[Bitter? Nah. I'm well-aged!]
Jul. 26th, 2005 05:17 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
reenkaThe more I stick around, the more I feel like slash fandom in particular is something like the cure for canon-love, if by 'canon' you're meaning the general work rather than some specialized obsessive corner. And it's funny, 'cause I wouldn't have thought I loved the HP canon enough for this sense of protectiveness to kick in... but the wankiness has sort of swept me under at this point.
If you love canon more than fanon, it almost seems counterproductive to be in a fandom for it, because the most intelligent responses tend to also be the most blatantly critical ones, with the rest being sort of a noisy background of squee. Possibly this is what you get for hanging out around slashers rather than the folks at HP for Grownups, I admit. Not that I want to talk HP plot theory or be all grownup, either. It's a conundrum.
I think currently, my only consistent sources for joy in fandom (given that most fanfic for my pairing makes me gnash my teeth most of the time) have been the fanartists-- stuff like![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
tetherhooks' HBP art review. Man. What would I do without the happiness that is fanart? Probably I'd just read some more of those awkwardly written, badly-characterized YA fantasy books.
You know what I've realized? Especially after reading Amanuensis' (spoilery) essay on romance in HP-- it struck me that while I agree with her point that they're largely plot-driven, not character or romance-driven books overall, and I should be dissatisfied with that since my primary interests are all about character (and often romance), I'm not. Possibly because I'm lucky, and the characters to get the most development automatically become my favorites (thus I'm easily drawn to whatever character is at the story's focus is at the moment, and always most invested in Harry himself.) In other words, because I don't tend to insist on which characters get developed, or how, as long as I can have something to focus my interest on. It doesn't have to be what I expected to like; it doesn't have to involve my favorite character. In fact, I'm all the more pleased if it's a surprise.
I'm not unhappy with the books at all, really, because it's not like I expected anything from them, either in the plot or characterization department (or, I tried not to). I do read for Harry & for character development on various other fronts (I'm not too picky), but most of all I read for pleasure, not really fanon-fodder or analysis-fodder or any of that. I know the books aren't that great in this-and-that way. I just enjoy them anyway, and largely find that focusing on their shortcomings only upsets me & adds nothing to my life.
In the end, I do think this all comes down to the reader's level of expectation-- at least, the level of disappointment or surprise is directly correlated to one's level of pre-existing expectation, and I suppose it's in the nature of fannishness to expect certain things from the canon text, maybe. Though I actually expect a lot more from fanfic, since I'm usually (...usually) asked to make more of a jump in belief, with less thorough context. I think this mad pickiness with fanon is what seems to identify me as a canon-leaning fan, though I actually am more invested in my personal fanon than canon. It's all pretty... weird, I think. But almost all the wank I see has to do with crushed/twisted expectations, to the point where I'm starting to wonder if having any (and thus caring in the first place-- or is that 'projecting' rather than 'caring'?) is like, the original error (though it seems like a basic human tendency).
I expected things to make sense, for the characters to follow some sort of internal logic I can grab on to, and on a return to the same world that follows the same general rules. And, of course, I did get that much, though I follow the books' logic rather than necessarily my own in saying that. And that's what allows me my contentment, I believe-- not necessarily an active agreement with the author (and definitely not some wanky belief that Author is God), but rather a willingness to read for pleasure; to allow the story to tell itself to me without undue cross-examination on my part. I question things that remain unresolved or ambiguous, and accept the things that are laid down, inelegantly perhaps but in line with the general arc of development, because it's easier that way. Because it allows the rest of the story to continue. JKR is actually pretty self-consistent in the meta sense, it seems to me.
But my point is really about fandom: and that is that fandom-style analysis drains my love for canon like nothing else can. In fact, if I didn't love fanon (mostly just one aspect at this point, really, that being H/D), I'd leave fandom without a second thought, because it's like the canon-love killer, I swear. It's great for the fanon fan, really kind of depressing for the canon fan. Since I'm both at different points, mostly it just makes me schizoid.
Maybe it's just the meta circles I hang about in, but almost every nitpicky or bashing or negative post makes me more and more 'serious', less and less -wanting- to write -or- care about these characters, less and less enthused.
~~
So. I'd really appreciate it if you commented with something-- anything-- you really loved about any of the books, especially the latest one, that doesn't deal with your pet character/pairing/theme, though that stipulation isn't necessary. Lemme feel some love :((
If you love canon more than fanon, it almost seems counterproductive to be in a fandom for it, because the most intelligent responses tend to also be the most blatantly critical ones, with the rest being sort of a noisy background of squee. Possibly this is what you get for hanging out around slashers rather than the folks at HP for Grownups, I admit. Not that I want to talk HP plot theory or be all grownup, either. It's a conundrum.
