“There is not a single original thought in Eragon” : tekijyys, intertekstuaalisuus ja fandom internetin fantasiakirjakeskusteluissa

Abstract

This doctoral dissertation deals with fantasy fiction readers’ views on authorship as featured in online discussions. It also asks what kind of interpretive communities readers form online, and how fandom and anti-fandom appear in online discussions on literature. The aim is to find out if readers of fantasy fiction consider innovative creation to be essential to today’s fantasy literature or do they prefer intertextuality and polyphony instead. This research is executed by using data-driven content analysis. The research material is composed of ten online conversation data sets discussing J. R. R. Tolkien, J. K. Rowling, and Christopher Paolini. The main conclusion is that contemporary readers of fantasy fiction value innovative literary creation. A prime example of this is the romantic cult of genius formed around J. R. R. Tolkien. At the same time, readers also think that romantic geniuses are exceedingly rare and that it is acceptable to take influences. However, an original voice of narration and new ways of combining familiar tropes are vital. The encounter between an author and a reader is always dynamic, individual, and multifaceted. A list of factors contributing to reader’s view on authorship can be constructed as follows: 1. the image of the writer, 2. the skills of the writer, 3. the writer’s own comments about their literary sources, 4. the reader’s level of knowledge and reading experiences, and 5. the reader’s possible fandom or anti-fandom of the author. It is concluded that both fans and anti-fans of fantasy form interpretive communities. The theoretical basis for the analysis is Stanley Fish’s theory on interpretive communities. It is also observed that fans use certain parameters to establish their own status within the group and make value-judgements about each other: 1. how much fantasy fiction one has read, 2. how well educated one is, 3. the age and developmental stage of the fan, and 4. how well one expresses oneself. It is further concluded that anti-fandom can be just as overarching and motivating as fandom.