Don't know that this makes sense. Anyhoo. Remus is good.

[heystasa]

Over on 

remusxsirius a poll was posted asking who of the pairing people liked the best.  

tjwritter posted this: I love Remus so much that I don't really care who he is shipped with...but Sirius? He only makes sense to me with his werewolf lover!! , and I replied with this: 

Me too! Well, almost. I'm starting to really not like the way Remus is often characterised with Sirius. He loses a lot of what of what made me love him in POA in the first place. ...Remus/James, however, I desparetely hope for more of. 

Then she (? - jumping to conclusions here, sorry if I'm wrong), asked this: Interesting. I joined this community just recently to see all sides of Remus because I have read so much of him paired with others but not many with Sirius; unless it is hinted at (almost like you have to hint of R/Hr if you are going to pair Hermione with any one else)...got to find the reason they would be with anyone else when the book so clearly puts them together! (whether JKR admits it or not!) But since joining the comm, unfortunately I haven't had much time to actually read anything! How is he characterized? And more importantly, do you have any recs on some great stories that are prime examples of what works for you in stories?

Which, of course, got me to thinking, and my reply ended up rather long. I've been pondering my recent disenchantment with R/S lately, and though part of why I've gone off it may be a result of simply wanting to try something different, I've also, as I tend to do, been considering certain traits and trends in the pairing. So, in an attempt to answer tjwritter's query, and to get some of these thoughts down, I give you this post, forgive me if I meander through it:

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On Remus in R/S -

What I object to the most, is that sometimes he's characterised as being quite feminine and whimpy, and lovesick and pinning, which is especially grating when he is older. And, not always, but often one gets the impression that one is reading the perspective of a teenage girl, not Remus Lupin (at any age). It's like, Sirius gets to be the "boy" alot more, and like Remus shrinks in comparison. The better stories at least let him be a boy and let him be a strong character despite how loud Sirius is.

I also personally can't stand when he is automatically the submissive bottom. There is no need for one to be more feminine, or more submissive - the two do not neccesarily go hand in hand, and sexual roles should not always define and alter character.

And, as nice as it is to read some big wonderful eternal-one-true-love romance, I really don't think that it's neccessary with these two. It lessens them when that's all that's driving them. I just resent it when he gets watered down to someone who seems to only exist to be in love with Sirius. That's not what I think makes him interesting.

For some reason, when 'fics are delivered from mainly Remus's point of view, I find him much less in character than when he is being observed. I sometimes get the impression that there must be something about him that allows writers to channel a bit more of themselves into him than to other characters, or, that he must be a very difficult character for some people to understand or to write. Which is weird, because I found him to be one of the fuller formed characters in the series. He just appears as so completely real and human in the books, moreso, I think, than anyone else.

Anyway. That being said, there are some utterly incredible writers in the fandom, and some truely fabulous stories. And there are many writers who do do a great job of Remus.

As for what does work for me, well, I responded to him in canon for his dignity and intelligence, his quiet kindness and control. He suffered a great deal throughout his life, and it is hard not to respect that. There is a gentle masculinity to him, a quiet grace and a soothing quality. He has lead a difficult life, and hides it to a certain extent, he is a bit of a distant figure, but still such a firm presence. 

Personally, I prefer him given as bi, not exclusivly gay, given the whole Tonks element. And, the fact that much of the bad characterisation comes from people deciding that he can only like boys and therefore (perhaps inadvertantly) making him more girly, has probably turned me rather harshly against the suggestion. There is more annoying pinning over Sirius when he is written as being exclusively gay, and none of the more compelling elements that could exist, as a result.

I like that he was a Marauder, and hate when people overlook the posibilities of that. I like it when he is mischievious or devious, when he is quietly plotting. I love sarcastic teenaged Remus, he is a clever guy, I love to see that. 

In terms of recs, my favourite characterisation of him recently has been in this Harry/Draco fic (in which he spends a lot of time with Fred & George and cups of tea). I think that she really has him spot on.

Writers like kabeyk(whom I worship and whose work can be found here. I should really make a post gushing over her, but I’ll just say now that From Another Perspective is simple one of the best Harry/ Dracos I’ve read, and her Remus/James is divine. I’m not even going to mention R/Ss, because I love too many for too many reasons. Though, for the purposes of this post, this one and this one are quite good school-aged Moonys, and this features a very respectable post-Hogwarts one) and sazzlette(whom I must finish reading the work of soon, as she's written a great many pairings and I quite fancy branching out a little) are wonderful in that their characterisations and their stories themselves are very boyish and authentic.

An old favourite of mine, All Kidding Aside, has a wonderfully sarcastic Moony. He has that quietness and control, and that hint of more under the surface that I love. I prefer stories to involve more subconscious attraction to the other half of the pairing, and like R/S because there is a lot of that. "All Kidding Aside" is a bit of an example of what I mean by that, the kind of interaction I adore. (Kabeyk's Middle Man has some fantastic subconscious stuff going on, though is rather pervy, and may not work for everyone. My psychologist's brain lapped it up.)

Boiling Point is another utterly fantastic fic, with, if memory serves, a wonderful grumpy Remus, and mentions of knobbly knees.

As I said before, I quite like the perspective to be from another character when Remus is being slashed. I like to see him observed. Kabeyk's "Remus Lupin's Unofficial List of things" is a good one for that, though as far as I'm concerned My Beautiful Friend and it's sequel (R/J/S, from James' perspective) are the ultimate in Remus observation. Sazzlette's Pigs Might Fly, an R/J that I just re-read, also rolls right up this alley.  Back to R/S, minnow_53, who is also rather clever, has this wonderful little piece, that I'll just never tire of.

(There are many more fabulous authors and fics for this pairing, but those above are just off the top of my head. The first half of this year sucked for me, and as a result the R/S folder in my favourite on my laptop is very full. At the  moment I am on the home computer though, and so can't recall them all. May add later.)

tjwritter, I hope that this somehow answers your questions, and, at the very least, there are some great fics linked in there if you're new to the fandom.


Now, I desparetly need to go to bed. It's Christmas Eve in the morning, and I have to get up early to work, and do many a wonderful but tiring Christmassy thing. 
To all a good night, and a very Merry Christmas/ lovely holidays!



 

Comments

[tjs-whatnot.livejournal.com]

Great analysis and you have hit on a lot of the issues I have with people writing Lupin as well. I think he has so many qualities and foibles that it is easy to see bits of yourself in him and so you're right, people do tend to focus on the bits they can relate to. And that's fine, everyone has their own Remus...the issue is finding the authors that tell him as close to what you imagine him to be.

I also don't like when he's OOC to fit the story or the pairing. And like he said in OotP, the way someone is at 15 is not how they remain. Just because Sirius was loud and fun-loving and Remus was studious and quiet doesn't mean the were that way in their relationship...

What I've read and enjoyed from this pairing so far is the playfulness of their relationship. And also the heartbreak if you read ones that take place in the Order year...'cause you know what's coming.

And while I'm not new to fandom and the reading of fanfiction, I am new to this pairing...but each of them have their stereotypical things wrong with Remus...in Snupin it drives me crazy when Remus is full of guilt and constantly apologizing for the incident in the Shrieking Shack...he was a werewolf he had no control over that situation!

Thanks for all the recs! One can never have enough Remus in their memories, LJ or real!