What is Canon?

[Steve]

No: HPFGUIDX 56004

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Katy Cartee" <rainbow at r...> wrote:
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> ...edited...
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> bboy_mn wrote:
> 
> > I do take JKR's statements as 'gospel', but it is at times ambiguous.

> ~Katy~:
> 
> She's no more ambiguous than the 'gospel' of the Bible is...in fact,
she's much less so. Some of her words are open for interpretation,
true. But after the series has ended, i believe we will know exactly
what she was trying to get across. And at that point, i don't see how
anyone could NOT accept her words as "pseudo-canon" at the very least.

bboy_mn:

In a manner of speaking, when Judgement Day (the end of the series)
comes we will know the truth, just like in the Bible.

I have to go back to the 'wizards can't choose their animagus form'
issue. I don't consider JKR's statement to date on this issue as canon
because she hasn't said it point blank as a statement of fact. She
said it in more than one interview (to the best of my memory) in a way
that would lead us to this reasonable conclusion. But it is just that,
OUR conclusion based on what we see as a reasonable interpretation of
what she said. That is no more valid or canonical than a televangelist
interpretation of the Bible.

On the other hand, if JKR says that James was a Gryffindor, then there
is not room for interpretation, if she states it as a fact, then it's
a fact. That is what I would consider canon, statements of fact by the
author. 

JKR is vague and coy, sometimes down-rigtht sneaky in her answers.
There are things she can and does say in interviews that are not
statements of fact, but are setups for things that will happen in the
future. We see these same 'things are not as they appear' statements
in the story. 

So I will agree we need to be cautious about how literally we take
JKR's statements, but I also say the when she states a clear fact, it
becomes gospel. Example, she said James played Chaser; she said it
point blank in response to a direct question. So it is a fact that
James played Chaser. However, that does not mean that was the one and
only position he player. Personally, I think Harry and Ron will play
Beaters before the series is over (that's my story and I'm sticking to
it).

So, I won't say that everything JKR says is canon, but when she states
a clear fact, it is just that, a fact and therefore canon. The problem
comes in our interpretation of which of her statements are indeed
clear fact. JKR word CAN BE canon, but that doesn't mean it is ALWAYS
canon. 

bboy_mn



> 
> ...edited...
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> ~Katy~