What is Canon?

[maria_kirilenko]

No: HPFGUIDX 55943

Haggridd wrote:

> I find it difficult to go beyond the principle that canon=the 
books; 
> the books=canon, period.  Should there be any books after HP VII (I 
> would endure the Cruciatus Curse if it would persuade JKR to 
> write "Hogwarts, a History"or to publish her secret notes), then 
they 
> too will be part of canon.  It is an aphorism that an  author's 
works 
> speak for themselves.  Even the author's comments aren't strictly 
> canon.  It is only because JKR is so very careful in speaking about 
> the books and the Wizarding world that her interviews have 
approached 
> the status of canon. Even so, Maria has felt compelled to qualifiy 
> her acceptance of this.  

Aie, I was using the word "canon" very loosely, sorry. I know it's 
defined as "an author's original works." What I was *trying* to say 
is that I count JKR's interview statements (some of them, anyway) as 
*facts* about the Potterverse. I do differentiate, or at least try 
to, between her statements, as I wrote in my previous post. I don't 
really question that Lily was was in Gryffindor, or that her maiden 
name was Evans, or that Susan Bones's grandparents were killed by 
Voldemort. 

But they aren't canon. I'll be more careful with that word in the 
future.

What I don't really understand is why people tend to dismiss the 
schoolbooks as canon. Can someone explain that to me?
 
> Derivative works-- such as the movies, videogames, fanfics, HP 
> coloring books, HP samplers, HP-themed Snellen visual acuity 
charts, 
> the labels on the wrappers of these HP candies that have been on 
the 
> market-- cannot now nor ever will they be canon.

Oui. I think most people agree on that, too.

> That said, it doesn't mean that we cannot enjoy these derivative 
> works and speculate to our heart content about all kinds of 
> interesting points.  And we surely do, do we not?

Oh, of course! I like fanfic, for example. I especially enjoy RL/SB 
stories, knowing that I'm never getting them in canon...

And isn't it interesting about Mimblewimble? Someone brought it up a 
couple of months ago, and I wonder whether anyone actually *believes* 
that Vernon Dursley actually *pronounced* the "word" (again, I'm 
using the term loosely <g>) Mimblewimble, and that it's a spell...

Hmmm, I think we may have to start a "We want 'Hogwarts, a History'" 
society. In a few years, anyway. Anyone care to think of an acronym? 
<g>

Maria, wondering why she can't ever type Mimblewimble correctly 
without having to fix typos... again, darn it.