I don't know if I was articulate as I could be, and I'm sure I left a lot out. But I am fully aware that "my Claire" is different from other people's idea of her.
However, I personally feel that her characterization on the show is very much a failing on the part of the Lost writers. And as a result I feel like my interpretation of Claire is, in a way, a meta. Not intentionally, per se, but essentially it is a criticism of the show's inability to ever show Claire as strong as she could be. As strong as I believe that she was. As a matter of fact, I feel that the over-simplification of her character makes her seem more weak, and more "immature" than she very well should be -- dependent and insignificant to boot.
That pretty much. On the show? Hate Claire. She annoyed the fucking shit out of me and it's because the writers took a character with potential and shoved her on the backburner. She ended up being more of a minor player in Charlie's storyline half the time. Just. No.
I may not be 100% able to put into words how the Claire that I write has "come to be" but I definitely know for certain how the writers ultimately failed that character [repeatedly].
I think, after writing her and pulling these thin threads that the writers gave us and constructing the person that felt far more real to me, my affection for the character only grew. Had I not done that, she would have been a "take her or leave her" character. But because of writing her I was really invested in what would happen to her when she came back in season six. And ultimately the writers failed her again by making her strength some kind of gimmick. No, she's just crazy, she's possessed. That's right -- no real character development here, but thanks for playing!
Eta: I just realized this title is kind of like a big bang theory episode title. Haha.
I love your explanation for Claire the way you see her. Here I was just thinking it was carry-over from Par Avion. There is so much here that never occurred to me. I guess we all choose to focus our attention on the characters we either love or hate and never really consider the ones who pass under our radar. "Maternal Instincts" deserves a re-watching now, I think. Odds are I'll be totally obsessed with her by tomorrow. (You've also managed to put what I dislike about Charlie/Claire into actual words, so thank you!)
And oh boy do I hear you on the failings of the Lost writers; most main females they introduced had incredible potential (I'm excluding Nikki because well...) and every single one of them was screwed over in terms of development and, uh, logic. (Does that make sense?) Ugh, now I'm, like, upset about Claire's craziness in season 6. How completely unnecessary. "Easy" is a great word for it. (That's actually my word of choice for complaining about season 6).
Honestly I should thank you for giving me the opportunity to consider my viewpoint on Claire. I am happy that it made you understand my writing of her better as well. But, honestly, I had never really sat down and thought about all of the pieces that make up "my Claire." I've always known it came from someplace that I felt was truthful for the character, but I'd never really took the time to discuss it or really even think in-depth about it. I guess it just felt natural to me and so I was doing what worked for me.
Regarding the story about the origins of this pairing. I was a fan of the Jack/Sawyer pairing from way back. At the beginning of the series, I used to vid, and I made videos for Lost and thus spent a lot of the early seasons at the LVI [Lost Video Island] forums. During one particularly rough patch in the show, [for me], if I couldn't find something nice to say in the episode response thread that was hosted there every week, I would make jokes about how Jack and Sawyer had looked at each other. Or if they hadn't shared a scene I would make a joke about how one or the other was obviously thinking about the other in a particular shot or scene. I did this as a joke, and also to have something lighthearted to say if I wasn't thrilled with an episode. Everyone knew I was kidding of course
( ... )
Sometimes the most awesome things start with a joke, so I definitely get it. My giant rough patch with the show didn't come until season 6, and I can't imagine I would have stuck with it if it had happened earlier, so I admire your endurance.
Thank you so much for the links! I guess I have some reading to do. I did rewatch "Maternal Instincts" and it was so much better this time than it was before.
I credit you for making me see the potential in Claire. Her character was the one I was most likely to single out as my least favorite before I started reading your fics. In canon I could see flashes of a character that I would have loved (maybe loved more than any of the others): her flashbacks, her hopefulness, her love for astrology, that scene at the end of "Maternity Leave"---these are things that I genuinely loved about her
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Oh my I'm so incredibly flattered that you credit me with that. I had no idea I had such influence, hehe. The canon version of Claire definitely felt off. I think it was just a convenience for the writers to sideline her or write her inconsistently, which they proved to be a favorite past-time with almost every single character. But especially with her. I'm glad I was able to salvage something out of the wreck they left and inspire others to do the same. I have never really thought much about what Abrams would have done with her. I certainly hope he would have done a better job but I guess we'll never now. Tragic.
Finding fandom and then your fics showed me what she could be. I feel like you (and all of the other talented ladies who write Claire fic) take the best parts of her and deepen them into a real person. Which in turn completely changed my perspective on her. -- This just warms my heart. Fandom can be awesome sometimes that way.
Now I try to write Claire as she could have been, rather than as she was. But most importantly
( ... )
Claire's character started off as little more than a catalyst for a series of interactions between the Others and the Survivors. If there hadn't been some "weak" pregnant girl on the plane, Ethan might never had done anything. But she acted as this sort of propeller of these events and didn't become important, really, until season 6. Which I think is just awful because she DID go through so many tough things!