I think currently, my only consistent sources for joy in fandom (given that most fanfic for my pairing makes me gnash my teeth most of the time) have been the fanartists-- stuff like
tetherhooks' HBP art review. Man. What would I do without the happiness that is fanart? Probably I'd just read some more of those awkwardly written, badly-characterized YA fantasy books.You know what I've realized? Especially after reading Amanuensis' (spoilery) essay on romance in HP-- it struck me that while I agree with her point that they're largely plot-driven, not character or romance-driven books overall, and I should be dissatisfied with that since my primary interests are all about character (and often romance), I'm not. Possibly because I'm lucky, and the characters to get the most development automatically become my favorites (thus I'm easily drawn to whatever character is at the story's focus is at the moment, and always most invested in Harry himself.) In other words, because I don't tend to insist on which characters get developed, or how, as long as I can have something to focus my interest on. It doesn't have to be what I expected to like; it doesn't have to involve my favorite character. In fact, I'm all the more pleased if it's a surprise.
I'm not unhappy with the books at all, really, because it's not like I expected anything from them, either in the plot or characterization department (or, I tried not to). I do read for Harry & for character development on various other fronts (I'm not too picky), but most of all I read for pleasure, not really fanon-fodder or analysis-fodder or any of that. I know the books aren't that great in this-and-that way. I just enjoy them anyway, and largely find that focusing on their shortcomings only upsets me & adds nothing to my life.
In the end, I do think this all comes down to the reader's level of expectation-- at least, the level of disappointment or surprise is directly correlated to one's level of pre-existing expectation, and I suppose it's in the nature of fannishness to expect certain things from the canon text, maybe. Though I actually expect a lot more from fanfic, since I'm usually (...usually) asked to make more of a jump in belief, with less thorough context. I think this mad pickiness with fanon is what seems to identify me as a canon-leaning fan, though I actually am more invested in my personal fanon than canon. It's all pretty... weird, I think. But almost all the wank I see has to do with crushed/twisted expectations, to the point where I'm starting to wonder if having any (and thus caring in the first place-- or is that 'projecting' rather than 'caring'?) is like, the original error (though it seems like a basic human tendency).
I expected things to make sense, for the characters to follow some sort of internal logic I can grab on to, and on a return to the same world that follows the same general rules. And, of course, I did get that much, though I follow the books' logic rather than necessarily my own in saying that. And that's what allows me my contentment, I believe-- not necessarily an active agreement with the author (and definitely not some wanky belief that Author is God), but rather a willingness to read for pleasure; to allow the story to tell itself to me without undue cross-examination on my part. I question things that remain unresolved or ambiguous, and accept the things that are laid down, inelegantly perhaps but in line with the general arc of development, because it's easier that way. Because it allows the rest of the story to continue. JKR is actually pretty self-consistent in the meta sense, it seems to me.
But my point is really about fandom: and that is that fandom-style analysis drains my love for canon like nothing else can. In fact, if I didn't love fanon (mostly just one aspect at this point, really, that being H/D), I'd leave fandom without a second thought, because it's like the canon-love killer, I swear. It's great for the fanon fan, really kind of depressing for the canon fan. Since I'm both at different points, mostly it just makes me schizoid.
Maybe it's just the meta circles I hang about in, but almost every nitpicky or bashing or negative post makes me more and more 'serious', less and less -wanting- to write -or- care about these characters, less and less enthused.
~~
So. I'd really appreciate it if you commented with something-- anything-- you really loved about any of the books, especially the latest one, that doesn't deal with your pet character/pairing/theme, though that stipulation isn't necessary. Lemme feel some love :((
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no subject
Date: 2005-07-27 04:00 am (UTC)I really enjoyed reading this. It's so nice to know that I'm not the only one who feels this way. I had so much fun reading HBP. Seeing the fandom's reaction... not so much.
There're so many great moments from HBP that have already been mentioned, so I'll go back to previous books.
From the very beginning, I've always loved Harry's dry wit and Draco's nasty sense of humor.
"I didn't realize it had to be so wet"
To Snape: "I don't know, I think Hermione does though, why don't you try her."
"Wow, I wonder what it'd be like to have a difficult life?"
"'You know how I think they choose people for the Gryffindor team?' said Malfoy a few minutes later, as Snape awarded Hufflepuff another penalty for no reason at all. 'It's people they feel sorry for. See, there's Potter, who's got no parents, then there's the Weasleys, who've got no money – you should be on the team, Longbottom, you've got no brains.'"
"Honestly, if you were any slower, you'd be going backwards."
Malfoy glanced around -- Harry knew he was checking for signs of teachers -- then he looked back at Harry and said in a low voice, "You're dead, Potter."
Harry raised his eyebrows. "Funny" he said, "you'd think I'd have stopped walking around…"