Fanfiction and Changing Times

Fanfiction, that practice of writing stories about a favorite television series, movie, or even sometimes real persons and places (there's a thriving Prince William fanfiction base, for instance), is applauded by some, decried by others (including series franchise publishers who want readers reading their tediously repetitive published material, not amateur writing). Like anything else in life, it ranges from horrendously bad--stories that are so badly spelled and formatted that even if a decent story lurked there you wouldn't know, or those that twist the characters to their own agenda, or others that have the characters down pat, but who have plotting or anachronism problems--to stunningly good--I have a Connie Faddis "Faces of Time" novella that makes most of the professional Dr. Who novels look like wet slop.

So I enjoy fanfiction, but I do so like it best when it's done well, especially period fanfic.

Which of course is why I was amused when I came upon a collection of stories based on NBC's American Dreams. Most of them appeared to be written by beginners--whatever faults they have, it's still wonderful to know something will inspire people to actually write! However, I came upon a fairly promising story from its description and formatting--until I got to the third or fourth line where Jack inquires where youngest son Will is.

Helen responds that he's on a "play date" with a friend.

I laughed until I cried. "Play dates" in the 1960s, I ask you. "Play dates" are a 1990s thing, forced by kids' and parents' increasingly chock-full work schedules and regulated activities nowadays. In 1960, unless you were in some extramural sport or activity at school, you came home and played with your friends. You didn't have to make appointments like some silly-ass business executive. The conversation would go something like this:

Kid: "Mom, can I go play over Jamie's house?"
Mom: "'May I go play over Jamie's house?'"
Kid: "May I go play over Jamie's house?"
Mom: "Yes, but be back by suppertime."

Whereupon kid hopped on his bike or walked to his friend's house and played at whatever the kids wanted to play at. No interfering grownup made up rules, bought uniforms, made a game into a competition for trophies. You went and had a good time.

The 1960s weren't a perfect time: the problems of American Dreams' African-American Walker family vividly illustrates that. But "play dates" certainly weren't one of the problems. Ugh!

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. . . . . noted and logged by Linda at 10:12:00 AM

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