The Original Character Debate in Fanfiction

[witchsistah]

I seriously do not see what the whole beef is. I know it's because most ficcers who write OCs write shitty ones that turn into Mary Sues, and a lot of them are glamorized author insertions. That's called BAD WRITING and it can happen in original fic too (Jane Auel, I'm lookin' dead at YOU!). Usually, when the bad writing happens, there's a lot

Comments

[seashadows]

You win a thousand internets for mentioning Auel.

Ayla = Mary Sue a zillion times over...even the cardboard cutouts like Attaroa and Joplaya were characterized better in the later books.

[witchsistah]

As I was reading those books, it got to the point that I swore I'd burn them bitches if another dude started drooling over Ayla. I was DONE at Auel's passive racism in having Ayla ALMOST marry the half-Black guy (and I notice how the dude's all-Black mom was conveniently killed in his background history. Can't have any darkie gals competing with our prehistoric Aryan goddess) only to have Jondalar save her from such a horrid mistake at the last damn minute after a whole novel of him AND her dithering about making erroneous assumptions and hiding their feelings about the whole situation. Auel could sit and spin after that, as far as I was concerned.

[seashadows]

YES. At least Ranec seemed to have a highly intelligent, functioning brain, unlike Jondalar the Dumbass. Seriously? Blond does NOT equal awesome.

And what about her making the Clan, conveniently as well, all olive-skinned, black-haired, and brown-eyed, and then made out to be inferior, no matter how many times she stressed that they were wonderful in an old-fashioned, doomed-to-die way? Genetic research even back then could prove that they were fair as well...way to state your racism and anti-Semitism, Jean. *raises a dark, Clanlike hand*

[witchsistah]

Blond does NOT equal awesome.

Dude, can we skywrite this everywhere?!

I read that whole story, from Jondalar on, as one big ol' White woman wish fulfillment fic. All the men, of ALL races, drool over her and all the women WANT to hate but instead love and befriend her. And all the women of color are dead and therefore are unable to compete with her.

[seashadows]

I read that whole story, from Jondalar on, as one big ol' White woman wish fulfillment fic.

EXACTLY! Clearly, she's never been satisfied with her husband and/or is a closeted racist.

And, what's more, she whitewashes all of the kids who have any African or Asian blood in them. Making Ranec's son ghost-pale with blue eyes and red hair? I highly doubt that would happen in reality. And Joplaya is apparently five-ten with green eyes, the only concession to her Chinese (?) mother being the "slight slant" to aforementioned eyes. Riiiiight...

I'm reading the sixth book out of loyalty to the fandom, but if it's filled with Ayla-worship, I'm writing Auel a strongly-worded letter. And my strong words? Very strong.