Which the author endowed with hypertrophied, unrealistic virtues, abilities and luck. It is believed that the author of the work associates himself with his "Mary Sue" and embodies his complexes from real life. Creating such characters is considered bad form. They appear most often in fan fiction and in tabletop role-playing games.
Encyclopedic YouTube
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In fanfiction, the Mary Sue is most often a new character that was not present in the original work. Less often, one of the original characters "turns" into it, whose behavior changes very much. Usually, the Mary Sue appears unexpectedly and immediately arouses the admiration of others. It simultaneously combines all possible advantages in such hypertrophied volumes that it looks grotesque and ridiculous. Often positive traits"Mary Sues" contradict each other and replace each other depending on the situation - on the go in the narrative, the appearance, character, impression made by the character, and so on can change. "Mary Sue" may have negative qualities, but they will often be presented to the reader as virtues. The whole world revolves around Mary Sue, and she solves the problems that threaten humanity in one fell swoop.
Often, but not necessarily, a "Mary Sue" has a very long and beautiful (according to the author) name. She may also be a relative of one of the main characters in the original work and bear his last name. Almost always, some details of the biography of the Mary Sue (for example, hometown or favorite musical group) are taken from the life of the author himself.
A character like "Mary Sue" most often arises unconsciously in the author. Pointing out that the heroine/hero is a "Mary Sue" can seem like a very serious insult to the author. In some cases, however, "Mary Sue" is deliberately introduced into the work for the sake of the comic and the grotesque. As a rule, in these cases, “Mary Sue” is brought to the point of absurdity, but some circumstances do not allow the character to “turn around” (which are the other “Mary Sues”, more often these are the closest relatives of the main characters) ...
In some thematic resources, it is forbidden to publish fanfiction with the Mary Sue without a grotesque-humorous presentation of the text.
In tabletop role playing games
In tabletop role-playing games, as a rule, there is a leader - Master. A feature of the role of the leader is that, along with unlimited power over the process of the game, he does not have the opportunity to be its direct participant. Wanting to overcome this limitation, some hosts create NPCs with which they associate themselves. Because for everything dangerous situations in desktop role playing the host answers, such a “character” automatically receives “immunity” to any troubles, except for the planned ones, and finds itself in a known better position than the characters of other players.
In literary role-playing games (LRI or FRPG)
Characters such as Mary Sues are banned in literary role-playing games, as the appearance of such a character can greatly affect the game and greatly change or even "destroy" the game's plot. These characters are forever beautiful and never get tired. They get it right the first time and never fail.
More about Mary Sue
as always a lot...
And again about Mary (Marty) Sue or "Heroes of Our Time"
I know that the Internet is teeming with articles about Mary (Marty) Sue - further asexual IT or MS - but I am haunted by the perverted terminology over time and attaching it to all the characters, one way or another not meeting the aesthetic preferences of the reader. Ever since I plunged into the Internet community of authors, I have been constantly faced with accusations of the existence of certain characters, in certain texts. Of course, I am not an innovator of the idea, but I would like to understand the truth of the concept, the signs of MS. It seems to me that the etymology is distorted and exaggerated.
I’ll try to figure out whether the accusations are grounded or groundless, because modern literature has changed so much, the heroes of our time have changed so much that it’s wrong to try on the template of existence for everyone who does not fall under the watchful eye of a critical reader with a very biased opinion.
Who is the true (th) Mary (Marty) Sue and texts without them ...
In general, the work is large and painstaking. I poked around, proofread, reworked and here is the result:
1) Concept, the birth of Mary (Marty) Sue.
2) Fanfiction with MC
3) Types of MS
4) Signs of seushnosti (alteration of the signs of Internet reviewers).
5) Sushness Tests
6) A hero of our time without Sue.
1) The concept of Mary (Marty) Sue.
Forgive me, but repetition is the mother of learning, moreover, if a beginner stumbles upon an opus who has not previously encountered the concept of MS, without a detailed etymology he will not immediately understand what it is about. He will have to delve into the internet to fill the gap in knowledge, and this waste of time is irrational. Therefore, briefly about the main and urgent:
Mary Sue is an original character, reputedly the embodiment of the author's own dreams. He has hypertrophied superpowers: genius in actions and words, unsurpassed beauty, a sharp mind, clumsy logic, an inimitable sense of humor, immeasurable strength, everything is given with ease - lucky like no one else - super-gifts, megacharm, sarcasm splatters during dialogues, with pianos on "you", as, perhaps, with the Kama Sutra, because for sex with IT you can give your life, although the true IT itself is ready to sacrifice itself to save the world on ... in ... yes, wherever ... Beware! IT is controlled by any weapon and not only.
Marty Sue, aka Marty Stu, or Maurice Stu is the male form of Mary Sue. It is much rarer than the average Mary Sue. There are hetero- and homosexual Marty-Sues - the latest in slash fics.
It is believed: texts with IT are fantasies of teenage girls.
