Subjective Characterization a.k.a. Are Bad Things Really Bad?
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| Title: | Subjective Characterization a.k.a. Are Bad Things Really Bad? |
| Creator: | GenX |
| Date(s): | June 27, 2000 |
| Medium: | online |
| Fandom: | |
| Topic: | Fanfiction |
| External Links: | Subjective Characterization a.k.a. Are Bad Things Really Bad?/WebCite |
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Subjective Characterization a.k.a. Are Bad Things Really Bad? is an essay by GenX.
It is part of the Fanfic Symposium series.
Some Topics Discussed
- canon character exaggerated suffering and questioning how this is not that different from whumping characters in fiction
- physical and emotional suffering in fanfiction as a way to manipulate characters, and fans
- The Sentinel, The Phantom Menace
Excerpts
I'm writing in reference to the column by Lucy entitled "When Bad Things Happen to Good Characters".I fail to argue point one since it states fact. As for point two, I begin:
Know this, I am self admitted h/c fan. Saying such, one angst fan to another, on some level you must realize that essentially our very capable characters (Obi-Wan, Iolaus, and yes to some extent Blair) must be portrayed in situations which, to quote a cliché, have overwhelming odds. Otherwise, our boys would be more than capable to take care of themselves leaving us the lovers, no outlet for our h/c desires.
That being said, I refute, to some extent, point two: "character is completely incapable of acting in his own defense in the slightest." Two out of three stories you referenced (I neglect to have read the third, but Hercules fan fic isn't my bag) have the characters actually taking a stand. Obi-Wan fights against rapers/captors and Blair...well...he actually shoots a man, which sets off the whole spiral. (Not to mention that while people or characters are under the influence they're not in the right to begin with.)
So is it a question not of lack of defense but of lack of defiance?
On a side note: most fan fic writers tend to stray from cannon slightly, thus the characters take on muted qualities that most people in the fandom desire. (Setting aside the whole genre of slash, except where obvious subtext has been established in cannon, the whole fandom is, essentially, wishful thinking or author interpretation.) Examples, Blair often gets too excited over many things, is portrayed too young, or weak. And I have yet to read one TPM story where Obi-Wan was not as cannon suggests, recovered from Qui-Gon's betrayal in the council chamber. (See the movie: he apologizes, and Terry Brook's novelization has lovely imagery concerning that rift.) Yet fic writers make than the his initial rejection his cross to bear. Never have I seen him fully recovered from it.
Not to mention that TS writers love have the bad guys take their revenge out on Blair.... Honestly, how many people know how important Blair is to Jim. Sure they can find out his residency, job, etc. But how often does one come exacting revenge actually on Jim? Yes, the argument can be made that it hurts Jim more to see Blair suffer. Yes, this is true. And proves my point about emotional angst.
Slightly back on track, ss for the purpose of suffering. In real life is there any? For the sake of the fandom, there must. Perhaps our bloke in distress isn't the character who gets the major change. Perhaps, it's Mr. Emotional Angst who learns the lesson. Going back to cannon: was Blair killed because (a) Alex is evil, (b) he betrayed (did he really?) Jim, (c) to get the series renewed, or (d) to get Jim to realize his worth. While the answer is (e) all of the above, if I had to chose, I'd go with (d). See my point?
I suggest that another's suffering is another's light. Gasp! Those poor dears are nothing but plot instruments not characters. How sad.
Let's look at cannon: Obi-Wan is rejected in JA. He burns out his lightsaber in TPM. He continually falls during the fight with Maul. Is spurned again my his master. His master dies.Blair, has been kidnapped too many times. Assaulted with poisonous spiders, stuck in lethal elevators, kidnapped by his next door neighbour, thrown out my his friend/roommate/partner/sentinel. Killed. Fallen prey to toxic water, beaten up by an international hit man, need I really continue. ('Is it just me or is Cascade the most dangerous city in America?')
Dare we talk about Iolaus, the man who has been dead in cannon, not once but twice, and resurrected/exorcised /freed by Hercules. He's been beaten up, sentenced to death, turned into something extremely weird by Ares, subjected to sleep depravation and brainwashing, poisoned, etc. He has an identical cousin who's a king, and that's in cannon!
If all this can happen, in cannon, why can't it happen in a series.