Comments | borrowedwings: The Problem of Susan

borrowedwings

The Problem of Susan

Feb 03, 2008 15:05

As I mentioned previously, I am reading Neil Gaiman's Fragile Things, which I picked up mainly because of the story "The Problem of Susan." For the last few days, I've been mulling over this quite a bit.

( ramblings transcribed from paper journal )

narnia, neil gaiman

Comments 4

stargazzy February 3 2008, 21:02:42 UTC

Wow, I have never heard of this story or even given much thought to Susan's plight before, but you make me want to read it now and think about it more deeply! I may be back with more thoughts later... *checks library catalog*

pescana February 4 2008, 02:09:15 UTC

That was fascinating, thank you. I've read the Narnia books multiple times, and what happens to Susan made me somewhat uneasy but I always read it as an illustration of turning away from god and towards materialism, rather than womanly things. (I'm generalizing, but that's the crux of how it seemed to me.) Very interesting. Haven't read that particular Gaiman yet, but now I will definitely seek it out.

I really like your take on the melding of good and evil to create humankind. Thought-provoking!

idella February 4 2008, 05:06:10 UTC

Hi. I kind of skimmed this because I haven't read the Neil Gaiman story (and would now like to, thank you!), and I don't want to be spoiled, but I am with you on not liking what happens to Susan and the stupid "reasons" why. I can't respect Lewis as a result. (All my favourite Narnia fan fic is stuff that does better by Susan.)

eanja February 4 2008, 14:17:44 UTC

I haven't read this story yet- I'm working through that book bit by bit. But I have to say that while I can see it when it's pointed out, as a kid, I never once was bothered by Susan's plight- it seemed completely obvious to me that the problem was that she'd completely turned her back on everything important in order to pursue frivolous things. It never occurred to me that being party and appearance obsessed was a anti-female issue- I just thought, "she used to be a queen, and now she won't admit she was because she'd rather be the shallowest sort of teenager." Even in Narnia, when she was a queen, she was all about the boys and being courted and beautiful, and it didn't affect her being queen. So since the social aspect wasn't actually new, I always assumed it was the denying Narnia that was the problem- saying that things that happened to her should be ignored if they weren't socially acceptable, seemed to me, as a geekish child, to the worst possible sort of betrayal ( ... )