PoA 2 :: Plugs 'n' recs

[pauraque_bk]

PoA 2: Aunt Marge's Big Mistake

Dudley had spent most of the summer in the kitchen, his piggy little eyes fixed on the screen and his five chins wobbling as he ate continuously. (18)

Others have remarked on the grotesque Roald-Dahl qualities of the Dursleys, certainly evident in this chapter. Interesting that it's Muggle "reality" that's portrayed as exaggerated fantasy, while the descriptions of things that go on in the magical world tend to be more restrained. The WW is more "normal" to Harry.

'No need to tell us he's no good,' snorted Uncle Vernon, staring over the top of his newspaper at the prisoner. 'Look at the state of him, the filthy layabout! Look at his hair!' (18)

I cracked up here. Also, clever allusion to Harry's judgmental attitude towards Snape's appearance. One of a number of parallels in the descriptions of Sirius and Snape, which we'll see later on.

'Exactly,' said Harry, looking calmly up into Uncle Vernon's large, purple face. 'It's a lot to remember. I'll have to make it sound convincing, won't I? What if I accidentally let something slip?' (21)

Ah, Harry's a manipulative little thing. I wonder if he seriously thinks Vernon would have signed his permission form? I guess he does, but it doesn't seem likely to me.

'You mustn't blame yourself for the way the boy's turned out, Vernon [...] You see it all the time with dogs. If there's something wrong with the bitch, there'll be something wrong with the pup--' (24)

Whoa! This is right up there with OotP's "enough effing owls" for shock value. I doubt they'll be able to get it into the movie, which is unfortunate, since it's Marge's best/worst line.

The main thing that strikes me about this chapter is how *awful* Aunt Marge really is. When JKR tries to get me to hate a character, it frequently doesn't work (Snape, Peter, Bellatrix... Voldemort, I guess), but occasionally she gets it really right, as with Umbridge, and as with Aunt Marge. Her obnoxiousness is consistent and excellently done, and definitely makes Harry's outburst understandable.

JKR is pretty good at doing all types of obnoxious-yet-prosaic behavior, actually, even when we end up sympathizing with the character. Draco's snottiness, Snape's relentless grudge-holding, Lupin's passive aggression... All ring very true to me. She has a good ear for it.

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Plugs:

-genfic_hogwarts is going along swimmingly so far, which makes me happy. This might be of particular interest, by the way, to those friends of mine who may enjoy the occasional fic, but aren't really in fandom and don't have fandomish tastes.

-idlerat is attempting to organize a fandom fundraiser for MoveOn.org. This is interesting, as I've never seen an overtly political fundraiser in a fandom before. Fundraisers for disease research and charity, yes. For an election? This could be a first.

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Recs:

You know when you read a fic with a premise you've read a hundred times before, and you suddenly realize that *this* is it, *this* is the definitive take on Krycek-in-the-silo, or Dark Lord Harry, or whatever it is?

"Blank" (PG-13) by switchknife is just such a fic. Has Sirius-in-Azkaban ever been done with such raw lyrical grace?

...he turns his head to see dark hair, whipped and tangled, a flash of teeth, joy-feral, eyes bright and hazel behind the glint of glass...


Also, the astounding nicolthewhore has written me a slick, nasty, visceral Peter ficlet called "Chilling" (NC-17, disturbing). I asked for Peter/any Marauder, and I certainly got that... and oh so much more. To say anything else would spoil it.

A dry rustling, like cloth dragging across the floor, and Peter sits up, wide-eyed, straining to hear which direction the noise came from. Something cold slithers across his shoulder, trails down his back, flits across his thigh. Peter jerks from the sudden touch, whips his head back.

"W-who..."


Why are you still here? Go read!

Comments

[chresimos.livejournal.com]

Interesting that it's Muggle "reality" that's portrayed as exaggerated fantasy,

Oooh, interesting point. The other time when I've really noticed this exaggerating style is in the descriptions of Hagrid. I'm not exactly sure how big that guy is, what will all the 'eyes as large as saucers' kind of stuff that goes on, that doesn't sound accurate, but, then you think, he *is* half-giant. *shrug*

As for Aunt Marge, pretty much usually forget that she exists. As for the rest...well, on my initial reading I loathed Draco, and disliked Voldie, and even Snape on occasion. Now, however, I find it less easy to create the hate against these characters, because fandom has skewed the way I receive them. (Even Umbridge - she's horrible, but she's such a great villian that I admire the character.) It's because fanfiction is all about other perspectives, how a story shifts when you take some other character's side, makes you wonder about *their* stories, why they are the way they are, what the reinterpretations of the character can be, even if they are evil and/or pathetic. And literary potential makes everybody beautiful. :)

[pauraque]

The other time when I've really noticed this exaggerating style is in the descriptions of Hagrid.

