Fandom Discussion -- Characters and addictions

[themostepotente]

Somebody asked me the other day what my hang up with absinthe was -- and why I write Snape as having an addiction to it.

That got the old wheels a turnin'.

Simple -- Snape as well as any other character should have a weakness if you will. Since Severus is a potionscrafter, an addiction to something he'd have easy access to made great sense to me. And there is something very glamorous about absinthe in the hands of a very unglamorous man that trips my trigger.

I've actually seen a few people addict Snape to (or have a fondness for) absinthe besides scribbulus_ink and myself. Stand the fuck up and be counted people!

And what about poor Remus Lupin? Is he addicted to the wolfsbane potion yet or has he built up a tolerance to it?

I hate, hate, hate when people write characters as being infallible. JFC -- since when did the Q Continuum cross over into the Potterverse?

And Goddess bless the hotness that is Lucius Malfoy, but goddammit when I pinpoint his achilles heel, I will use and abuse it.

So what about other addictive substances? I've a bit of a kink with characters being addicted to Muggle narcotics as well as cigarettes and organics.

I've seen fics with opium and snuff addictions. Yes -- I find this exceedingly hot as well. I'm strange, I know. You knew this or you wouldn't be over here reading :P

What about hardcore abuse and addiction? Cocaine, heroin? Why don't more Snapes have a datura addiction? Bigtime painkiller, folks.

And okay, what about nymphomania and satyriasis? Can't you just picture poor Harry seated in a circle of chairs, eyes upon him as he stands to say;

"Hi, I'm Harry Potter, and I'm a sex addict."

I'm getting off the beaten path here, folks. I want to hear your thoughts on HP characters and addictions. Have a link to leave? By all means, please do.

--P

Comments

[themostepotente.livejournal.com]

You make a very interesting point, and I am certainly guilty of inflicting my clove smoking obsession off on Snape and Black.

But Mary Sue-ish?

What's an acceptable weakness for you then?

[cranberryink.livejournal.com]

To preface, let me say that I generally read fic because I'm interested in relationships and character dynamics. Therefore the weaknesses I like to see are related to emotional abilities. Substance addiction is both physical and psychological, and while it can have a significant effect on a relationship, it's almost more of an external influence. I prefer weakensses that are shortcomings in the emotional maturity necessary for a relationship--lack of trust, communication issues, family, how does one cope with change, etc. True addiction is all about the addict, all the time (ask anyone who's dated or been married to an addict--when they're using you worry about when they're going to stop, when they're not using you worry about when they're going to start). I want to read a story that's about two people coping simultaneously with both of their issues and working to overcome what they can.

As far as it being Mary Sue-ish, I think of a Mary Sue as a character that the author would want to be, and giving that character the author's addictions takes them one step closer. I don't think it is a Mary Sue, just shades of.

[millefiori.livejournal.com]

I totally agree with you! Having seen close up the reality of addiction, I have a hard time romanticizing it. There's also the problem of it never going away. Even if the addict gets clean/sober, the addiction is there, forever and that has to be taken into account (though I think it has the potential to be very effective, like Remus's lycanthropy).

I don't have any problem with the *use* of drugs or alcohol or any other sort of mind-altering thing in fic. The problem for me is when it crosses the line into addiction, because then, as you say, everything in the addict's life eventually falls by the wayside except for his obsession with the drug of choice. Of course, a fic doesn't have to be written that way, but if the author tells me a character is an addict, I'm going to expect him to behave like an addict.

[themostepotente.livejournal.com]

Of course, a fic doesn't have to be written that way, but if the author tells me a character is an addict, I'm going to expect him to behave like an addict.

As well he/she should.

It's not so much romanticizing it. At least not for me. Addiction is a very real thing, and I am adamant about realism in fics -- even in fantasy based fics.

Thanks for stopping by. I like to hear the opinions of others. Even if they are dissenting ones :-)

[millefiori.livejournal.com]

Oh good -- I'm glad I didn't offend!

It's not so much romanticizing it.

Hmmm. Perhaps that's the wrong word. Maybe it would be truer to say I'm not interested in it. I've seen so much of it in my life that it's just not what I want to see in fic. For me addiction written realistically is boring and depressing, and when written unrealistically it just irritates and annoys.

[cranberryink.livejournal.com]

For me addiction written realistically is boring and depressing, and when written unrealistically it just irritates and annoys.

Word, yo. There's nothing funny or sexy or romantic or anything about an addict and their addiction. It's just depressing and pathetic and annoying and pitiful. I like my fic to be entertaining, and for me, nothing about addiction is entertaining.

[themostepotente.livejournal.com]

Fair enough :-) Thanks for elaborating!