Now IT has an idealized character that pushes other characters to the periphery of the narrative and constantly sticks out in the foreground, shining with all sorts of talents, beauty, sex appeal, psychic abilities and the like. The rest of the Persians can only admire IT, because they have nothing else to do - IT does everything by itself and much better: defeats the villains; drives selected and even unselected characters crazy; performs impossible missions; serves as an inspiration to everyone around. If IT Marty-Sue is a brooding, solitude-loving type, completely oblivious to fame, from which he only gets into trouble. He succeeds in all undertakings, even when he ignores generally accepted rules. In the end, IT deserves the respect of all authority figures. He also has terrible fits of guilt over things that were not his fault and that he had no control over at all. Everyone around him knows that he is not to blame for anything, but he insists on his torment and yearns all night long - a cheap ploy to find a reason for longing, soul-searching and deep thought. Often this is used to make the hero become uncommunicative and despised.
IT can't do anything even remotely bad without a whole bunch of explanations and excuses. Readers get bored with this, as well as the constant fulfillment of the hero's desires, because in essence they are one and the same.
The characteristic excuse of the "Maryselves": "gg not me, IT just reminds me, talks like me, bears my name and does everything that I would like to do", "gg non-idealized personification - IT has adopted a bunch of shortcomings", "gg imperfect - There are a lot of things IT can't do." By "flaws" is often understood: gg cares too much about his friends, or gg tries to do everything as best as possible, to the point of possibilities. Under the things that gg "can't do" is understood: the inability to play the banjo and other skills that are unimportant in the story.
The reason Maryseism is so annoying is that many people don't like to read about someone divinely beautiful, lucky, gifted, whose dreams always come true in everything.
After reading the opinion: First of all, I would like to point out that "Mary Sue" has nothing to do with writing in the first person. Eat autobiographical prose, which represents the narrator as normal person, both with advantages and disadvantages, and does not forget to describe other people with whom the narrator interacts in one way or another (in fact, more often he describes other people even more)”, - wondered: why all of a sudden? I often read sushny texts from the first, because in terminology we are not talking about the author, but about the characters prescribed by him. Just from the first person - an overestimated, inexplicable in actions, rudeness, with a stormy fantasy, the alter ego of the author breaks through. Although I must admit that such texts are often deeper than those from the third, if only because the author is so immersed in the created world that he stops thinking like I am the author, transforming into I am a superhero. And the narrative from the focal character is the most difficult - despite general opinion: what is there to write from the third? Few people have a competent focal point from the third - the texts look more like a narrative from the ubiquitous. With a difference, they do not write immediately from all Persians - they share it.
2) Fanfiction with MC
The term "Mary Sue" itself appeared almost by accident, although it describes a more than natural phenomenon. In 1974 Paula Smith wrote a conscious parody "Trekker's Tale" on " Star Trek" ("star trek"
Not invented by me - only a copy:
The first Mary Sue fic ever
Fandom: Star Trek
Title: A Trekkie's Tale
Characters: Mary Sue, Kirk, Spock, McCoy, Scott
"Wow, my God, how cool!" thought Mary Sue, climbing onto the bridge.
"Enterprise". "I'm the youngest lieutenant in the fleet - I'm only fifteen and a half years old!"
Captain Kirk approached her.
- Oh, lieutenant, I'm madly in love with you. Do you want to sleep with me?
- Captain! I'm not one of those!
- You're right. And I respect you for it. Here, steer the ship for a minute while I go get us some coffee.
Mr. Spock appeared on the bridge.
- What are you doing in the command chair, lieutenant?
The captain told me to sit here.
- Impeccable logic. I admire your intelligence.
Captain Kirk, Mr. Spock, Dr. McCoy, and Mr. Scott, along with Lieutenant Mary Sue, teleported to Rigel XXXVII. They were attacked by green androids and put everyone in jail. In a moment of weakness, Lieutenant Mary Sue revealed to Mr. Spock that she, too, was part Vulcan. Quickly recovering, she broke the lock on the door with a hairpin, and they all fled back to the ship.
But upon his return, Dr. McCoy announced that Lieutenant Mary Sue had found that everyone who descended to the surface had contracted a severe form of rabid fever, Mary Sue herself to a lesser extent. While the four senior officers were resting in the infirmary, Mary Sue steered the ship, and steered so wonderfully that she received Nobel Prize world, the Vulcan Order of Courage, and the Tralfamadorian Order of Tough Guys.
However, the disease still struck Mary Sue, and it was not possible to cure her. Captain Kirk, Mr. Spock, Dr. McCoy and Mr. Scott stood around her bed and, not shy of tears, mourned the loss of her fine youth and youthful beauty, intelligence, abilities and other virtues. The crew of the Enterprise still celebrates her birthday as a holiday to this day.
Very informative, colorful and revealing, don't you think?
Remember...
3) Types of MS
I saw a lot of distributions by species, types, but I think: this is already digging into ... and breaking one and the same into a separate one. For me, there are three types of IT:
1) Typical IT - see above, a fic about MS.
2) Anti-Sue - the antipode of a typical IT.
