Random tidbit about slash
Alright, so, earlier this year, when JKR gave that interview and called all Harmonians delusional, two different groups formed. One was the group that still thinks it can be canon. And the other group is the group who feels like, although it won't be canon, Harry and Hermione still make sense and they're going to write them in fanfic.
I'd say most slashers (with maybe the exception of certain Remus/Sirius shippers) fall into the later catagory.
The thing is, when you write a book and release it to the public, you give up complete ownership, for all intents and purposes. Because people have free minds and people are allowed to interpret things any way they want, even if that's not the way you would have interpreted it. It's the best thing about literature, I think. And it's why I like JKR so much, actually, because she leaves so much up to you to interpret. Like, Sirius, for instance. Some people think he's a hero who died tragically, some think he's a jackass who got his just desserts. Do both sides have evidence to back their case? Yeah, I'd say so. Harry may think the former, but Snape probably thinks the later and I'd say that both opinions are equally biased and equally worth looking at. In fact, I'd say it's very hard to parse together exactly what JKR wants you to think about any particular character because they're all so riddled with grey; the best you can say is 'he's on this side, she's on that' but even then, you have Snape fucking it up.
And the thing that's tricky about understanding shipping is that any and all ships do rest on certain canon evidence. They have to. Even if the two characters never interact in canon, shippers just match up personality. Like, no, Ginny and Blaise have never talked and JKR seems set on H/G, but that doesn't mean that you can't look at the two characters and say, 'huh, well, their personalities would work well together. Lemme write something on it.' And that's it.
No, I don't think Harry will ever be gay in canon. Don't think Neville will either. Or Blaise or Draco. Could I go through and give you canon evidence as to why they all could be seen as gay-and-just-don't-know-it? Yeah, probably. The thing is...canon is just JKR's interpretation of what she's got. It's her story the way that she sees it. And I mean, other people...they look at the way Harry's interaction with Draco in book 6 was so much more complicated, so much more deeply rooted, and so much more intricate than his chest-monster crush on Ginny, and they think 'Wow, wouldn't it be interesting to write a romance with these two characters?' Do we think JKR sees it that way? No. Do we care? No, not really, that's why it's called fanfic. Because it's the place for that alternate interpretation, it's the place to explore these characters and put them in lights that people may never have seen them before, it's a space to be creative. When we talk shipping, we talk character, ultimately, would these two personalities work, regardless of whether or not JKR has seen fit to explore the possibility. And if so, how would it happen?
We know that it's not JKR's interpretation, but does that mean that what we're seeing isn't there? I don't think so.
I mean, I guess if you stick strictly with the way that JKR interprets canon, Ginny and Harry are OTP, meant to be, no questions asked. Same with Ron and Hermione, same with Tonks and Remus, same with (somehow) Draco and Pansy. And that would be it. And maybe that floats your boat. But, if it doesn't and you see something interesting, well...there's always fanfic.
I'd say most slashers (with maybe the exception of certain Remus/Sirius shippers) fall into the later catagory.
The thing is, when you write a book and release it to the public, you give up complete ownership, for all intents and purposes. Because people have free minds and people are allowed to interpret things any way they want, even if that's not the way you would have interpreted it. It's the best thing about literature, I think. And it's why I like JKR so much, actually, because she leaves so much up to you to interpret. Like, Sirius, for instance. Some people think he's a hero who died tragically, some think he's a jackass who got his just desserts. Do both sides have evidence to back their case? Yeah, I'd say so. Harry may think the former, but Snape probably thinks the later and I'd say that both opinions are equally biased and equally worth looking at. In fact, I'd say it's very hard to parse together exactly what JKR wants you to think about any particular character because they're all so riddled with grey; the best you can say is 'he's on this side, she's on that' but even then, you have Snape fucking it up.
And the thing that's tricky about understanding shipping is that any and all ships do rest on certain canon evidence. They have to. Even if the two characters never interact in canon, shippers just match up personality. Like, no, Ginny and Blaise have never talked and JKR seems set on H/G, but that doesn't mean that you can't look at the two characters and say, 'huh, well, their personalities would work well together. Lemme write something on it.' And that's it.
No, I don't think Harry will ever be gay in canon. Don't think Neville will either. Or Blaise or Draco. Could I go through and give you canon evidence as to why they all could be seen as gay-and-just-don't-know-it? Yeah, probably. The thing is...canon is just JKR's interpretation of what she's got. It's her story the way that she sees it. And I mean, other people...they look at the way Harry's interaction with Draco in book 6 was so much more complicated, so much more deeply rooted, and so much more intricate than his chest-monster crush on Ginny, and they think 'Wow, wouldn't it be interesting to write a romance with these two characters?' Do we think JKR sees it that way? No. Do we care? No, not really, that's why it's called fanfic. Because it's the place for that alternate interpretation, it's the place to explore these characters and put them in lights that people may never have seen them before, it's a space to be creative. When we talk shipping, we talk character, ultimately, would these two personalities work, regardless of whether or not JKR has seen fit to explore the possibility. And if so, how would it happen?
We know that it's not JKR's interpretation, but does that mean that what we're seeing isn't there? I don't think so.
I mean, I guess if you stick strictly with the way that JKR interprets canon, Ginny and Harry are OTP, meant to be, no questions asked. Same with Ron and Hermione, same with Tonks and Remus, same with (somehow) Draco and Pansy. And that would be it. And maybe that floats your boat. But, if it doesn't and you see something interesting, well...there's always fanfic.