Nina Heise. Found Family and Chosen Family. The Idea of Family in Slash Fanfiction.

  • The text discusses how slash fanfic deals with the concept of family.
  • How do (queer) families of choice work with or around the heteronormative concept of family?
  • Family in the traditional sense: kinship and heteronormative.
  • Family of choice/chosen family: a chosen community of responsibilities.
  • Found family: a community of fate.
  • Family is supposed to be a source of positive feelings like affection, support, love, etc.
  • Family means fulfilling certain values and needs, which kinship does not automatically (sometimes not at all) fulfil.

Nina Heise. Found Family and Chosen Family. Analysis on Wolfstar & HP fanfic

  • The child’s biological and legal family does not fulfil the values associated with family.
  • The found family fulfils those values and is defined by affection and activities within a (living) community of adults and children.

Wolfstar & Harry Potter fanfic

  • The family reproduces the “2 parents 1 child” family dynamic and imitates heteronormative dynamics.
  • It follows happiness as the true concept of family like a script:
  •       2 adults in a happy romantic relationship.
  •       Harry is only truly happy after he knows about Remus and Sirius’ relationship.
  •       Only then, Remus & Sirius are truly happy
  • The fanfic creates alternatives to the canon but also to “real life”; an idyllic cottage core setting instead of crammed city life.
  • Transferring the setting to the countryside is depicted as a form of escaping societal norms and gaining freedom and independence.
  • The atmosphere is filled with nostalgia and yearning: James and Lily are always on their minds and influence the events.
  • The fanfic brings up nature vs. nurture: is it the Potters or the Dursleys who shaped Harry's views and skills?
  • What is Harry’s role in a Wolfstar fic?
    • It creates a heteronormative, traditional family dynamic.
    • The same POV as the canon gives readers a better access to the fanfic and feels nostalgic.

Zuletzt geändert: Montag, 18. November 2024, 12:00