Friday open thread: the stories that linger

[dolorosa_12]

This is the first of my Friday open threads making use of questions proposed by you. You can still submit your own prompts via last week's open thread.

This week's question comes from shadaras: What's a piece of media/a story that you keep returning to? Why do you keep returning to it?



This is a really hard question for me to answer, because I reread things again and again, rewatch things over and over and over. If a story does not inspire repeat readings/viewings for me, it's not something that I view as being particularly important.

I reread, and rewatch, for different reasons. Sometimes it's consolation and cosiness, finding comfort in spending time with characters who feel like old friends, and stories which live in the space behind my heart. Sometimes it's because I want to catch a glimpse of a younger version of myself, the person to whom this story really, really mattered. Sometimes it's because I want to wring more meaning out of the story, or see if its meaning has changed for me over time.

Most common, for me, however, is a desire to revisit particular stories because they resonate with particular personal moral crises or questions that are weighing on my mind, or with the wider social and political landscape. One such example is Sophia McDougall's Romanitas trilogy. I've written about this series frequently, and it is really dear to my heart, and it's always been something I've reread. But since 2016, I've been more deliberate in my rereads, because the series' denouement involves an international alliance of the dispossessed making common cause, using the tools they have to hand, and weaponising the misplaced perceptions those in power have of them to overthrow a violent, rapacious, insatiably militaristic empire, led by an unqualified racist, sexist sexually abusive ruler.

I assume I don't need to spell out why I've been returning to this series with such frequency these past four years...

Comments

[lirazel]

If a story does not inspire repeat readings/viewings for me, it's not something that I view as being particularly important.

Yeah, me, too. There are a handful of things that left an impression on me but that I also thought, "I...don't really need to watch/read that again," but the vast majority of things I love I have watched/read over and over.

an international alliance of the dispossessed making common cause, using the tools they have to hand, and weaponising the misplaced perceptions those in power have of them to overthrow a violent, rapacious, insatiably militaristic empire, led by an unqualified racist, sexist sexually abusive ruler.

Oh. OH! Sold.

[likeadeuce]

Both of your answers are so interesting to me because I am so much the opposite. I'm generally not a rereader or rewatcher except in the case of things I am currently actively fannish about, and even then I usually dip in and out of particular bits/ chapters/ episodes. I just always want to be adding to my life list, I guess. That said, this makes me rereading and re-visiting experiences that much more powerful because they connect so much with certain periods of my life.

(In other words I am considering my own answer, which would probably be something like 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' or 'The Great Gatsby' or Austen.

[dolorosa_12]

I think part of it is that the way I am fannish is so different to the way most people I know in fandom are fannish. Most fandom people I know tend to get obsessed with one single thing, participate in the fandom intensely until the obsession fades, and then move on to a new fandom. (Occasionally they also have a handful of 'forever fandoms' which they will happily engage with to the extent of reblogging stuff on Tumblr, but won't be actively seeking out or creating fanworks or discussing them with other fans.)

But for me, the fannish feelings, once unlocked, never switch off. But because all the things I'm fannish about are tiny — I mean, the fandom for Romanitas is basically me ... and the author (I'm not exaggerating: at one point I created a fan blog for it, the author must have had alerts set up for her name, she got in touch, and we've been online friends ever since) — I have to be prepared to be in fannish mode all the time, because fanworks and discussions of those fandoms are so rare that I have to take every opportunity that arises. Because of this experience, I'm used to the idea that fannish feelings are solitary, and therefore don't require the presence of other fans to be unlocked. And therefore I'm forever dipping back into old canons, and my feelings about them, for the most part, remain unchanged (or just get added to, as my accummulated new experiences add extra layers of meaning).

[likeadeuce]

Oh yes, that definitely does make sense as a specific way of engaging with fandom. I do think I'm still less of a rereader/ rewatcher than average of people who are really into books/movies etc.

I think I am benefiting from a lot of perennial fandom types in my Raven Cycle flailing as there is a lot of 'i read these a few years ago and I still like these characters reaction.' There is a more active segment of fandom still but they are mostly into Ronan/Adam specifically or Declan Lynch, somehow. (This apparently has to do with the sequel trilogy which I have not picked up yet so I am being very WELL THAT'S A CHOICE YOU MADE about it).

