MetaFic

Absolutely. It's similar to the angst phenomenon we discussed earlier. Putting your characters through the worst things you can think of is an easy way to garner reaction from readers. I think there may also be some element of misplaced romanticism involved; the author feels as though s/he is 'being realistic' or somesuch, and they find supposed merit in that quality.

I've said over and over again that I won't read a story which includes the rape of a primary or secondary character. Quite simply, I don't think that anyone could write about it meaningfully without having experienced it in some way. And I don't want to read such a story written by someone who knows what they're talking about. The real world is bad enough, thanks. And yet people fall back on rape all the time because it's so glaringly horrific, as though including it (with or without setup, consequences, motivations, etc) automatically makes the story better because it adds gritty realism. It's also a handy way to create angst between characters, which pointlessly postpones a romantic resolution.

It's Josh's nuclear theory applied to people. Any event which involves that type of violence and/or sex changes everything for the characters involved. It can't be 'fixed' by a few chapters containing honest conversations and warm fuzzies.

Well, they are steps beyond pale, you have to admit.

What you're complaining about is why I don't read much fanfic. I wait for someone I trust to recommend something, preferably more than once, before I venture into a new author. At the same time, once I've started reading an author, I'll keep reading them freely -- tolerating the ups/downs of any author -- until they run into the cliffs of reality. Then I simply put them back in the killfile.

The reality is that very few people have lived through life changing events and write well about them. Abuse, rape, violence, alcoholism, warfare. These are not trifles to be played with. They do not make surface wounds, they cut to the core and literally reshape the inner essence by tossing what was there into a blender and hitting 'puree'.

The second major problem is that many authors wish they could live as promiscuous/beautiful/aggressive/foo as the characters they portray. They base the 'reality' of their characters on their mental fantasies, not really understanding how those life choices alter everything about them. Not only do those choices come back to haunt people, they also forcibly change how the character views the world. Someone who lies all the time never believes anyone; someone that always tells the truth accepts what other people say as truth.

Shrug. I guess the short version is, when I run across those kinds of stories, I stop reading and do something else.

Well, I did read two fanfic stories in which rape was used to powerful effect. In both cases Draco was the rapist, and the purpose of the device was to create exactly the sort of terrible emotional consequences for the characters (Ginny in one case, Hermione in the other) that the author needed in order to achieve what s/he was after. In Ginny's case the story was about the lengths Harry would go to to heal her, even though it meant she couldn't bear to touch him or even look at him, possibly for years. In Hermione's case the story was about the horrid longterm effects the event had on her personality, and the monster it turned her into.

I agree that this sort of device (like any catastrophic (nuclear, in Josh's phrase) device) should be used with extreme caution and a great deal of attention to its effects, but I don't think one should be limited to writing about things one has actually experienced, no matter how severe. That sort of thinking has led to modern literature that's all about career disappointment and divorce. Yuck.

Oh, I'm all in favor of well-thought-out stories (fanfic or otherwise) that depict awful events which the author has not personally experienced. I just don't want to read this particular type.

The only story I've read dealing with rape was Here comes the Sun (aka Yellow Submarine) I like it when authors take risks in their story. In this situation, the author knew exactly of what she was writing about. Not to herself, but to a member of her family. In the story, Ginny is not just the "damaged" one. Harry is too. Both characters are broken. I had a friend that was raped by a stranger. It took me a while for me to feel comfortable enough to read it. I started reading the story with a jaundiced eye, and quickly found the story to be powerful and confrontational. If that isn't risky, then I don't know what is.

I've read both the first story mentioned by Rhetor (Insanity, by Unrealitycheck) as well as Here Comes the Sun/YS, and have found both to be worthy of reading. HCtS/YS has more depth to it, and - at least to me - comes across as one of the more daring and worthwhile fanfics I've ever read. Insanity, to me, was also good, but definitely didn't explore the ramifications of what happened to Ginny nearly as deeply. Then again, it's a much shorter story.

. . . people from trying to write these themes. The concern is that trying to write them without giving them due consideration just leads to a mess. I've had other people suggest the YS by Deadwoodpecker, but I have yet to get a trusted opinion in on it. Of course, I'd still be chuckling at the 'puff' therein, but that's another story.

I guess I have yet to read any fic that really does treat these types of issues properly. One of the few fics I've read that does show a depth to mental issues, and does so well, was "Tea Time in the Garden." It was a complete snapshot of many facets, serious, and managed to do so in a manner that rings true to those of us who have been in those situations.

At the same time, FFnet (and SIYE and others) are full of stories that don't even try, or try but slap a written band-aid over the wounds, and everything is roses again. Those I would list as EPIC FAIL.

I realize I'm not in your list of trusted advisers, but I'll say this. Teatime in the Garden is one of my favorite pieces of fanfiction that I've ever read. Actually, since I don't particularly read much in the way of... 'deep' novels very often, it's actually one of my favorite pieces of writing in general that I've read.

Yellow Submarine is not... concise enough, as it stands now, for me to say the same thing. Yet. And yes, I still have to laugh at the at-times overtly sexual nature of the writing, so obviously the target audiences are different between Teatime and Submarine. With that said, though, I think they both accomplish their goals as far as imparting a message to the reader in an equal degree. They are both very well written, emotionally charged pieces of writing that manage to wrestle their difficult topics and present them in an engaging way to the reader. I don't know if one is as good as the other, but for me at least, Submarine manages to engage the same portions of my brain that Teatime managed to hit - and that countless other stories failed to reach.

I would say the 'Yellow Submarine' is like skimming stones across a lake whereas 'Teatime In The garden' is strapping on an aqua lung and exploring that lake. It may be shorter, but it has more depth, more feeling than almost any other fan fiction writing

The problem with YS is the overt sexual content and descriptions. Although I realize the author has stated that this is important in the development of the characters and the healing that is taking place, I am generally of the opinion that overly descriptive sex scenes detract rather than enhance the development of a character. Not that YS is bad, but rather that it could be much better.

-Jonatha

- A good novel is an indivisible sum; every scene, sequence and passage of a good novel has to involve, contribute to and advance all three of its major attributes: theme, plot, characterization.
Ayn Rand - The Romantic Manifesto p. 74 (pb 93)

After a while, I found the sex in HCTS distracting as well, and would rather have read more about what was going on in people's heads. Teatime in the Garden.... well I can't read it without being completely overcome. Even thinking about it moves me, but it is the land I'm living in at the moment.

I understand the story is on SIYE. It probably will not be as "discriptive" there as it is on LJ. I've read the "puffed" version on LJ and I don't think it distracts from the characters at all. If anything bothered me at all, it was the rape scene.