3) GG with the makings of IT - most of the years modern literature, judging by the signs of syushnosti. Having obviously more signs of MS, it can still be an individual - it has the right to life.
So, we got acquainted with the definition, birth and types of MS. Now let's move on to the main distinguishing features.
4) Signs of Mary Sushness
Again, plenty of material, but my critical eye weeded out a lot of empty - purely IMHO. I snatched out the most accurate, bright, suitable for MS-IT, added what IMHO was missing.
1) According to the plot:
a) Effectively appears and disappears; (Why not?!)
b) He conquers everyone and everything even at the cost of his life ... sometimes his own; (What's bad about it?)
c) In fact, there are no storylines - empty fermentation, walking. (Here - consonant)
d) The villains need IT, or they want to kill IT. (Why shouldn't this be? A very good reason for an adventure/adventure)
2) Genus, genes, employment:
a) IT is from insanely rich / insanely poor family, the absence of a middle class in principle; (consonant)
b) Parents died - the whole truth will be revealed by book 10, - or they specially gave the child to be raised by others because ... - will be revealed by book 10 ... (has a place to be)
c) IT does not work or is a mercenary, a thief or someone else antisocial; (closer to stamp)
d) IT has non-human blood; (Same)
e) IT is a rare something - a super-super-being, a hybrid different types, or genetic experiment; (Same)
f) Problems with living parents in the family; (the reason why the child is a jerk)
g) IT - the chosen one; (stamp)
h) IT has a tragic past; (the skeleton in the closet is a very reason for the plot)
i) Orphan or from incomplete family. (Same)
3) Names:
a) Polynymy; (if it is justified, why not?!)
b) Mysterious abbreviations; (Agree)
c) Nicknames, nicknames and names chosen independently, often the favorite secret name of the author; (why not?!)
d) A strange word instead of a name. (well, to whom what, the main thing is to be justified)
4) Appearance:
A) Ideal figure or, on the contrary, so unrealistically ideal that the mouth opens in amazement; (sometimes overkill)
b) Unusual color of hair and eyes; (why not?!)
V) unusual shape eyes, ears, lips... (why not?!)
d) The ability to change appearance at will; (why not?!)
e) Indescribable beauty or described for half a book. (Ahem, that's overkill)
5) Character:
a) IT is kind, sympathetic, universal favorite, not a thought about the bad; (stamp)
b) IT is evil, selfish, caustic, bitchy, everyone's favorite, not a thought ... (stamp)
e) IT is turned on girlish fun and glamour; (I agree, annoying)
f) IT is an optimist “from” and “to”; (stamp)
g) IT is a pessimist even when all evil is destroyed. (stamp)
6) Mental abilities:
IT is incredibly smart even in what it does not understand, and everyone around admires and marvels at the genius of IT. ( This is what catches the eye and causes nothing but a stingy smirk).
7) Superpowers:
a) Possession of all types of weapons; (unless justified)
b) Possession of all types of martial arts; (unless justified)
c) The ability to drive everything that flies, rolls, swims and even cooler - IT will repair, assemble, design, breathe life into any unit and teach you to fly, roll, swim, and so on; (unless justified)
d) Performs pirouettes of any complexity, only opens his eyes and sees the danger; (if justified)
e) Runs faster than a sports car, flies faster than Stealth, swims on a par with dolphins; (even if justified - bae)
g) He can do everything, and if not yet, he learns on the fly; (even if justified - bae)
h) Polyglot. (unless justified)
8) Sexuality, intimate relationships:
a) Everyone wants IT. There are no exceptions... (even if justified - no)
b) Love with the most evil / kind, cool, idealized Persian; (ahem ... why invent it, if not for IT?)
c) IT loves children, and they love IT, although before the collision with the “small”, IT had no idea what to do with them, how to communicate ... (Hard case)
9) Accessories:
a) Magic trifles - rings, amulets, bracelets, earrings, chains - always with a piano from the bushes; (if justified and without piano)
b) Sword, knife, pistol, slingshot, bazooka, flamethrower - always from a pocket or sleeve; (this is very comforting)
c) New weapons - super-duper blasters, hypertaunts and other difficult to pronounce and invented; (most importantly moderation)
d) A wheelbarrow like after pumping, a unicorn, an invisible ship ... (well, it’s more difficult here. What a hero, such a transport)
10) Relationships with critics
5) MS test
I read it, edited it in my own way, sorry, but many tests with repetitive questions or items more suitable for a stamped test.
If the answer is yes, give 1 point.
- 1. IT has the same name as you.
- 2. The name IT matches with your nickname.
- 3. The name is what you would like to be called.
- 4. Complicated, difficult to pronounce, two-three- and further compound name.
- 5. Consider naming your child after a character.
- 6. 7 points if all together (from points 1-5).
- 7. In the surname IT there is a particle "von", "de", etc.
- 8. The surname IT is extremely rare.
- 9. Unpronounceable.
- 10. Incredibly famous.
- 11. IT is the child of famous parents.
- 12. With great ancestors.
- 13. Powerful supers - evil spirits, undead, other races.
- 14. 9 points if all together (from points 7-13).
