how to handle contradictions

[Amy Z]

Steve wrote:

> I'm not quite sure yet how to handle a LOT of things. For example, 
> the names of new shops on Diagon Alley...do I include them? As for 
> James' postition, I might put it on there that it was identified as 
> Seeker in the film. The date is more important, actually. If he 
> received the award in 1972, that means our date figuring is more or 
> less correct. So do I accept that but not the Seeker part? *sigh*

To me it is frustrating but simple:  whatever is in the books is 
canon.  Whatever JKR says with her own lips or pen is the truth.  She 
will sometimes contradict herself, of course, being human, and we'll 
argue about those bits 'til we're blue in the face (e.g. has Nick 
been dead 400 years or 500?).  For the most part, though, the world 
within the books is consistent, and I will enjoy the movies as a 
particularly sophisticated form of fanfiction:  HP-related and I hope 
faithful, but not canon.

It's like the thousands of directors of stage and film who have done 
what they pleased with Shakespeare.  That's fine and creative, but 
Shakespeare wrote what he wrote, and if someone decides the play is 
depressing enough and cuts out Ophelia's suicide (whoops, sorry, 
spoiler for Hamlet there <g>), we don't revise the canon.  We just 
say, "Well, that's THEIR opinion" and turn back to the plays.

I know it's not the same, because unlike Shakespeare, JKR is alive 
and well and had input into the film.  But the fact is that she is 
not the author nor the director and does not have final authority 
over what happens in the films; she has sold the rights to WB and if 
they decide to make Sprout and Snape do a tapdancing routine on the 
roof, all she can do is say she doesn't like the movie.  The only 
pure JKR creations are the books and whatever she says in interviews.

Well, I'm a purist in most things, so take that into account.

Amy
who also believes the designated hitter should be outlawed by an act 
of Congress