Why people read fiction (was: Argument for why people aren'tinterested in slash)

[Morrigan]

-----Original Message-----
From: Queer as John

>Of course, David Eddings is the counterexample -- I didn't get bored of the
>Belgariad, Malloreon, Tamuli or Elenium, though they are blatantly
>stereotypical characters and, indeed, settings and plots. I'm not sure why
I
>didn't get bored of this one -- anybody got suggestions?

Well, I can tell you why the Belgariad and Mallorean are still some of my
favorite books, and I continue to re-read them to this day, and I also think
is why I love Harry Potter so much - it's a fantasy, pure and simple.

I can't really speak for you or anyone else, but I do know from talking to
people that not everyone reads like I do - and I mean "like I do" in terms
of amount, intensity, enjoyment and immersement.  I read for pleasure a LOT
(as in up to 3-4 books a week, which went down to 1 a week when I was in
grad school), reading means a lot to me, I LOVE to read, and I really get
into the books I read.  When I read something I really enjoy, I become a
part of it, and in the case of a fantasy, it's an escape.  (I know that some
people would find that psychologically harmful, but get off it - everyone
finds a way to escape from the pressures of the everyday world.  Reading has
been mine since I was 3 years old.)  Maybe it's my upbringing, maybe it's
just how my mind works - I can't say.

I agree that the characters in Eddings' books are stereotypical in the
extreme, but the truth is, I didn't really REALIZE that until sometime in
the last year or so, when someone pointed it out to me - it may have been on
this list, actually.  Until that time, I hadn't performed any great literary
analysis on the books - I had just enjoyed them.  Perhaps they are better
written than the other books you mentioned?  Perhaps the stories are better?
Perhaps, despite the stereotypicalness of Eddings' works, you just relate
better to the worlds he's created.

One could certainly make the argument that Rowling's works are just as
stereotypical.  I could go through and list the many ways, but I'm sure it's
been done before and better, and yet, I find myself re-reading HP over and
over as well.  I even went so far as to actually get involved with the Harry
Potter fandom just over a year ago, when all I've ever done before is have a
passing interest in any fandom.  Why is HP different?  I'm not sure I can
answer that.  All I can say is that some books just ARE.

Morrigan
www.RestrictedSection.org - STILL PROUD
www.livejournal.com/users/hermorrine
www.byz.org/~morrigan/hpslash.html