exr problem:
Grantaire referring to Enjolras as a god when they’re in a serious relationship.
I think
this is probably way too overarching to really get to the root of the problem?
Because let’s be real, there’s nothing unhealthy or problematic about calling someone you love a god. I call my friends gods when they do something sweet. I called my ex a god when ze would write me fic when I had a bad day. When they said lovely things to me and I was feeling down, when I needed someone to talk to and they were there, when it was a rainy day and they made me laugh. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with that.
Where are the issues? In unacknowledged power imbalances that leave Grantaire being taken advantage of by Enjolras, because Grantaire believes Enjolras to be godly and thus believes himself incapable of refusing him. When Enjolras’ very real and legitimate feelings are ignored as the “marble lover of liberty” and “Apollo” because hell, he’s a god, what does he need feelings for? Those are issues. Things like that are problems. Grantaire teasing Enjolras as Apollo when Enjolras is okay with it? Not a problem.
If it’s something you’re uncomfortable with in fic, point it out, discuss it, get to the heart of the problem, talk about it, that’s cool! But painting it as “problematic” regardless of context and setting and situation does a few really harmful things:
- it suggests that it is also problematic in real life regardless of setting and situation and context
- it suggests that anyone who writes this uncritically, regardless of setting and situation and context, is perpetuating problematic behavior and endorsing it
- it suggests that anyone who reads this uncritically, regardless of setting and situation and context, is perpetuating problematic behavior and endorsing it
- it makes the fandom as a whole more hostile by making people uncomfortable with writing fic because there’s a laundry list of unproblematic things that are being painted as problematic (regardless of setting and situation and context)
please be more aware of these things when discussing issues of power dynamics and consent in fic because in some situations context does matter.
les miserables
I was feeling bored (and down) so I did an EXPERIMENT. Type ‘[female character] is’ into Google, see what you get in the drop-down box, and then do the same thing with a counterpart male character (same fandom + same alliance/same role, that sort of thing).
As you can see, ladies get negative words coming up a LOT, and they are very frequently either ‘hot’ or ‘ugly’. Much less of any of that for the blokes. They usually get something related to their identity or role in the story (like ‘Clark Kent is dead’ or ‘Ron Weasley is Dumbledore’). And very little comment on their appearance.
Of the 12 female characters I searched for, 8 of them have ‘annoying’ as something they apparently are. None of the men do. Make of that what you will…
[Two notes 1) I’m a very casual and frequently confused viewer of GoT who hasn’t seen Series Three, so I have no idea if Sansa and Robb are still even on the same side, I just know they’re brother and sister 2) I’m really sorry there aren’t any more women of colour or LGBT women on here, can anyone give any suggestions?]
There’s a lot of sad Enjolras/Combeferre stuff on my dash today and it reminded me of one of my more depressing headcanons, that Enjolras saw Combeferre killed and nearly ran to him, so he would at least be able to move his body and close his eyes. But then he realised that Combeferre wouldn’t want him risking his life unnecessarily, and that all things considered, it would be best to leave him just looking at the sky…
i just started crying thinking about grantaire and how brave he is to get up and go stand next to enjolras he could have just pretended to be asleep nobody would have noticed but it literally wasn’t even a choice he just opened his eyes and realized immediately what was happening and knew instinctively what he had to do and he did the brave thing he literally gave his life just so that the person he loved wouldn’t have to die alone oh my god i’m a basketcase
</blockquote
So my dad gave me this. The guy of the shop tell him it was from about 1900, but I did some research and found out this edition is from 1866. I may be wrong, but…Holy shit, thanks Papa!
Can you guess who are those two holding hands in the last photo? eheee
I’m sorry for the bad quality of the photos
THAT COVER *_____*
What an absolutely gorgeous book.
…
I don’t need to be jealous about this book.
I don’t need this edition.
I DON’T READ FRENCHthere is NO REASON TO WANT THIS VERSION
…except the illustrations
….and the red.
….I WANT THIS BOOK.Or at least more photos. XD