I adore Claire. So much. And I think your characterization of her is wonderful. I agree, she did so many things that paint her as such a strong woman, but she was largely ignored. I remember watching season 1 and her being KIDNAPPED and the show concentrating on a fucking love triangle. I literally screamed "THE PREGNANT GIRL IS MISSING. DOES ONLY CHARLIE CARE?"
I'm really a firm believer that nothing is out-of-character if done in a way that is believable. THIS
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I think we, as fans, retain the right to interpret a character in fanfic the way we want to and, if we can do it well enough, pass that characterization off as something believable, which you do very well.
Thank you, I appreciate that. I honestly feel like I wouldn't be able to enjoy writing fanfic if I had to deal exclusively with what was given to me. Even in shows where I think the character development is done well I am always fascinated by alternative ways of believably exploring a character. I think it's a challenge, but it's absolutely crucial for me.
This is good. I've always sort of wondered how you go about writing Claire. There is no FORMULA to writing a character, merely an interpretation and thought process.Oh, I absolutely resent the idea that there's a formula for writing a character. Obviously there are "traits" you may choose to include from time to time in order to portray a character more believably or organically. Often in dialogue or the character's known thought-processes, etc. But depending on your jumping off
( ... )
Comments 14
I honestly have no words except YES.
Yes yes yes
:)
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♥
I don't know if I was articulate as I could be, and I'm sure I left a lot out. But I am fully aware that "my Claire" is different from other people's idea of her.
Reply
That pretty much. On the show? Hate Claire. She annoyed the fucking shit out of me and it's because the writers took a character with potential and shoved her on the backburner. She ended up being more of a minor player in Charlie's storyline half the time. Just. No.
Well done!
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I think, after writing her and pulling these thin threads that the writers gave us and constructing the person that felt far more real to me, my affection for the character only grew. Had I not done that, she would have been a "take her or leave her" character. But because of writing her I was really invested in what would happen to her when she came back in season six. And ultimately the writers failed her again by making her strength some kind of gimmick. No, she's just crazy, she's possessed. That's right -- no real character development here, but thanks for playing!
Eta: I just realized this title is kind of like a big bang theory episode title. Haha.
Reply
I love your explanation for Claire the way you see her. Here I was just thinking it was carry-over from Par Avion. There is so much here that never occurred to me. I guess we all choose to focus our attention on the characters we either love or hate and never really consider the ones who pass under our radar. "Maternal Instincts" deserves a re-watching now, I think. Odds are I'll be totally obsessed with her by tomorrow. (You've also managed to put what I dislike about Charlie/Claire into actual words, so thank you!)
And oh boy do I hear you on the failings of the Lost writers; most main females they introduced had incredible potential (I'm excluding Nikki because well...) and every single one of them was screwed over in terms of development and, uh, logic. (Does that make sense?) Ugh, now I'm, like, upset about Claire's craziness in season 6. How completely unnecessary. "Easy" is a great word for it. (That's actually my word of choice for complaining about season 6).
My love for these ( ... )
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WILL BE CONTINUED IN THE NEXT COMMENT!
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Thank you so much for the links! I guess I have some reading to do. I did rewatch "Maternal Instincts" and it was so much better this time than it was before.
Go right ahead, I'll add you too.
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Finding fandom and then your fics showed me what she could be. I feel like you (and all of the other talented ladies who write Claire fic) take the best parts of her and deepen them into a real person. Which in turn completely changed my perspective on her. -- This just warms my heart. Fandom can be awesome sometimes that way.
Now I try to write Claire as she could have been, rather than as she was. But most importantly ( ... )
Reply
I adore Claire. So much. And I think your characterization of her is wonderful. I agree, she did so many things that paint her as such a strong woman, but she was largely ignored. I remember watching season 1 and her being KIDNAPPED and the show concentrating on a fucking love triangle. I literally screamed "THE PREGNANT GIRL IS MISSING. DOES ONLY CHARLIE CARE?"
I'm really a firm believer that nothing is out-of-character if done in a way that is believable. THIS ( ... )
Reply
Thank you, I appreciate that. I honestly feel like I wouldn't be able to enjoy writing fanfic if I had to deal exclusively with what was given to me. Even in shows where I think the character development is done well I am always fascinated by alternative ways of believably exploring a character. I think it's a challenge, but it's absolutely crucial for me.
This is good. I've always sort of wondered how you go about writing Claire. There is no FORMULA to writing a character, merely an interpretation and thought process.Oh, I absolutely resent the idea that there's a formula for writing a character. Obviously there are "traits" you may choose to include from time to time in order to portray a character more believably or organically. Often in dialogue or the character's known thought-processes, etc. But depending on your jumping off ( ... )
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