Who is Mary Sue?

[uncmark]

No: HPFGUIDX 37496

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., Susanne <siskiou at e...> wrote:
> 
> 
> Hi,
> 
> Friday, April 05, 2002, 2:30:05 PM, uncmark wrote:
> 
> > Who's Mary Sue?
> 
> "Mary Sue" is generally a stand in for the author, usually
> easily identified by having an unusual name, being almost
> perfect in personality and looks (with maybe a couple of
> token flaws), all knowing and a central character.
> 
> Most other characters love and admire/protect her and in
> many stories (especially in fanfiction) the character dies a
> heroic death at the end, saving the hero/world, or does the
> saving without dying and "gets" the male hero.
> 
I was directed to http://writersu.s5.com/history/marysue.html as it 
had several essays which went into great depth what a Mary Sue is, 

In general Mary Sues grew out of fanfiction and bad scifi and could 
be identified by a few red flags
1. A thinly-veiled fictional version of the author herself 
2. An original character who is the protagonist of the story

Accoding to that site, "Mary Sue" stories are written by new writers 
> whose first idea for a story follow a pattern of self-insertion 
> (acting out their personal fantasy vicariously through an original 
> character), and their "Mary Sue" characters suffer from the 
> following characteristics: 
  
> 1. She's perfect. Literally. Everyone likes her, she can fix the 
> warp core with a bobby pin and a smile regardless of whether or not 
> she's an engineer, she's got an excellent singing voice, and she's 
> psychic too... 

> 2. She's got violet eyes, martial arts training that makes Trinity 
> from The Matrix look like Elmer Fudd, hair down to there, and is 
> usually sleeping with or the daughter of someone we all know and 
> love. 

> 3. She's maverick, headstrong, stubborn, always wins in the end, 
> and always shows "them" how her way is better

Noe IMHO, Hermione's good, but no Mary Sue. If anyone of JKR's 
characters were 'Mary Sue's I'd guess it would be Harry. From 
interviews he was the main character who developed in her mind fully 
formed. His battle with the basilisk reminded me of a friend's D&D 
games where a character with 18+++ Luck beat monsters 10 times his 
size with divine intervention or by finding the +10 pocketknife of 
instant dragon slaying.

Hermione, added later as a complement to Harry and Ron (Wizard-raised 
wizard, muggle-raised wizard, muggle-borne wizard) bprobably has some 
wish-fulfillment for any women. Having her first date at the Yule 
Ball with a champion was a scene right out of Cinderella.

Hermione is nowheres near perfect, but is hardworking and inspired by 
her friends never gives up. She is very bright (How many 11 year olds 
could beat a logic maze?), has learned to apply book knowledge to 
life (Figures out what beast petrifies, could move unseen, and could 
be heard by a parselmouth), and has learned to think unconventionally 
(how could a witch spy magically at Hogwart's?)

As of yet, Hermione has not been tested in battle. She still lacked 
confidence at the end of book 3 when she fell to a boggart, but hey, 
Fleur (a 7th year) fell to a Gringylow!

I think we all owe both Hermione and JKR some respect. That is if 
she'll just HURRY UP AND RELEASE BOOK 5!!!

Uncmark