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Date Posted: Sat, Apr 17 2004, 17:44:52
Author: MST Meg
Subject: Re: This all sounds frighteningly like
In reply to: Stinkerbelle 's message, "Re: This all sounds frighteningly like" on Sat, Apr 17 2004, 16:33:03

>"Increasingly a lot of people are referring to
>poorly-designed OC's as Mary Sues. (for example the
>person later in this thread who says they have made
>six Mary Sues but none of them were based on the
>author.) Technically this is wrong - unless the
>character is based on the author, either deliberately
>or subconciously, it's NOT a Mary Sue."
>
>How then would one know if a character is a Mary Sue
>if one does not know the author?

Actually, there are "Mary Sue Litmus" tests for several fandoms. I find these much more indicative of Suvianism (?) than the simple "self-insert = Mary Sue". It's true that an author inserting themself in an idealised form often turns into a Mary Sue story. This is apparently the original Mary Sue Litmus Test, which applies to Gargoyles but can easily be adapted to any fandom.

<a rel=nofollow target=_blank href="http://missy.reimer.com/library/marysue.html">http://missy.reimer.com/library/marysue.html</a>

The site also has articles about Self-Insertion vs Mary Sue. I've seen a LOTR Mary Sue Litmus test, it was really good, too. Personally, I generally go by a number of the criteria in this list before I shout SUE, self-insertion and identical names are a factor, but idealisation and world-revolving around the character are just as important and sometimes even worse.

Also, what about fanfic authors who identify so much with a character in a series that they turn them into a Sue? I've seen Character Idealisation happening so many times in fanfic that it's not funny anymore. Notoriously ugly characters suddenly become good-looking or sexy, older characters lose a dozen years suddenly, clumsy wallflowers suddenly become beautiful and sexy superheroes that everyone loves, respects and envies and around whom the story's universe starts to revolve... they aren't Mary Sues, but the process that the authors use to transform (*cough*maim*cough*) the canon characters is similar, IMHO.

Meg

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Replies:

  • Re: This all sounds frighteningly like -- Catseye, Sun, Apr 18 2004, 21:42:05



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