UnapologeticallyGeneva

Fanfiction presents itself as an interesting topic that oddly enough causes a bit of controversy in academia. After the emergence of 50 Shades of Grey, the idea of Fanfiction moved from a being a hobby that you would occasionally share that you did with your friends to one that became taboo to speak of if you wanted to be taken seriously as a writer. I’m unsure if this because of the overwhelming demographics that occupy the site (women; teens to 40s), but the idea that a person has written Fanfiction automatically calls to question their ability to write. Personally, FanFiction was something I read between 12-18 years of age. Sporadically throughout that time I wrote stories, short pieces, etc. Does this mean I’m any less of a writer now? I would argue that it has only helped my writing ability. I commend the website for providing a space for beginning writers to have a chance to play around with characters or setting. It provides a wonderful opportunity to grow as a writer as well as a space for almost what could be considered a workshop setting.

This particular topic is always quite difficult personally because I am a fan of the show AND I’m a feminist. That being said, aside from the Cersei rape scene, I would have to respectfully disagree with your take on GoT’s use of rape scenes.

What many people forget when first speaking of this particular subject is that first and foremost, GoT is not primarily a television show. It is a book series that does, in fact, contain much of the same violence portrayed. That being said, the use of rape the majority of the instances are not necessarily used as plot points or for shock value. Unfortunately, historically, women were and continue to be used as commodities or objects by men, particularly in power. The women in each scene are not happy about the act. They are in fact quite broken in many ways, especially the Ramsay/Sansa scene, of which left myself with an emptiness after viewing. By ignoring these acts that do happen, even today, that is how you silence the issue at hand. I should feel uncomfortable after watching the scene. To suggest that by playing it there is a “normalization” of rape culture is almost laughable. We currently live in a society that blames the victim of rape (both male and female) and that encourages them to stay silent. Rape will only be normalized when people STOP talking about it. SO, I’m sorry, but thank you George R.R. Martin and HBO. Thank you for accurately portraying both the act and the harmful effects it has on an individual in a realistic way.

II must say that reading your article brought back many of the reasons why I fell in love with the series as a child. Harry Potter occupies a really complicated space in literature. At the surface it is presented as a children’s series, albeit a long one, that not only draws the reader into a world suspended in magic, but also at its core throughly promotes the idea of friendship as a lasting bond. That being said, this understanding of the book is but the surface. As an adult, its almost impossible to follow the nuances you aptly pointed out within the article. However, I feel as though your analysis of why the series resonates with adults in regards to the characters themselves, left very much unsaid. Much of the emphasis you place is on the good found in the main characters, but what I feel is brilliant as an aspiring writer, is Rowling’s depth to her characters. Dumbledore is presented as the grandfatherly character to Harry who has no concrete sense of the term, yet as is discovered later on, many of Dumbledore’s motivations become questionable. He is no longer seen as JUST the sort of wacky headmaster, but instead as a man that was quite calculating in every move he made, including his death. It’s the complexities such as these, I feel, are what draw in adult readers. Often, children have a view of the world that the first book presents itself, but like life, as the series continues, life, too, begins to lose that same wonder.