Fan Fiction

Abstract

This piece argues that although fan creativity and fairy tales are often classified and studied differently because of their differing positions within debates on the history of mass reproduction, market capitalism, authenticity, and folk culture, they nonetheless maintain important continuities and offer fruitful paths for academics and storytellers when considered together. In particular, both utilize repetition and collective authorship, and both have been marked by their gendered association with women and children. While many cultural theorist ascribe homogenizing authoritarian or apolitical tendencies to narrative repetition, others speculate that repetition with a difference can open a space for cultural critique. Examining one possible intersection of fan fiction and fairy tales demonstrates one such opportunity, wherein by rewriting popular culture through the lens of the fairy tale, fans mobilize shared, public domain characters and plots to negotiate, discuss, and critique modern culture. Two short examples demonstrate the radical potential of this tactic, as fan authors utilize the familiarity of fairy-tale romantic plots and happy endings to naturalize non-normative sexual practices, pairings, and identities, while simultaneously queering pop culture and the fairy tale.