- 15. You can no longer take the test if you answered yes to all items from 1-14. Read the penultimate transcript.
- 16. IT is immortal.
- 17. IT is able to resurrect, heal - raise even the dead.
- 18. IT looks young regardless of age.
- 19. In the eyes of IT, the seal of time and wisdom.
- 20. IT is divinely beautiful.
- 21. IT with an incredible figure.
- 22. IT is unusually graceful.
- 23. IT is unsurpassed smart.
- 24. 10 points if all together (15-22).
- 25. IT is sexy.
- 26. Charms everyone without exception.
- 27. Falls in love with everyone and even Persians of the same sex as IT, without visible, natural prerequisites for same-sex love.
- 28. Sex with IT is inimitable.
- 29. IT has sex not with one, but with several Persians alternately.
- 30. 15 points if - at the same time.
- 31. 20 points - repeatedly.
- 32. 25 points - and the sex is amazing.
- 33. 30 points - and they shed a tear.
- 34. 35 points - and you also shed a tear.
- 35. 150 points if all together (from 24-33 points)
- 36. At the character unusual color eyes for no apparent reason.
- 37. Subsequently, this fact will play a significant role.
- 38. Luxurious hair, as you repeatedly mention.
- 39. On the first page.
- 40. With detailed, rich epithets.
- 41. Hair color is unusual and symbolizes something specific.
- 42. In tattoos or scars, but very sexy and bewitching.
- 43. 10 points if in the intimate zone and all the Persians who have access there, do not fail to ask or state their presence.
- 44. Possesses love magic.
- 45. Suffering from any ridiculous incident, cataclysm ...
- 46. Self-flagellation, self-picking encourages decisive action.
- 47. IT with a great voice and ability to dance.
- 48. IT writes music, poetry.
- 49. Plays multiple musical instruments, and at the same time.
- 50. 10 points if all of the above is impromptu.
- 51. With friends - a cute kitten, with enemies - an inexorable lion.
- 52. IT is savvy - will verbally shut up anyone.
- 53. Certainly "echidno", "mocking", has a "caustic" inner voice, grins only "impudently", "crookedly", "predatoryly".
- 54. Performs missions in a rush, despite the fact that the rest of the heroes have been preparing for years.
- 55. IT knows its own worth, desperately, bravely, practically invincible and invulnerable.
- 56. Stronger, cooler than IT is only its own willpower, thirst for victory, lack of it.
- 57. Necromage with a light aura.
- 58. Light magician - from necromantic.
- 59. Gray guardian/guardian of elements/time/love/joy/rainbow...
- 60. Universal, easily combining absolutely incompatible things, abilities, magic.
- 61. Possesses an incredibly rare magical gift.
- 62. Secret knowledge…
- 63. IT gets into the team and participates in competitions / games / role-playing games.
- 64. IT carries with it a certain object - usually a piano made of bushes - on which it flies, rides, swims.
- 65. The navel of the universe, galaxy, planet, world.
- 66. Saves worlds/planets, galaxies, universes…
- 67. IT has no flaws - always right, lucky, lucky ...
- 68. IT is controlled by any weapon.
- 69. Proficient in all types of martial arts.
- 70. 150 points if all together (from 50-68 points).
- 71. Appears on the first page.
- 72. In the first paragraph.
- 73. In the very first sentence.
- 74. Sacrifice himself, because "there is nothing to lose."
- 75. If the author is charged with MS, IT is indignant.
- 76. The author plans to write a prod to spite the people, with the same IT.
- 77. His children…
- 78. Sister, brother ...
- 79. Parents ...
- 80. Ancestors (retorn in the series)
- 81. Friend, worker, neighbor…
- 82. The author is sure: IT must certainly please readers.
Decryption:
Scored up to 5 points - The tested character bears little resemblance to the classic MC. A new one, which has yet to be breathed life into, made humane, deep and understandable.
From 6 to 8 points - Not MC yet, but already close. Do not add IT new talents, fans, relatives ...
From 9 to 200 points - Definitely, MS.
From 201 and above - Is this an exaggerated fic with MS? If you didn’t write current - sorry, you have it “from” and “to”!
Py.sy. If there was no MC in your fic, this is not your merit, but our flaw ...
6) Heroes of our times
I confess: I write with IT - if you believe the Internet tests about MS (mine does not count), MS signs (point 4), types of MS (point 3) and stamps (“Cribs, notes for beginners”, Appendix 2). So I thought: how should the character look, in which one should participate storyline, in what environment it should be and what words to describe it. This opus is purely IMHO because I deleted many points taken from other sources - it hurts that they duplicate the rest or, in my humble opinion, have nothing to do with MS at all. You can agree, or you can throw a stone - how many people, so many opinions, but the signs of MS have grown significantly, and all this is the work of meticulous critics who are haunted by women's incorruptibles about the high, beautiful, invincible. Not all texts are so seushny, and if so, the main thing is not to go to extremes - to think through the plot to the smallest detail, not to lose logic, to prescribe characters, images, and improve the language of the narrative. Personally, I'm bored writing about anyone, about nothing ...