Yes, that's the kind of Dahlesque hyperbole I'm thinking of. The descriptions of Hagrid have become less fantastical as the books have gone on, I think.

It's because fanfiction is all about other perspectives, how a story shifts when you take some other character's side, makes you wonder about *their* stories, why they are the way they are

Good point. It's interesting when that "kicks in" for a given fan reader and when it doesn't. I was empathetically engaged with Harry's hatred of Marge and Umbridge (ie, I felt hatred for them too) whereas I've never gotten that with, say, Snape -- my interest in his story was always greater than my empathy with Harry. Relatively few fans seem to share Harry's hatred of Snape, but quite a lot of them are emotionally revolted by Peter. Hm.

[tekalynn.livejournal.com]

I wonder if the "readers hate Snape but not Wormtail" thing is because Peter is viewed as "cringing", as "a spineless wimp" (not quoting anyone directly, just impressions), while Snape has this grand Miltonian anger that makes some readers more sympathetic to him even when he's more unpleasant overall than Peter is.

Eo, you're slowly turning me into a Peter convert. He must indeed have a hell of a lot to him to be able to pull off the events of Halloween night. And NO ONE saw it coming.

[pauraque]

You mean "readers hate Wormtail but not Snape", I think.

grand Miltonian anger

That's what Snape would like us to think! Snape is very good at appearing indignant and put-upon (moreso in the movie, but it's present in the books as well), and that racks him up some sympathy. In short, Snape tells us he doesn't deserve the way he's treated, and we believe him.

Peter, meanwhile, has no sense that he deserves respect -- he tells us he's worthless, and we believe him. As you say, it's only once we examine what he's actually *done* that we see past the way he presents himself.

[neotoma.livejournal.com]

Smape's also got his "If I can't make you care for me, I'll at least make you *notice* me!" attitude. He's pretty hard to ignore, if nothing else.

Peter, on the other hand, doesn't want to be noticed, and is quite good at finding bolt holes. Peter is quite happy to be overlooked.

Actually, I think the most opaque character in the books is Lupin, who says many things, but who acts in quite different ways -- and yet very few readers pick up on how duplicitous *he* can be.

[chresimos.livejournal.com]

A lot of it, I think, also, comes from the narrative bias. A lot is set up to make us loathe Peter. He never gets even the tiny bits of credit that Snape does - he's a tagalong, he's ugly, he cries a lot, he's constantly pathetic, he transforms into an animal with traditionally negative connotations; he fits in with all these stereotypes. When Sirius is festering in Azkaban, why doesn't he hate Voldemort? He's the one who actually killed Lily and James! The books seem to me to be written from a (not unexpected) mindset in which being a traitor is the *worst* thing, worse than actually being evil for its own sake. (Loyalty calls the Phoenix! Loyalty!) Although I also think this: Peter, meanwhile, has no sense that he deserves respect -- he tells us he's worthless, and we believe him. is a really insightful point.

twistedflame actually said something the other day that at first glance seems silly but then makes you wonder. What would our perception of Peter be like if he was pretty? Would he have more fans? Snape has been prettified in various ways by fandom, true, but, even if you look at the way their ugliness is reinterpreted in the movie...Snape isn't gorgeous but he has presence, Peter is ugly in the same way the Dursleys are ugly. If he were a debonair!pretty!traitor would we be more inclined to see his pathetic behavior as a clever ploy?

[pauraque]

The books seem to me to be written from a (not unexpected) mindset in which being a traitor is the *worst* thing, worse than actually being evil for its own sake. (Loyalty calls the Phoenix! Loyalty!)

This is a very good point! Snape is also a traitor, of course, but to the Dark side, so I guess that makes it okay.

If he were a debonair!pretty!traitor would we be more inclined to see his pathetic behavior as a clever ploy?

"Peter with presence" is basically... Lucius! Lucius is also two-faced, grovels to Voldemort after not having the balls to stand up and defend him when he "wasn't the biggest bully in the playground anymore", as Sirius might put it. He's at least as morally weak as Peter, and less loyal: Peter's loyalties can be swayed, but Lucius appears to have none at all.

What has Lucius ever done to deserve his fan following? Harry's relationship with him is not complex, as with Snape. JKR doesn't want us to like or sympathize with him -- he's a slimy villain, and that's about it.

But he's pretty! And he has presence!

Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not saying Lucius fans shouldn't like him -- I'm just saying it's pretty clear that what a character actually does and believes is not the main cause for said character becoming popular.