I've begun to see an alarming trend in Fanfiction as of late, where people used to say this by way of irreverent self-parody lately I've begun to see people refer to any fic that has their favorite characters portrayed as less than saintly as '_insert name of character_ bashing.' I've even seen this promoted as if it were some new genre. Come on people, just because someone writes a story with Ron acting Jealous doesn't mean the author is bashing Ron. Just because Dumbledore is portrayed as having plans within plans to attempt countering Voldemort does not mean the Author is bashing him.

There are plenty of fics that do bashing out there, its hardly neccessary to start calling fics that have a more critical view of the characters '_________ bashing' fics.

--bornagainpenguin (who wonders if anyone else has noticed this or is disturbed by it)

 

It depends on degree. I can deal with Ron being a bit jealous, but when he suddenly decides that he hates Harry's guts and plots against him when he's been a loyal mate for the most part in canon, it's bashing.

Dumbledore, of course he's a bit manipulative. As a leader he has to be. But when he's suddenly a kinder and gentler Voldemort, stealing money from Harry and concocting countless schemes to force the boy to obey his whims and coming off like a poorly done cartoon supervillain, it's bashing.

I could go on, but I think I've made my point.

 

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I think ron should be shot. Harry should leav the wizerding world and let lord snake face have it. fuck them all :twisted:

 

In time Sya just wait! there like a discusting race of vermin and bidding thier time before they strike!

I truely see Ron as two faced if push came to shove, if Harry was to grow up and realise how much Ron is holding him back i can see Ron turning, but then that wouldn't be bashing would it?

 

I say Critcal thought is not bashing...to a point. Outright warping a character's bad points untill thats all there is to them is bashing.

This has been a statment from Commander Obivious.

 

I just picked Ron and Dumbledore because they were the first ones to come to mind. As Commander Obvious said above me, its the warping of a character without explaination that I consider to be true bashing. The problem is when I see a good author who writes the characters and projects actual traits as seen in the books into a situation--and then is called 'bashing' the character. The Dark Mark being an example of what I mean as both Hermione bashing and Harry bashing.

Now if on the other hand there had been a detailed and well written backstory that prepared the reader for a stunningly weak and ineffectual Harry or a pureblood politics malicious Hermione I'd not consider it bashing. I'd not neccessarily want to read it, since its so boviously a Tom Fel--Damn I did it again-- I mean Draco Malfoy masturbatory vehicle but that's besides the point I'm making here. I'm just a little bit frustrated by seeing stories where characters are portrayed in an intelligent realistic manner according to the backstory of the author described sometimes even by the author themselves as bashing.

--bornagainpenguin (who intends to see what others think now that he's explained what he meant more clearly--or so he hopes anyway..)

 

I think the fine line between being critical and 'bashing' is entirely dependent on the readers personal bias. If they don't like the character, it's just critical. If they like the person, it's bashing. Personally, like with dark versus 'evil', I think seperating the labels is pointless. If someone thinks it's bashing, good for them.

 

Well to be fair a lot of them ARE bashing Ron and DD. Personally I prefer fics that either take place out of school or where Ron is dead. That way he is out of the story without doing things like snapping Hedwig's neck in front of him (I forget which story had that...it was a really badly written trial scene, I think it was an Azkaban fic).

I agree 100% with this. I DESPISE reading fics where suddenly Draco is this great guy after 6 years of being a gigantic ass to "The Golden Trio", same thing with Snape suddenly becoming his best friend (although I'll admit there have been a couple decent Azkaban fics where he at least respects Harry), Harry is either a badass who just sits around plotting or a pussy who sits around moping, etc etc If you're going to do something OOC, at least have a good backstory behind it, or the readers end up being haunted by images of Hermione being gangbanged in Slytherin common room (don't ask, very bad fic).