If not right, then tell me: why does Hollywood make films only with IT, and mind you, these are the highest grossing films?
Why do so many people read seushnyh novels?
Down with dullness and everyday life - I'm tired of spinning in the simplicity of a dull life - I want fantasy, but so that the heroes are exactly from the picture, the heroines match them, adventures are twisted, love is hot, enemies are powerful, not stupid and all this is competently packaged and presented.
I realize: I’ll catch spitting, but I’m not ready to listen to slops about new MCs. In addition, biased and undeserved. Why new? Because, as I wrote above, the initial signs have increased significantly, and, as I understand it, at the suggestion of biased critics. And this, excuse me, is stupidity, so everyone can write and describe annoying moments in any text, and then call them: MS.
In general, I puzzled over the hero of our time without MS, and this is what happened:
We take all the signs of MS and remove them from the text.
1) Names:
Simple, unremarkable, monosyllabic, without prefixes, in no way similar to the name of the author, or, God forbid, his relatives - be careful! Meticulous critics will even check the family tree.
Example:
Irina Fedoskina/Greta Ishman/Grisha Ivanov/John Breuner
2) Appearance:
a) There is not a hint of correctness, fineness, harmony in the figure. In appearance - brightness, unusualness, distinguishing from the gray mass. Clothes like everyone else, but better from second hand. Describe dryly, fit into a couple of lines.
c) IT is the age of the reader - it is better not to voice the figure, let the readers themselves create an image and draw a picture.
Example: Growth is average. Inflated, slenderness - moderate. The head rests on a normal neck, the hair falls in sparse waves over moderately broad shoulders. Slightly asymmetrical face, with normal skin, a lot of canopies (if it is from the south), nose, eyes, lips - in place. IT is in jeans and a T-shirt.
3) Genus, genes, employment:
and parents - middle class. Alive and not divorced. Without family problems and difficulties in raising children - IT is not only child, but also brothers, sisters - moderately.
Example:
Mother is a teacher, housewife, cleaner, nurse, saleswoman… Father is a factory worker, plumber, loader, janitor…
b) IT works as a middle manager, an accountant, a real estate agent...
c) And in general, preferably not a person, in no case beyond ... Elves, gnomes ... and they didn’t run nearby, dragons didn’t fly, sorcerers didn’t conjure their eyes ...
a) IT is not important for the plot;
b) IT is an ordinary character;
d) No memorable, outstanding past ... and future.
Example:
Ahem ... there were cats of all stripes and breeds, there were dogs, chipmunks, squirrels, hares, turtles, spiders, the bats, snakes, wolves, bears, eagle, falcon, hawk, dove, ant, cockroach, crocodile, hippopotamus, dolphin, gold fish and other brethren of mammals-insects-birds-animals - were. It remains either to come up with your own race, but without superpowers, or to look for living creatures that are not stamped - not the one that comes to mind first - a skunk, a bug, a worm, a raccoon, an ostrich, a hummingbird ...
A typical day: IT woke up, washed, had breakfast, went to work / fussed
getting food. In the evening - go home, have dinner, wash, sleep ...
4) Superpowers:
a) He does not hold a weapon in his hands, but if he touches it, he slips out;
b) He doesn’t know how to fight and even runs badly - his legs stumble;
c) He is unfriendly with technology, he did not receive rights, sport is not for him;
f) He doesn’t sing - if only in the toilet or shower, and then, the neighbors knock on the walls, if only the unfortunate singer would shut up;
e) He speaks only in his own language, and then - burr, ignoramus from childhood.
5) Character:
a) IT is the gray mass of society, unremarkable and unremarkable.
b) I have a couple of friends;
Example:
Judging by points a) and d), now the author is a typical IT, but the character is not (J)
6) Mental abilities:
a) IT is incredibly stupid even in what, in fact, it is obliged to understand - either thinks or walks;
b) An ordinary employee without enthusiasm.
Example:
By type: find IT if you can.
Africa, wildebeest herd. Our IT is one of the herd ... (J) The herd has a transition to new land. Many obstacles await along the way, but our IT will not get into trouble, it will not run away from predators and other things ... It's so entertaining and cute - even the documentary film "In the Animal World" cannot be made ...
7) Sexuality, intimate relationships:
Again, these stupid gestures?!.. IT does not have a permanent partner, and if it has - sex is rare, unpleasant and uninteresting.
8) Accessories:
a) Nothing dangerous, cutting, piercing, magical;
b) Transport of the middle class, horses like everyone else ...
Example:
Given the inhumanity of the created character, the presence of a vehicle of natural or mechanical origin should not be assumed at all, as, perhaps, the presence of other accessories.
- Do you want me to show you a trick?
