What is Canon?

[gwendolyngrace]

No: HPFGUIDX 55887

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Katy Cartee" <rainbow at r...> 
wrote:
> 
> The only question i have left on this subject is: will 
> the 'majority' of HP fans recognize JKR's interviews as "canon" 
> AFTER the series is complete (whether it be level 2 canon or level 
> 1, i don't really care)? It seems that most already do consider it 
> as such, as they use quotes from her to prove or disprove 
> points/questions/theories. But there seem to be those that refuse 
> to consider making her words canon. So for those that that applies 
> to, why not?



Hi, all.

Well, I do tend to take her interview answers as authoritative, but I 
don't think I quite make them into gospel. After all, she has said 
conflicting things in the past. People do. Like whether James was a 
chaser or a seeker (one was in an interview; the other a movie 
reference) - which one was correct? Many reject the movie and accept 
her interview. I know I prefer "chaser" for James. But could she have 
misspoken? I believe it's possible. For example, I am *forever* 
getting "keeper" and "seeker" muddled in my mouth. I know which one 
guards the goalposts, and I know which one catches the Snitch, and I 
know that Oliver was the keeper for Gryffindor, and I know that Harry 
is their Seeker... but how many times in my life have I *said* one 
when I *meant* the other? Lots.

I think the reason we tend to listen carefully to what she says is 
that we know she has filled the world with a lot more detail than 
we'll probably ever see on the page. We know it's "Lily Evans Potter" 
although that fact may or may never be "important" in the course of 
the books. The interviews are frequently a source of information that 
is valuable - only to the die-hard fan. 

Moreover, I rather get the sense that, like the recent timeline 
discovery, when we are thrown a bone of information in an interview, 
there's a sense of triumph. It's hard to explain, but it's 
like, "Ooh! She slipped up! She gave something away! Heheheh." 
Especially with an author who plays her cards as close to the chest 
as JKR, it's quite an accomplishment to get a direct answer that 
*tells* us something - even if it's not much of substance.

However, I am also guilty of creatively "ignoring" some of the facts 
that don't sit well with me. Not that I discount them completely, but 
that I tend to reserve my judgment on whether that tidbit is really 
real, or really means what we think it means, or exactly what.

For example, back before we split off the movie list, there was a 
thread here about Alan Rickman's thoughts on Snape. He had met with 
JKR and in subsequent interviews, he said something about Snape's 
fascination with the Dark Arts. Well, of course, a lot of people felt 
that his clearly *had* to mean that Snape really did want the DADA 
job, that it's *not* just a rumour or red herring. After all, the 
logic went, Alan Rickman had talked to JKR, so obviously she *told* 
him that Snape is pissed at not getting the job he wants. 

Well, maybe. But there are still a lot of questions unanswered. 
Unless we had a minicam in the room where they talked, we *don't* 
know whether she gave him that or not. There's a lot of different 
things that could have happened:

1. JKR could have said, definitively: "Snape wants the DADA job." 
Yes, ma'am, okay.

2. JKR could have said, less committally: "Everyone thinks Snape 
wants the DADA job." And Rickman could have decided it was true.

3. JKR could have said, conspiratorially: "Everyone thinks Snape 
wants the DADA job. He really doesn't, but it's important that people 
think he does, so play that." Rickman followed orders to deliberately 
mislead us.

4. Rickman could have *asked* about the DADA job and JKR could have 
said, "It really doesn't matter - he can be after it really or not; 
your choice."

5. JKR could have said nothing at all about the DADA job. They could 
have talked exclusively about Snape's more distant past, his 
childhood, his relationship with his mother, his upcoming role, who 
knows? But it's entirely possible that she had nothing to do with his 
character decisions. 

We went through this with the trading cards, the video game, and the 
board games - are facts given there canon or not? Did she authorize 
them? It's still not clear to what extent she controls what we get to 
hear - either from herself, or from others.

So, back to the point... ah, yes. Knew it was here somewhere. JKR is 
very tricky, and I think sometimes either when we don't like what she 
says or we're not sure what she means, some folks tend to be more 
cynical than believing, expecting her to somehow turn it around like 
she does with her plots. So it's a "We'll wait and see how things 
play out."

It's just that that way, we get to select when we believe her and 
when we don't. :^D

Gwendolyn Grace