No, I don't understand that mindset that stories are "closed" at all. (probably most of fandom will be like that too). As you said, in some ways stories allow us to experience in different ways than real life events including the fact that we can get to know the characters in a way we never will in real life events. Part of the use of story is to learn about experience outside our own, so in that we are better able to empathize with each other. Stories might not match the depth of understanding as living the experience for ourselves, but still. That is why stepping into the characters' shoes is so important. Whether the story is something deep and moving, like Of Mice and Men or lighter like Sailor Moon their is something we take from that.
Plus, like you and some others commenting here, I find the obessive following of some real world events can become voyeristic, feeling we should give people dignity in letting them experience their joys and griefs without eyes upon them. Also why I dislike RPFs (though historical fiction stories with real people as characters generally doesn't bother me, and I enjoy memoirs and biographies. Maybe because for the former, real people in historical fiction are generally supporting and for the latter the people the books are about have given permission in some manner...idk).
Still, my grandfather never liked stories all that much, period. I think he felt that nonfiction and news were more relevant to him. I think a lot of what this Paul person is saying is how he'd feel. So there must be people like that, who just miss the point of story, let alone the point of wondering what happened after a story finished. Then there are others who maybe feel that once the story is done they know what happens (the characters lead a quite live no unlike the reader's own).
Lastly...totally silly but the line "It would be odd to worry about how Hamlet's friends are coping with his death because these friends don't exist;" made me laugh so much. The author wasn't meaning it in this sense, but by the play's end, that is narratively true! Except for Horatio, all his friends and family are dead. (Well, maybe Ophelia's brother, Leartes, and Hamlet were friends before the play began, and I guess maybe Hamlet was friends with people off screen like the pirates but....still. They have a graveyard in the courtroom by the time Fortinbras shows up practically.)
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Date: 2010-06-18 09:09 pm (UTC)Plus, like you and some others commenting here, I find the obessive following of some real world events can become voyeristic, feeling we should give people dignity in letting them experience their joys and griefs without eyes upon them. Also why I dislike RPFs (though historical fiction stories with real people as characters generally doesn't bother me, and I enjoy memoirs and biographies. Maybe because for the former, real people in historical fiction are generally supporting and for the latter the people the books are about have given permission in some manner...idk).
Still, my grandfather never liked stories all that much, period. I think he felt that nonfiction and news were more relevant to him. I think a lot of what this Paul person is saying is how he'd feel. So there must be people like that, who just miss the point of story, let alone the point of wondering what happened after a story finished. Then there are others who maybe feel that once the story is done they know what happens (the characters lead a quite live no unlike the reader's own).
Lastly...totally silly but the line "It would be odd to worry about how Hamlet's friends are coping with his death because these friends don't exist;" made me laugh so much. The author wasn't meaning it in this sense, but by the play's end, that is narratively true! Except for Horatio, all his friends and family are dead. (Well, maybe Ophelia's brother, Leartes, and Hamlet were friends before the play began, and I guess maybe Hamlet was friends with people off screen like the pirates but....still. They have a graveyard in the courtroom by the time Fortinbras shows up practically.)