- Let's…
- You feel ... And here they are pens ... (J)
9) Plot Elements:
e) Appearance in the chapter when the reader gets tired of waiting: when will IT be;
f) He enters the role with an everyday step, without pomposity - he leaves with his head held high, with the same unhurried step, not forgetting to say goodbye;
e) Does not win anyone, continues to drag out a miserable existence;
e) None romantic relationship, and if the genre is LR, then only with grooms, squires and other Persians, deprived of any fines and outstanding abilities. The fate of partners - should not be the favorite of fortune;
g) IT doesn't like children, they don't like them either, and if you have to communicate only in the language of curses, kicks and slaps on the back of the head;
h) No one knows about IT. Nobody needs IT, the villains ignore IT, the existence of IT is indifferent to everyone.
10) Relationships with critics
Perfect relationships and characters!
Now let's compare the original concept and the current one.
TOTAL:
ahem, created character really not MS. It is nothing at all...
Well, welcome to the world of books without MS. It remains only to find those who want to read this ...
Here I read the signs, laughed and realized: I will write about MS. I am captivated by the bright, extraordinary life of beautiful, extraordinary Persians with outstanding abilities and talents. If it’s an adventure, then it’s definitely on the verge of death, if it’s love, then it’s such that the bed would burn, if there’s a lot of blood, if death is tragic ... I want to be drawn into the text and the frames of everyday life are erased, but about the donkey Irikon or Mashka Pupukina, let others write - who cares!
Digging into the signs and inventing new ones - is it really necessary? There are already the brightest and most faithful ones. The rest ... it will be more stamping than MS. And about stamps - completely different articles and opuses.
Mary Sue - derogatory name main character any work (originally English-language fan fiction), which is endowed with hypertrophied superpowers. The author, as a rule, associates himself with this heroine.
Usually Mary Sue appears unexpectedly, and immediately causes everyone's admiration. Mary Sue has absolutely all the virtues, both external and internal, in incredible, grotesque and ridiculous quantities. Mary Sue is easy to spot, as she is always stunningly beautiful and indescribably smart. As a rule, she has an unusual eye and hair color, a complex melodious-sounding name, a turbulent past and supernatural abilities. Contradictory qualities are forced to alternate (for example, a girl may have, among many others, a superpower to change the color of her eyes by sheer force of will). The whole world revolves around Mary Sue, she solves the problems that threaten humanity in one fell swoop. Following the salvation of the world, she either marries the canonical hero chosen by the author, or dies a heroic death under the friendly sobs of the other characters.
The term Merissuism itself comes from early Star Trek fanfiction.
Mary Sue is a cheerful, bright, useful sixteen-year-old creature, a ray of light on a ship. The whole ship loves Mary Sue because Mary Sue is good at everything. Mary Sue is an engineer, a doctor, a good leader, an excellent cook and, as a rule, beautiful singer. Mary Sues often display special gifts, such as telepathy, precognition, or magical abilities. If a Mary Sue is very young, she is often the daughter of one or two famous characters. If she's older, she usually ends up in bed with the author's favorite character by the end. Her name is often the first or second name of the author, or his nickname on the Internet, or favorite nickname. At the end of the story, Mary Sue marries the chosen hero, accepting universal congratulations and admiration, or else dies, accompanied by deep mourning. The reader, for his part, is only happy.
Male character with similar characteristics called Marty Stu.Marty Sue is a brooding, solitude-loving type who is completely oblivious to fame, which only gets him into trouble. Moreover, he is excellent at all undertakings, even when he ignores generally accepted rules. At the end, he gains the respect of all authority figures.
Marty Sue also has terrible fits of guilt over things that were not his fault and that he had no control over at all. Everyone around knows that he is not to blame for anything, but he insists on his torment and yearns all night long. It's a cheap ploy to find a reason for longing, soul-searching, and deep thinking for no reason at all, only to make the hero responsible for doing something wrong. Often this is used to make the character become uncommunicative and despised due to being guilt-ridden or traumatized.
In the works of incompetent authors (often teenagers), who unconsciously put their own frustrations on the pages about the fact that they were not born Supermen or even Batman, the Mary Sue character appears unconsciously. Pointing out that the heroine/hero is a Mary Sue is a very serious slap in the face to the author.
A Mary Sue can't do anything even remotely bad without a whole bunch of explanations and excuses.
Some writers think they can avoid being accused of maritimeism by making their characters suffer. A frequent result is tedious torment, accompanied by flows of self-pity and sympathy for other characters. Readers get bored with this just as much as the constant fulfillment of the hero's desires, because in essence they are one and the same. All this "suffering" reflects the good old fantasy: "When I die, you will all regret that you treated me badly."
Another typical Marysewist excuse is: “This character is not me, she just resembles me, talks like me, bears my name and does everything I would like to do” (Yes, that’s right). Or: "My heroine is not an idealized personification - she adopted a bunch of flaws." Or: "She's not perfect - there are so many things she can't do." Unfortunately, "flaws" is often understood as "She cares too much about her friends" or "He tries to do everything to the best of his ability, to the point of being possible." And the things she "can't do" include not being able to play the banjo to save her life, and other skills that don't play a role in the plot.
The problem with explicit self-description is that in many cases the author uses it because he or she simply doesn't know anything else. And an author who lacks the imagination to create a character other than his own copy (slightly improved, of course) is likely to fall into the trap of Maryseuxism. Self-description is not the cause of bad stories, but they usually have one common source.
