remember when she took it upon herself to organise a memorial service for those who didn’t survive the crash way back in season one? And another shining moment was when she stepped up to act as bait for Ethan; “I don’t remember Ethan. I don’t remember what he did to me. But if I can stop him from hurting anyone else...I have to do that.” You've got to give her kudos for that even if she wasn't fully aware of what she was getting herself into.
She adores her son.I could totally blabber on about this and how she was an unwilling mum who turned out to be fiercely protective and exceptionally loving and would do anything for him and all of that. Instead I’m going to give you a choice quote from the end of Maternity Leave; “You know, I wanted them to take you. But now I know we’re supposed to be together - you and me. We’re supposed to take care of each other okay? You’re mine. And I love you - I love you so much!”
Says it all really dunnit? And now for ze questions.
1. What do you find easy about writing Claire? What do you feel are the challenges of writing her?
2. I've focused mainly on the good stuff in my meta but what don't you like about Claire as character?
3. In fandom she’s been shipped with just about every character, male (and female) on (and off) the Island. Who do you like to see her shipped with and why? BONUS: what about gen fics? Who do you like to see her with in a friendship capacity?
4. Claire has been portrayed as the damsel in distress more than once on the show. Have you ever written/read her in a more active, even heroic role? What was it that prompted you to write her that way/what did you enjoy about the fic?
5. What are some other untapped parts of her personality or backstory that you would like to see/have fic written about?
6. The Jack-and-Claire-are-siblings reveal - awesome twist or the worst decision and least surprising flashback reveal in Lost history?
7. A lot of fans are unhappy with the way Claire’s character has been used as a device to further other characters stories (i.e. Kate’s FF story in Eggtown) instead of exploring her own character more. Fair deuce or does that sort of thing put you up in arms and make you want to read/write fix-it fic?
8. We know she’s kind of in between places (or something to that effect) at the moment but I want to ask how you think Claire’s story will wrap up in S6 and how you’d like it to finish?
Finally - have you got any great Claire fics to rec? Do it here! (meanwhile I’m going to just be a complete fic-whore and pimp out my Claire tag on my fanfiction archive)
Crikey...I need to learn how to talk less - shut up Ellin. Anyway, before I launch into the main body of this I just want to take the chance to thank toestastegood for offering me the chance to lead this discussion. I hope I've done my Lost alter-ego justice :D
xoxo sapph
WARNING: spoilers abound - all the way up to the end of S5 and possible speculation to the end of the series in comments.
~*~
She’s cute, she’s blonde, she loves peanut butter and astrology - oh and she may have unwittingly given birth to the anti-Christ. Or something. We’re not entirely sure. Meet Claire Littleton - who was apparently the only Aussie on flight 815. Well...except for maybe Cindy the flight attendant. Her journey on the show has revealed her to have been a difficult teenager, a woman with severe abandonment issues and a fiercely loving and protective mother to her son Aaron. After her prolonged absence from the show, I’m sure I’m not the only fan of Claire who is wondering exactly how her story is going to end. But before we get into the penultimate season I think we might need a tiny bit of a refresher on her character...
She’s spiritual - but in a more new-age, hippyish kind of sense.This totally appeals to me because again, it's something we have in common. In season three we discovered that the sweet blonde girl we first met way back in season one had once upon a time been a sullen, black haired goth-chick and when I first saw it I remember thinking that it totally sets up for her grungy leather cuffs in early S1 and also her interest/belief in astrology and other forms of divination (like psychics). Her night terrors when she was pregnant were also strangely prophetic - and she’s also seemingly had visions/hallucinations of her father (who may or may not have been Jacob but still).
She’s usually prepared to give somebody a second chance if they screw up
- BUT she also has her limits and she sticks to them (especially if it's in regards to Aaron)Claire is certainly no stranger to screw ups; having put her own mother in a coma and gotten knocked up by her boyfriend within the same decade. But time and again we see that she is willing to forgive people if they make effort. Even before the island she hints to Richard Malkin that she’s hoping she and Thomas might still get back together and raise their baby together.
Her relationship with Charlie is a perfect example of this. In season one when he refuses to tell her about Ethan’s strategy to get her back again she is decidedly furious with him but after Charlie kills Ethan she shows her compassion by comforting him even though she herself is frightened - “I want to trust you”. In season two she blasts Charlie for bringing his drugs near Aaron (and later for stealing him) and yet she still gets Eko to baptise her and Aaron. She begins to forgive Charlie for his latest transgressions after he brings her a peace offering of vaccine and in the third season she takes the ultimate leap and forgives him almost instantly when she finds out why he’s been lying about Desmond’s death flashes; “we’re gonna be okay - you’re gonna be okay. We’ll get through this together.” I love that she steps up to the plate here and supports him when he’s obviously feeling very frightened and uncertain. Oh and while I’m on that note…
She and Charlie together one of the cutest bloody ships ever put on the telly - and they also make for some great flangstYeah, those of you who know me all knew it was coming hehe :D I’m probably a teensy bit biased when it comes to these two, but can anyone here honestly tell me that they have not had some great moments together? The peanut butter scene still makes me flail about like an absolute ninny and I’m also a huge fan of their conversation in White Rabbit where he tells hers that she doesn’t scare him. After Thomas’s total rejection of her and their child I can imagine how important it was for Claire to see that she could still be loved by somebody and not feel like a burden.
The girl has got some serious heart and determination.Like I said earlier - she might not be one of the heroines of the show but if she can help somebody out then she’ll do her damndest. Remember when she took it upon herself to organise a memorial service for those who didn’t survive the crash way back in season one? And another shining moment was when she stepped up to act as bait for Ethan; “I don’t remember Ethan. I don’t remember what he did to me. But if I can stop him from hurting anyone else...I have to do that.” You've got to give her kudos for that even if she wasn't fully aware of what she was getting herself into.
She adores her son.I could totally blabber on about this and how she was an unwilling mum who turned out to be fiercely protective and exceptionally loving and would do anything for him and all of that. Instead I’m going to give you a choice quote from the end of Maternity Leave; “You know, I wanted them to take you. But now I know we’re supposed to be together - you and me. We’re supposed to take care of each other okay? You’re mine. And I love you - I love you so much!”
Says it all really dunnit? And now for ze questions.
1. What do you find easy about writing Claire? What do you feel are the challenges of writing her?
2. I've focused mainly on the good stuff in my meta but what don't you like about Claire as character?
3. In fandom she’s been shipped with just about every character, male (and female) on (and off) the Island. Who do you like to see her shipped with and why? BONUS: what about gen fics? Who do you like to see her with in a friendship capacity?
4. Claire has been portrayed as the damsel in distress more than once on the show. Have you ever written/read her in a more active, even heroic role? What was it that prompted you to write her that way/what did you enjoy about the fic?
5. What are some other untapped parts of her personality or backstory that you would like to see/have fic written about?
6. The Jack-and-Claire-are-siblings reveal - awesome twist or the worst decision and least surprising flashback reveal in Lost history?
7. A lot of fans are unhappy with the way Claire’s character has been used as a device to further other characters stories (i.e. Kate’s FF story in Eggtown) instead of exploring her own character more. Fair deuce or does that sort of thing put you up in arms and make you want to read/write fix-it fic?
8. We know she’s kind of in between places (or something to that effect) at the moment but I want to ask how you think Claire’s story will wrap up in S6 and how you’d like it to finish?
Finally - have you got any great Claire fics to rec? Do it here! (meanwhile I’m going to just be a complete fic-whore and pimp out my Claire tag on my fanfiction archive)