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Post by Author By Night on Feb 15, 2009 11:10:46 GMT -5
Who wrote it? A werewolf? Someone who knew a werewolf? Someone we know in canon? Or someone completely random?
And how do you see the book? Do you see it as a helpful guide, or as a somewhat patronizing book trying to help people understand lycanthropy, despite the author himself having limited to know understanding of it?
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Post by vegablack on Feb 15, 2009 18:32:34 GMT -5
I picture it as written by a werewolf annonymously trying to gain some sympathy from the public. It is probably cringe worthy written by someone really begging for respect, but who might be like Remus at his worst somewhat ashamed of himself underneath it all.
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Post by starsea on Feb 15, 2009 20:03:26 GMT -5
I always suspected it WAS Remus.
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Post by siriusgirl on Feb 15, 2009 21:32:35 GMT -5
Who wrote it? A werewolf? Someone who knew a werewolf? Someone we know in canon? Or someone completely random? And how do you see the book? Do you see it as a helpful guide, or as a somewhat patronizing book trying to help people understand lycanthropy, despite the author himself having limited to know understanding of it? I actually came across a fic where Sirius wrote it when he was 16, after a cruel Defence against Dark art teacher taught about werewolves making, and deliberately glared at Remus. It to me sounds like someone who knows a werewolf and trying to write for people for compassion. |
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Post by vegablack on Feb 15, 2009 23:29:12 GMT -5
I like the idea that it was Remus. I'd never thought of that before, but I like the idea.
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Post by starsea on Feb 22, 2009 14:56:33 GMT -5
I actually came across a fic where Sirius wrote it when he was 16, after a cruel Defence against Dark art teacher taught about werewolves making, and deliberately glared at Remus. It to me sounds like someone who knows a werewolf and trying to write for people for compassion. I saw that and thought it was very plausible!  |
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Post by Author By Night on Feb 27, 2009 7:53:54 GMT -5
I actually came across a fic where Sirius wrote it when he was 16, after a cruel Defence against Dark art teacher taught about werewolves making, and deliberately glared at Remus. It to me sounds like someone who knows a werewolf and trying to write for people for compassion. I saw that and thought it was very plausible! Now that you both mention it, I think I did read that. That's really interesting. I don't know, for some reason I just always assumed it was... well, kind of like Hermione and the House Elves; well-meaning, but patronizing in its own right. I don't know why though, there's nothing in canon that implies it... maybe the title just seems a bit too "feely" or something. |
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Post by vegablack on Mar 10, 2009 11:58:41 GMT -5
It might be my age but the title sounds very much like confessional literature that was published a lot when I was young in the 60's and 70's. People with an illness, like manic depression, problem like illiteracy or a life experience, like rape or domestic abuse that had a strong stigmas attached to them would often write anonymous confessional books with titles just like Harry Snout Human Heart. They would appear with bags over their heads on woman oriented talk shows to discuss their lives.
The titles always contained internal pleas to be recognized as a sympathetic figure and a fellow human.
Their was an element of self-hatred in the need for anonymity and the tone of the books. They were pleas for understanding from a world assumed to be hostile.
That's why I picture the book as a confessional work of a real Werewolf; especially since it was written by anonymous.
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Post by kelleypen on Mar 15, 2009 9:31:45 GMT -5
I agree that it was written by someone with lycanthropy. It would be really fun to assume it was by Remus. Teddy could one day find that he's the recipient of the royalties on his father's book.
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Post by Chocolatepot on Mar 25, 2009 12:24:44 GMT -5
I don't know, for some reason I just always assumed it was... well, kind of like Hermione and the House Elves; well-meaning, but patronizing in its own right. I don't know why though, there's nothing in canon that implies it... maybe the title just seems a bit too "feely" or something. I had a similar feeling - not so much on who wrote it or why, but that it was overly sentimental and gooshy. Of course, some of that might just be due to how I've seen it referred to in fic ... |
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Post by Ilene Bones on Mar 29, 2009 19:33:55 GMT -5
I always thought the book had been written anonymously by a real werewolf. vegablack I don't think it's just your era because I grew up in the 80's and 90's and I remember books like that too, confessional, anonymous autobiographies by people discussing taboo subjects like mental illness, drug abuse, etc. (Also a lot of magazine articles in the same style, a rather pathetic plea for understanding). Though it is also possible it is one of those "as told to" books, where the "author" actually just does a series of interviews and someone else (sometimes named but sometimes an unnamed ghostwriter) puts them into a book form. This would introduce the potential for some skewing of quotes and insertion of the ghostwriter's prejudices (or just marketing concerns to make the book more sensational). And those are Muggle ghostwriters who don't have Quick Quotes Quills!
Interestingly, for some reason I never thought of Remus writing that particular book. I suppose because I thought of the book has having been written before Fenrir Greyback became well known, and I'm sure that made the historical prejudices against werewolves even worse. But now that I think about it more, it could also be written by a werewolf who was a part of Fenrir's pack and staying anonymous for protection not just from anti-werewolf wizards but from fellow packmates who would turn on him as a traitor if they found out he was spilling their secrets. A book like that would be more like someone writing about experiences in a cult or terrorist cell.
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Post by vegablack on Jul 13, 2009 22:30:39 GMT -5
I agree Ilene that there's something pathetic about the title. I feel Remus had more dignity than that. He would also presumably have more money.
I like the idea of a member of Greyback's pack writing it, that would add even more of a sleezy element. But I wonder if the theme of the book the humanity of the werewolf would preclude something so sensational.
Or maybe we are meant to feel sorry for a werewolf bitten and recruited as a child, like the stories of child soldiers.
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Post by MWPP on Jul 16, 2010 1:17:07 GMT -5
I think JKR wrote Remus more sympathetically than she had anticipated (the Marauders were probably supposed to be more backstory than they became, I'm betting - one of those instances where characters take on a life of their own), and HS,HH is meant to almost-spoof werewolf-ness.
She mocks us! Let's set Peeves on her!
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Post by siriusgirl on Jul 16, 2010 22:30:35 GMT -5
LOL!!! That'll learn her. It's described as heart rending. I think the idea of a confessional is very plausible
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