I just saw a tumblr post that compared following someone's account for a specific fandom as 'you discovered a great coffee shop and you're still coming here for years later even though it's a mattress store now.' With the addendum 'Sometimes unexpectedly they still serve a shot of the really good coffee)

[lirazel]

I totally appreciate the pov of "there's too much stuff I haven't encountered yet to re-read/re-watch. Though I will say--I reread books often, but I rarely rewatch entire shows. Even with BtVS, which was my major fandom for years, I probably only watched the whole show through twice, though there were episodes I've seen multiple times.

[dolorosa_12]

I'm pretty similar — with the sole exception of BtVS, which I have definitely rewatched in its entirety at least five times (plus multiple rewatches of specific episodes). That being said, there are some episodes I tend to skip on rewatch because I find them so unsettling that I get basically no pleasure on the rewatch (Gingerbread, Normal Again). I've also lost patience over the years with Season 7, apart from a handful of individual episodes. That said, I'm in the middle of a very slow rewatch of Buffy and Angel with my husband, who has never seen Angel at all, and whose viewing of Buffy was somewhat haphazard.

I think the only other series I've rewatched are Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, and the first season of Veronica Mars, and I'm currently stalled in a rewatch of Avatar: the Last Airbender.

It's probably partly the time commitment. Most rereads take at maximum three or four hours. Rewatching an entire TV series is ... a lot more than that.

[lirazel]

It's probably partly the time commitment. Most rereads take at maximum three or four hours. Rewatching an entire TV series is ... a lot more than that.

Yes, exactly.

[likeadeuce]

You know, the times when I was in TV fandoms was the era that the shows were in daily reruns on some channel or other. So like in addition to rewatching specific Buffy DVDs for fic context and the like, I would just turn on what ep happened to be airing that day. Making the commitment to sit down and rewatch a series or season through is something that almost only happens when cowatching with a friend. (Currently doing this, long distance, with Veronica Mars season 1, though technically I never really watched large chunks of that because I watched it as it aired and wasn't into it enough to tape eps I miss.) The practice of cowatching DVDs with someone in person has declined drastically with me for a NUMBER of reasons (friend moving away THEN roommate moving out THEN pandemic so... I do some long distance cowatching, but aside from the VMars thing, we mostly pick stuff that's new to both of us.)

[dolorosa_12]

It's nice that you still are able to cowatch stuff, though. Ten years ago or thereabouts, I had a couple of fandom friends with whom I used to watch lots and lots of TV — and this was back before streaming services were a big thing, so tracking down links to the episodes and finding a set time to watch them as quickly as possible to avoid being spoiled was a lot more complicated. Even though Netflix etc probably would make accessing the episodes a lot easier now, we simply do not have the time to commit to it any more — it was much easier when we were all in university.

It therefore really makes me happy to see that you're still able to do so. And I approve of the choice of Veronica Mars!

[dolorosa_12]

There are a handful of things that left an impression on me but that I also thought, "I...don't really need to watch/read that again," but the vast majority of things I love I have watched/read over and over.

Yes, this is the case for me too, although things which fall into the former category tend to be stuff I've read for school/uni coursework — i.e. things I didn't choose to read, but which resonated really strongly.

I hope you like Romanitas. It's a weird series — I love it beyond all measure and reason, and I've been shouting about it online since 2007, but although the way I describe it tends to intrigue people, I've never had any luck getting friends hooked on it. Everyone I know who tried it based on my recommendation gave up after the first book. Maybe I'll have more luck with you!

[lirazel]

Maybe I'll have more luck with you!

It's possible! I will let you know if it happens!

[nyctanthes]

Interesting question. I was an avid re-reader as a child and young person; but post-college, I got out of the habit of re-reading. That said, at various points in my life, including recently, there has been a book, a movie, a piece of music that's made me think hard about aspects of my life, and in the thinking I watch, read, listen repeatedly. I wouldn't call it a comfortable process, but it's necessary, something I work through and eventually feel better about.

[dolorosa_12]

That's really interesting to hear. I would certainly say I reread more things, and more frequently, when I was a child and teenager — but I think that's partly due to having more time back then. I was also a really fast reader at that age, and frequently read three books in a single day.

From the sound of things, your current rereading/rewatching/repeated listening is a form of reflection to help you come to terms with things in your life/experiences, so I can understand why that wouldn't be particularly comfortable.

