reasons for fanfic THE CANON

[dasienko at email.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 16339

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., "Carole Estes" <lrcjestes at e...> wrote:
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Amanda Lewanski" <editor at t...>
> 
> 
> > Magda Grantwich wrote:
> >
> > > Several times I have read that a particular character is
> > > such-and-such because this and this and then this happened as 
detailed
> > > in someone's fanfiction and thus this is what that section of
> > > PS/CoS/PoA/GoF refers to or means.  Just where does fanfiction 
sit in
> > > terms of discussion of the books?
> > >
> > > I haven't read anything but the books.  I'm prepared to make
> > > predictions of future actions or deduce past actions (like 
Snape's
> > > background or Draco's home life) but based on the "canon" as 
it's been
> > > called.
> 
> Well isn't this the basis of most good fanfic?  It's about 
predicting future
> actions and/or deducing past actions in a narrative setting.  
Rather than
> doing a detailed character summary or discussing the charactrer as 
a post to
> the list, some of us write fanfic.  Its a way to illustrate in a 
creative
> way our "take" on the characters and settings.  Instead of 
saying...in this
> circumstance I think Ron would do XYZ.  You create that 
circumstance in the
> story and show how you think he would resolve it.
> 
> 
> > This is the main reason why I won't read fanfiction. Judging from 
the
> > quality of the posters who say they write it, some of it's 
fantastic,
> > but I know me and I will inevitably "fuzz" the line between the 
canon
> > characters and their fic cousins. I have a lot of fun speculating 
on the
> > canon, and I want my "take" on the flavor and "feel" and well, 
character
> > of the characters to be strictly based on JKR, at least during the
> > production of the seven books.
> >
> 
> For me, writing fanfic is a way to further define my "take" on the
> characters.  Most fanfic writers will tell you that their take on a
> character is canon based, but it still may differ from your take on 
that
> same character, based on the same canon.  Granted JKR might further 
refine
> some character into someone completely different by Books 5,6, and 
7...but
> it does give us something to do and illustrates more deeply 
different takes
> on the characters.
> 
> You can discuss character traits ''til the cows come home, but to 
read those
> traits in the context of a story is far more enlightening and 
interesting,
> IMHO.
> 
> carole

Please let us not forget the TRUE meaning of the literary term canon. 
A canon is usually defined as the work and the author's commentary on 
the work. Fan fiction is a realitively new literary genre. I don't 
believe that James Joyce, or DH Lawrence, for example, have any 
fanfiction written "extending" their works. If anyone knows of and 
DHLArence fanfiction, I'd really love to read it.

Commentary is one thing, but fan fiction is another author's 
interpretation of the story/characters. IT's fun, it's entertaining, 
but it neither adds nor detracts fron the canon.