Fanfic set in books

[Jim Flanagan]

No: HPFGUIDX 8207

I don't know if the literary device of retelling a story from a 
different POV has a specific name, but it has been used to good 
effect in Tom Stoppard's play (and movie) "Rosencrantz and 
Guildenstern are Dead," which parallels "Hamlet" from the POV of 
these two minor characters. The movie is available on video and I 
recommend it highly. Here's an interesting lecture that discusses 
Stoppard's play:

http://www.mala.bc.ca/~johnstoi/introser/stoppard.htm

I think that part of the appeal of this device comes from an innate 
appreciation that we humans have for re-experiencing familar 
things "with a new twist."  For example, familiar songs re-
orchestrated, or plays restaged in a different time period.

If you're interested in good HP fanfic that describes action from a 
different character's POV, take a look at "The Wolfsbane Potion" by 
Blaise, which retells portions of PoA from Snape's POV:

http://www.fanfiction.net/index.fic?action=story-read&storyid=109904

It must be very difficult to write a parallel story that is creative 
and interesting, but which does not violate either the factual basis 
or the spirit of the original.  Blaise does a good job of 
interpolating the action from Snape's point of view within JKR's 
original framework; however, she does insert an apocryphal subplot 
involving Snape attempting to do something that could be damaging to 
Lupin, contrary to Dumbledore's direct instructions. This subplot, 
though superficially plausible, goes counter (IMHO) to the layers of 
ambiguity that JKR has carefully erected around Snape and subverts 
his established loyalty to Dumbledore. Nevertheless, it is very 
interesting and well-written fic.

-JF

--- In HPforGrownups at egroups.com, Alex Corvus <lexac3 at u...> wrote:
> Kathy wrote:
> 
> >>I have noticed a small but growing number of fanfics that take 
place during
> the times of the books and show what might have been 
happening "offstage". Is
> there a term for these kind of fics?>>
> 
> Missing Scenes.
> 
> At least, that's what media fandom tends to call them when they're 
set
> offstage during a TV show or movie.
> 
> I had typed up an introduction, complete with rambling, to go along 
with this,
> as it's my first step out of lurking, but then the computer froze 
up and ate
> it, and I must go madly clean my apartment in preparation for NEW 
Year's
> visitors, so I suppose I'll just say Hi for now.
> 
> Hi.
> 
> Alexa
> 
> Maintain this, prag.
> - OZ and due South colliding, violently
> 
> 
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