[thawrecka]

I feel like I've reread the Chronicles of Prydain the most, though it's been years since I last read through them. They're just great coming of age stories, especially Taran Wanderer.

Probably the thing I've read the second most is Pride and Prejudice, and that I only read the highlights package.

As for rewatching, I've probably seen Clueless nearly 600 times... It's funny and bright, and when I first watched it that movie was like an explosion of colour and fashion into my life. The jokes have aged well! Especially the jokes about how miserable and frustrating environmental law is.

[dolorosa_12]

Oooh, I love the Prydain books — although I think I've only read them once, and my copies are back at my mum's place in Australia. They are really great coming of age stories, though, and because I read them when I was a uni student (majoring in medieval literature) I was familiar with all the medieval Welsh stories that the series draws on, which definitely enriched the experience!

Clueless is a great film for rewatching, and I agree with you that it's aged well. The cultural references are very much of its time, and it does feel very 90s to me, but the characters themselves, and the story, are definitely timeless. It's not my favourite '90s teen movie (that would be Ten Things I Hate About You), but it's definitely one I love a lot, and my husband I watched it during the first month or so of lockdown, and it utterly lifted our spirits.

[trepkos]

I think I need to read that series.

[dolorosa_12]

Excellent! I hope you like it!

[dhampyresa]

The first thing that comes to mind is the French comic series Le chat du rabbin (The Rabbi's Cat) by Joann Sfar. There's something about the cozyness and warmth of it that grounds me.

I should pick up Romanitas again.

[dolorosa_12]

Le chat du rabbin sounds amazing and delightful, so I can definitely understand why you return to it again and again. What a fantastic concept for a story!

I should pick up Romanitas again.

If I remember correcty, there were various things about it which irritated you. Reading shouldn't be a chore, and just because I love this series beyond measure it doesn't follow that everyone else should read it out of a sense of obligation.

(Romanitas, and the Pagan Chronicles, which are the two stories that I love the most in the world, and they're basically the reason why I've stopped recommending books to anyone.)

[dhampyresa]

I remember putting down Romanitas because I was in A Mood (due to being in a bad place) more than anything.

Yes, Le Chat du Rabbin is great! I think you might like it a lot -- there's an animated movie as well if you feel like watching it more than reading it.

[dolorosa_12]

I remember putting down Romanitas because I was in A Mood (due to being in a bad place) more than anything.

Ah, that makes sense. Still, no pressure to pick it up again!

I read about the animated movie of Le Chat du Rabbin when I was googling to find out what it was. I suspect that's going to be easier for me in terms of time and financial commitment, but I'll see how things go.

[dhampyresa]

I have to finish the other alt-history I'm currently reading first, but Imma try!

skygiants wrote about the rabbi's cat which leads me to believe it exists in English so maybe you can get it through the library? idk.

[dolorosa_12]

It definitely exists in English, but my public library doesn't have it. That probably won't stop me, though!

[likeadeuce]

So I never gave a proper answer to this and I think it is mostly reminding me that I want to reread 'The Hobbit,' which is definitely my most reread book but that I don't think I have dived back into in the past decade or so. I definitely first read it/ heard it read aloud when I was way too young to realize there weren't any girls in it? (I realize many people probably realized this very young but I got my mind a little blown reading a collection of literary parody/ jokes when I was 15 or so when one of them pointed this out). Still, all of my childish rereads were very much 'this is THE adventure story, Bilbo is THE adventure hero (I've always been skeptical of so much 'writing advice' about how your characters have to WANT THINGS because Bilbo doesn't even want to be on the quest, and yet he's great!!) and the shape and geography of that story are etched into my mind.

I also reread it at least once around college when I was like 'wait this is trite and embarrassing, and way too episodic and has corny jokes and everything is too telegraphed' . . .and then I reread it in my thirties and thought about how dumb my younger self was because it was in fact freaking great.

[dolorosa_12]

Awww, I love everything about this! I think I've only read The Hobbit (and LoTR) three times in my entire life: once as a nine-year-old child, once when I was fourteen, and once when I was eighteen or so when the films came out. I should probably reread the whole thing again at least once, because now that I have three degrees in medieval literature, I'm going to appreciate (and recognise) a lot of the allusions a whole lot more.

I love that you were able to return to finding The Hobbit magical, after being too cool for it when you were a student.