It also means that an author who knows what he is doing can use self-description, and his story does not necessarily turn out to be bad. I have read a few very good stories with a clear self-description, but it was manageable, and Maryseuvism did not cause irritation there.The Mary Sue writer works on a simple principle: he wants to be loved, so he makes his character loved. All the main characters want to be his friends, and the author expects readers to feel the same way. Unfortunately, this does not happen. Readers don't need a character they can love, they want someone they can identify with. The reason Marysuiism is so annoying is because no one likes to see someone whose dreams always come true in everything. Most successful stories- those where the reader can put himself in the place of the protagonist. But Mary Sue was created not for them, but for the author - the way the author wants to see himself from the outside.
How by-effect Mary Sue often upstages the main characters. A second after the appearance of Mary, everyone around turns into her fans. The life of the rest of the characters is shown insofar as it concerns Mary, and no character development takes place without it in some way touching her. The main characters become the background, except perhaps for the special sympathies of the author - they are allowed to become close friends (or lovers) of Mary Sue.
Hello everyone, you are on a blog about fantasy and science fiction! Today I want to continue the topic raised in the previous article - about - and tell you about the next phenomenon in literature. This time, much older, more established and less controversial.
I often get asked questions about certain genres and phenomena. This is especially true of the already mentioned boyar anime and Mary Sue. I have already talked about the first, now it's the turn of the second.
MS turned 43 years old, and during this time the reception even managed to deform, and now, when they say MS, they do not mean what was originally meant. But let's take everything in order. Let's start with the term itself.
Origin and meaning
Mary Sue is literary character. And, quite definite. That was the name of the heroine of Paul Smith. He wrote a parody (although the word "banter" describes it more succinctly) that featured a character named Mary Sue. She was a beautiful blue-eyed and long-legged blonde. The most beautiful girl in the universe, at the same time, an amazing genius and she had an impressive physical form. In a word - an idealized image in a square, and placed in a vacuum.
Parody consisted in ridiculing, through the image of this character, their colleagues in the workshop, who did not shy away from using characters in whose place they represented themselves. Therefore, they have always been beautiful, strong, noble ... and smart, of course. Smith took it to the point of absurdity and ridiculed such authors.
That's what the original meaning of the term "Mary Sue" was.
Application
Now the term is used in the following forms:
Mary Sue is for heroines.
Marty Stu is for heroes.
MS - when they don’t want to bother, the gender of the GG is not known or they don’t know how to do it right. You now know. Write correctly.
Strange: In fact, I don’t quite understand why the surname has changed for the male GG. Okay, Marty instead of Mary, but why Stu instead of Sue?
If someone understands the etymology of the term better than me - unsubscribe.
In addition to the negative context, the MC character can be introduced to make the narrative or a separate episode grotesque and comic. In this case, the reception is suitable and its use is more than acceptable.
MS how not perfect image, but as a character with partial superiority, it is often used in . In such an environment, such a character looks normal and even good.
In a bad way, MC is an unconscious embodiment of the author's hopes, dreams and unfulfilled expectations on paper. The result is a super-strong, intelligent and lucky character who has incredible success at the opposite sex. In such a case (of unconscious transference), the author will probably be very offended if you say that he is writing a pure Marty Stu/Mary Sue.
MS in the modern sense
I would even add - "in the modern samizdat sense."
So here it is last years the notion of an MC as an idealized image has faded, and a character can be called Marty Stu simply because he has great and ill-founded power. Even if it is well-founded, they still can call names. But this is particular.
That is, Raistlin Majere, the powerful black mage from the DragonLance saga, can now be called an MC, although his power is balanced terrible disease and physical weakness. And his strength is explained by the plot and is not downright insurmountable. But this is a neglected case - to call such a character an MC.
And this is not gud. Do not confuse MC and heroic (or epic - here the line is thin and often subjective) fantasy.
That, in fact, is all. Such a phenomenon as Marty Sue is not something complicated (like the variety of the current ones) or controversially strange (like boyars-anime). Just settled literary device. Far from always going to the detriment of the work.
Take a look at the books good films! See you soon!
For the appearance this work thanks to Shrike and his accomplices in Fantasy_proda. Also the legions young writers generously providing material for analysis.
The compiler does not in any way claim originality and pioneering.
Some terms that may raise questions.
Author- an individual whose writing ambitions far exceed literary talent(and, alas, knowledge of the Russian language).
Armored bra part of the Mary Sue uniform. It is believed that the armored bra is the pinnacle of the evolution of the topic. The best products are forged from an alloy of libido, complexes and stamps (1:3:6). The simplest armored bra is assembled at home from paper clips.
Great Romance- any author's work, regardless of form, genre and volume.
Otherworld- in a narrow sense - a fabulous universe where Mary-Sue enters. In a broad sense - any picture of the world in which the laws of nature, logic and rules of native speech are perverted (for example, a person suddenly grows wings, a pet girl becomes a queen, and the word "coat" declines).
