Story 93: "Moment of Inertia" by Pteropod

[wendelah1]

It's been a long time since my last entry here, for which I apologize. I've been very preoccupied with the impending closure of Geocities fan sites. In any case, this week's story was nominated by amyhit. For those readers who are utterly uninterested in season 8 fic and wish we would just get on with it already, that's okay. Just nominate something else

Comments

articulation is hard - 2/2

[amyhit]

However, about half way through the fic, Scully seems to accept her irrationality and begin to allow it -- allow chaos:

was appalled at the order she'd imposed. He'd come back to folded underwear where he was used to disarray and suddenly the idea was horrific, untenable, so she tossed it all on the bed again and filled the drawers haphazardly, shaking creases out of t-shirts and releasing the socks from their pairwise bonds.

she began with the intention of order, but she saw her behavior in light of who mulder is and reversed the process. her behavior at this point is irrational, but not compulsive the way it has been. she is thinking, rather than simply acting. She is not just 'an object in motion, staying in motion'. This trend continues:

Orion tips incessantly, poised for an interstellar cartwheel, and she wants to spend her days puzzling out the cosmos: can a spaceship travel faster than light, and if it could, where would it go?the language here is almost oxymoronic. to 'tip' being precarious, chaotic, but 'incessant' being

um, one more thing

[amyhit]

okay, so i'm feeling very pleased, but also like a dope. i had actually forgotten the entire time i was writing the above comment that the title of this little gem is, in fact, Moment of Inertia. HA!

that strikes me as highly oxymoronic in itself (and seriously awesome). time is inherent to inertia, yet the very definition of the word 'moment' excludes time! i could be wrong, but i don't think the title is referring to a specific point within the fic. i think it's referring to every point within the fic. inertia is the constant, and each scene is under its influence, and/or under the influence of an event that will change the specifics of inertia.

and then there are the things that inertia is irrelevant to. the things the characters are harboring within themselves: doggett's son. scully and mulder on a case, in a field - their hands about to touch.

ETA:

okay, so i didn't realize that Moment of Inertia is actually a a principal in physics that dictates the measure of an object's resistance to changes in its rotation rate. (It can

Re: um, one more thing

[wendelah1]

oh the joyous intelligence of our fandom, in which people write things that you can delve into like this. *g*

Yes, yes, and yes.

Re: um, one more thing

[estella_c]

I am intensely respectful of your analysis of MOI. Work like this enriches the experience of reading fiction, and it really doesn't matter that there are various ways of seeing a single piece. The fact that thought is aroused proves the value of the subject.

I liked that you pointed out that the theme may be unconscious on the part of the writer. People are always saying "the writer didn't mean it" as if that's the important thing. Writers work with both the conscious and the subconscious. Then the ball is in the reader's court to untwine.

You know who could appreciate this? David Duchovny. If, that is, he could be persuaded to take an interest in fanfic. Which, probably not.

Re: um, one more thing

[amyhit]

thank you, both of you. unfortunately, these sorts of long dissertations are not conducive to conversation, which is why i always feel a little out of place posting them, but i'm glad you feel them to be beneficial all the same.

If, that is, he could be persuaded to take an interest in fanfic.

oh, if only we could get the rest of the world to let go of their fanfic prejudices. it's seriously difficult. i've been trying with several people, but they find it all so embarrassing, no matter what. if fame or fortune are in my future, i hereby solemnly swear to hold fanfic rallies and educate the public en mass. *g*

Re: um, one more thing

[wendelah1]

unfortunately, these sorts of long dissertations are not conducive to conversation, which is why i always feel a little out of place posting them, but i'm glad you feel them to be beneficial all the same.

You know, I think they are conducive to conversation. I'm just too preoccupied with other things right now to respond in kind, and for that I am sorry. Please don't stop sharing your thoughts on the stories. I will get back to this as soon as I can free up some time.

Re: um, one more thing

[amyhit]

I will get back to this as soon as I can free up some time.

i understand, and look forward to your having some free time, though i'm sure not half so much as you look forward to it. i wasn't insinuating anything before. i really meant it, and was trying to say that i understood and thought nothing of it if no one had the time to come back to this discussion. for me, a comment like, "this is great, i really love the line ----. i feel like Character A was really in character in particular." is something that, while relatively basic, is also excellent for sparking discussion, because it provides an 'in' for other people to get their own opinions rolling out. a lengthy comment in regards to meaning and theme doesn't invite other people's opinions in the same way. even if it is meant to.

i'm not sure if this is off topic or not. it's kind of a discussion of the discussion of fanfic, rather than the outright discussion of fanfic. *g*