Comments | pyrrhiccomedy: Here Lie We

pyrrhiccomedy

Here Lie We

Oct 23, 2009 12:05

Title: Here Lie We
Originally posted: Here, for the CMC Event at the russiamerica comm. ♥ Prompt: Propaganda.
Length: 1,400 words.
Characters/Pairings: Primarily England. Also, America. Implied Russia/America.
Premise: Unsure what it might accomplish, England loans America a book that has only become more relevant with time.
Time period: 1984, of course.
( Read more... )

america, fanfic, russia, england

Comments 104

greenpanic6 October 23 2009, 04:48:07 UTC

awesome i loved the use of 1984 its my fav book

pyrrhiccomedy October 23 2009, 05:04:12 UTC

I don't know if I have one absolute favorite book, but 1984's in my nebulous floating top cluster of 4 or 5. XD It's weird, I hated it when I read it in high school--and then when I read it again when I got older, I loved it. Go figure, huh?

sakru909 October 23 2009, 05:01:01 UTC

Nice, I love the use of 1984.

Under the spreading chestnut tree
I sold you, and you sold me;
There lie they, and here lie we,
Under the spreading chestnut tree.

It sums it all up nicely, doesn't it?

pyrrhiccomedy October 23 2009, 05:32:05 UTC

It's a little too applicable, yeah. =/

windmilltilter October 23 2009, 05:06:42 UTC

I'm pretty sure this counts as a punch to the soul. ;_;

Oh America, your hidden depths are always a treat.

pyrrhiccomedy October 23 2009, 05:34:56 UTC

I think there's something kind of awful about how he lied to England about not getting the book, you know? Like...obviously, he got it. And he knows it's something England's sort of observed anyway, since otherwise he never would have recommended it to him. But he locks England out anyway. He didn't have to isolate himself over his regret, but...I kind of get the feeling that he could never open up about it, either. At least, not to anyone but Russia, who's going through the same thing.

rheoster October 23 2009, 05:54:53 UTC

It's sort of my head canon that America is so used to being with broken people, that he figured SOMEONE has to become a stable anchor for the other person's sake. He got used to listening to other's problems and never talking to anyone about his own problems, and once it became a habit, eventually America just does not feel safe and secure enough to open up to anyone anymore... not to England, not to Russia. Especially to England, especially to Russia.

America has a huge trust issue, oh ya...

pyrrhiccomedy October 23 2009, 06:14:56 UTC

It's sort of my head canon that America is so used to being with broken people, that he figured SOMEONE has to become a stable anchor for the other person's sake.

I don't know, I don't see it that way. I don't necessarily think England or Russia are any more broken than the next guy, really. Russia's pretty much a textbook PTSD sufferer in my mind, so he's more visibly fragile, but I think they're all a mess. America's no exception.

He got used to listening to other's problems and never talking to anyone about his own problems

Respectfully, none of these things seem very in character for the characters involved to me. England being the 'stiff upper lip,' textbook case of never, EVER talking about his feelings, and Russia having, well, such a huge issue with trust that he never wants to talk about his real feelings, either. America, on the other hand, is a very innately trusting sort of country, and very forthcoming, too, in most ways; and so I think, if anything, he might have gotten discouraged about sharing his feelings and ( ... )

Thread 5

tanya_tsuki October 23 2009, 05:12:02 UTC

I already thought you were amazing.
The fact that you wrote a fic based on Nineteen Eighty-Four just increased that thought.

That book is one of my favorites, and it's really not referenced enough in Hetalia fanfiction, I think.

I also love that you wrote this from England's point of view as opposed to America's. I really can't find the words to explain why I liked that so much, but I did.

pyrrhiccomedy October 23 2009, 05:39:01 UTC

Oh, thank you! ♥ I was really hoping you guys would let me get away with this. XD

I think England's the only candidate who would really think this through in a methodical way, you know? I feel like America would get 1984, and on a deep level, but in a very intuitive, unarticulated way, which would make it awfully hard to write from his POV about it.

dormition October 23 2009, 05:17:12 UTC

This was such a quiet and simply lovely little look into the emotion behind the Cold War. I completely enjoyed it, and especially England's abrupt sympathy despite rationally disapproving of the entire arrangement from the start.

I think the reason his narrative works so well is that we can all, at least on some level, agree with his take on it. Russia never really has been a country you could morally approve of in very many ways, but sympathize with? Certainly. And America being outwardly immature and argumentative but inwardly deeply regretful... very in character for him as a country, I feel, not only as a person.

In short, wonderful as always. ♥

Oh, and I approve of the new layout immensely. When fruitstyle first posted it I went into a fangasm of joy, I will admit. XD I was thrilled to see you using it.

pyrrhiccomedy October 23 2009, 05:41:01 UTC

America being outwardly immature and argumentative but inwardly deeply regretful... very in character for him as a country, I feel, not only as a person.

I totally agree. ♥ I think America is a lot more complex than most people give him (and it, as in, the real country) credit for, but it...sort of suits his purposes to keep it that way.

Oh, and I approve of the new layout immensely. When [info]fruitstyle first posted it I went into a fangasm of joy, I will admit. XD I was thrilled to see you using it.

*gush* Isn't it PRETTY? XD I must've looked at 100 layouts before I found this one, and then I was like, MINE. I'm probably gonna tweak the colors, but that's about it. 'S gorgeous.