Mary Sue(MS) - living legend Other world. The impeccable heroine of faulty authors. She always carries a mirror with her, which reflects her countless virtues, and a memorial plaque, where all the exploits and accomplishments are recorded.
Mary Sue on horseback
Mary Sue Vulgarius
Huge luminous eyes
look at the maho-shojo tentacles.
And they nervously correct the sailor-fuku.
A great source of inspiration for young writers. And a wonderful breeding ground for complexes. Indeed, with all the desire, it will not be possible to have half-faced eyes (we do not take neglected cases of Graves' disease into account) and legs 2/3 of the height long.
Crowds of sexy demons with psychedelic-colored hair and eyes broke through from the anime into the works of the author. Also Japanese animation one should be grateful for the two-meter swords, which are now brandished by just about anyone. And, of course, for the abundance of malicious heroes. Today, each author considers it her duty to settle in the Great Roman at least one personal Alucard, Schuldich or Muraki.
Vampire hunter Dee deserves special thanks (with entry in a personal file) for a hell horse, courtesy of rent.
Schreik: but ahead of him the wicked horse managed to rent out the VBP.
aristocracy
See how it shines proudly
family monogram in navel piercing!
It is very important for the MC, and should be emphasized in every possible way.
The main features of an aristocrat: thin long fingers, proud posture of the head, the ability to ride and contempt for commoners (readers are by default among the latter).
Real aristocracy will not be hidden either by layers of cosmetics or pood piercings in different interesting places, no mini-skirt (with its help it is difficult to hide anything), no topic with a neckline (see about the mini-skirt).
Artifacts
I will get the magic Copper Basin,
and I will cover the world from evil and disasters!
They have hard-to-pronounce names and hard-to-reach hiding places. A truly powerful artifact cannot be stored locally. local history museum under the supervision of eternally dormant grandmothers and be called "Wooden Spoon. XIX century."
It is clear that a standing artifact cannot be cut out of plywood with a jigsaw. On the other hand, a good artifact will definitely come out of platinum inlaid moonlight, from the tibia of a fly-winged dragon, or from the skull of Rosenthal.
Bards and nutrias
Silently, like a shadow, a river animal
with a knife in his teeth descended the curtain ...
And the naked bard stood in the bushes on the lookout.
The most unfortunate creatures in the Otherworld.
Bards spent too much time on music and didn't pay enough attention physical training. As a result, any otherworldly old woman is able to beat and rob a frail bard.
Statistics show that there are many transvestites among bards. In any case, some Mary-Sues by the end of the Great Romance accumulate a pile of burgundy stockings, corsets and jewelry.
Sometimes bards are used for decorative and applied purposes. For example, they make wooden tapestries so valued by authors.
The nutrias were even less fortunate. Every now and then they are stuffed with all sorts of muck like the experiences of the heroine.
noble birth
He is from the bottom: in the taiga he was brought up by a midge.
An important attribute of Mary Sue. It is best, of course, to be a direct descendant of the local god. But a monarch will do just fine.
IN classic version"Dad is a king, daughter is a rebel," MS is struggling with court etiquette, fashion and noble customs in every possible way. All this (especially outfits and hairstyles) is lovingly described so that the reader will firmly understand what exactly the MC is fighting with.
The origin of the heroine may be kept secret until the very end, but the reader will understand everything from sickly hints.
Martial arts
Chuck Norris flew to her for an autograph.
And Jackie Chan begged for a master class.
It would seem that the cool magic Mary-Sue should calmly peck the enemy from a reliable dugout. Or with high tower. But no! The heroine (under the invigorating pecks of a certain fried bird) climbs into hand-to-hand combat. And she is not afraid that bad uncles will make her bo-bo.
Who can compete with Mary-Sue, who was taught the wisdom of massacre by the great teacher Malokashi Ela himself? And the heroine also has innate abilities for kyokushinkai karate, aikido and the Moldavian wrestling trynte-dryapte. And by nature, the cry "Ki-i-ya!" is well-placed.
In order not to lose her combat form, Mary-Sue from time to time staggers to various hot spots. Having stacked the visitors of the tavern who dared to stare into the cutout of the armored bra, the heroine goes to the port tavern to rein in the drunken sailor. And then he wanders the streets at night, winking flirtatiously at potential rapists.
Big Love
Or maybe it's better to sigh on the bench?
MS is a greedy creature. Simple love is not enough for her. Love must be Big and Epochal. In a word, worthy of entering into the annals, the annals of history and the protocol of the inspection of the scene.
Big Love either appears at first sight, or gradually grows, like a fluff of mold on a rye crust. The fast option is accompanied by tachycardia, increased salivation and a cry “This is it!”, torn from the depths of the soul. The Object, deafened by the love cry, has no other options than an immediate response.
In the second case, Big Love evolves from mutual discontent, petty jokes and repeated saving each other from certain death. After the third or fourth rescue, the heroine realizes that there is some kind of trick. Pages through 200-300 Mary-Sue realizes what exactly is the matter. Well, then the scheme for love at first sight comes into force.
