Dear Flist, I need your help. Sincerely, me

[kwritten]

This poll is research for my Thesis on fandom. Please, please, please share and tell your friends.

Comments

[upupa_epops]

Lj just ate my comment, and I have to run now, so please, please, nudge me a few hours before TVD time (or anytime later!).

[kwritten]

I'm nudging you!

Yes it's ridiculously late, but still. I'm back to this post finally.

[finkpishnets]

I first watched the series when it originally aired so viewed it in order, and maybe having no preconceived notions about any of the characters had an impact on my fondness for Dawn. I love her a lot. I've written only a little fic about her (though as one of my two starter fandoms, my thirteen year old self wrote a lot of Buffy fic that will never see the light of day) and that hasn't really impacted my opinion of her, the same way reading other fics hasn't, because I've always loved her and, over the years, I've come to realise how unchangeable that is.

That, of course, doesn't mean I don't see the flaws in her character, because nothing is without flaws and no character would be half as interesting without them. I have never, though, found her annoying. Perhaps that's because I was a teenager at the time of her appearance and related to her? Maybe it's because I have a younger sibling and know what they're like and that it doesn't make you love them any less? I've never really analysed why I like her (outside of the obvious), I

[kwritten]

Thank you so much for participating! And for your lovely comment, this is so nice and helpful.

but I haven't done any proper Buffy literary analyses since I wrote my dissertation
May I ask what the connection is?

[thepuddinhead]

Never been a fan of Dawn's from the get-go. I don't hate her, but I don't like her. I try to avoid fics that have her in them. When I'm doing a Buffy rewatch, I find I might skip over Dawncentric episodes.

I even have a theory as to why. I think Buffy came along at time in my life when I related a lot more to the adult characters who had to endure and angsty teen than I identified with the teen herself. Since I had plenty of teen drama in my real life, I wasn't interested in another heaping helpin' 'o self-centeredness on tv.

Not a feeling of hatred, by any means. But a feeling of patience and "enough is enough already."

[kwritten]

Firstly, this is so interesting - thank you so very much for commenting!!

Knowing now that you are not a Dawn fan, would you be willing to try an experiment for me? I completely understand if you are uncomfortable with it, but I highly respect you and your opinion (you are also the sole person to admit to disliking Dawn).

So let me know? ♥

((ps- sorry for the late response, RL is rude))

[thepuddinhead]

Sure - I'm up for most experiments. Except those that have to do with raw seafood and "Family Circus." What's up?

[kwritten]

Oh heavens. I completely went on a fandom hiatus for about a month just before this comment happened. I am so sorry.

I'm not sure if the experiment is worth anything anymore but my own curiosity. But if you are still interested?

[beer_good_foamy]

I love Dawn, but I think the only purely Dawn-focused meta I've written is this piece about Dawn's role (or lack thereof) in the comics. Which, as it turns out, I don't consider a part of the Buffyverse at all these days, but the meta is largely about what role she played in the TV series anyway.

Then again, I didn't get into the series properly until s6, so when I went back and watched it from the beginning I always knew Dawn was going to show up, and I always loved how she showed up.

[kwritten]

Thank you so much for the link, I really appreciate it.

I also loved how Dawn shows up. She's so fascinating.

I was discussing a week or so ago how in another show, her appearance would be considered "jumping the shark" - only they pulled it off.

[gillo]

I watched the entire series as it aired on the BBC (somewhat cut for early evening viewing.) and then again in unabridged repeats on Friday nights from part-way through, and then bought the DVDs as they came out (released here in Britain before they were released on DVD in the US!)

I recognised Dawn was annoying, but not only did I teach teenagers at the time, I also had two of my own, so I felt a bit maternal towards her, I suppose.

I've written several shortish fics involving Dawn - this is my most recent. Then there are some Spike & Dawn friendship fics: this, this, this, in a way, this (with Giles), this and this. She's also in several of my longer fics. In particular, she's my go-to character for sad Spike to talk to in the summer Buffy was dead. There may be others, too.

I like older Dawn - she is practical and intelligent and a good part of the team in S7, and has a taser to stop anyone abducting her for her own good. What's not to love in that?

[kwritten]

Thank you so so much for the links and for participating!

And if you have any other Dawn recs, I'd love to see them?