Mary Sue

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Mary Sue is a pejorative term, sometimes simply shortened to Sue, used to describe or criticize a fictional character that exhibits some or most literary (especially fan fiction) clichés, making the character itself something of a cliché. Though the term itelf is not limited to fan fiction any longer, its origins lie in the name of a character from a 1973 Star Trek fanzine parody, and its most common usage today is still within the fan fiction community or in reference to fan fiction. Characters were originally labeled as "Mary Sues" for being portrayed in an overly idealized way and lacking noteworthy or realistic flaws, similar to the character in the original parody story, A Trekkie's Tale. The definition of a "Mary Sue" today, however, has widened considerably to encompass most literary clichés — such as having a tragic past or being perceived as immediately or eventually likeable — and especially that the character in question acts as a wish-fulfillment fantasy for the author who created it. These authors are sometimes referred to as Suethors, a portmanteau of "Sue" and "author".

The phrase now extends to characters of either gender: the male equivelents for "Mary Sue" are "Gary Stu," "Marty Stu," "Larry Sue," among other like-sounding names. While the term is generally limited to fan-created characters, rare but still prevalent cases of alleged Mary Sues exist in reference to canon characters, who can also exhibit clichés or be perceived idealistically; characters with such clichés or attributes are said to be "Sue-like" or possess "Sue tendencies." In a play-by-post role-playing game, many original characters are criticized as Mary Sues if they dominate the spotlight or can miraculously escape a near-impossible predicament (usually with an unlikely saving grace).

It is important to remember that affiliating a character as a Mary Sue is an entirely subjective process and personal decision, typically made by people — paid critics and non-professional readers alike — who generally disapprove of overused plot devices or stock characters found in most fiction or fan fiction, and that not all fan-made characters would necessarily qualify as a "Mary Sue" by most working definitions. But while characters are usually unintentionally written as such, some authors deliberately create Mary Sues as a form of parody.

[edit] Etymology

The term "Mary Sue" was coined by Paula Smith in 1973, for her parody story "A Trekkie's Tale," published in her fanzine Menagerie #2.^[1] The main character was Lieutenant Mary Sue ("the youngest Lieutenant in the fleet—only fifteen and a half years old"). The story poked fun at what Smith considered to be unrealistic adolescent wish-fantasy characters appearing in Star Trek fan fiction of the period. The term has since been applied to non-canon characters in a variety of contexts.

Originally, in the Star Trek fan fiction community, "Mary Sue" described an original (non-canon) female character who had a romantic liaison with an established canon character, particularly if she possessed unrealistic or unlikely (and often exotic) traits above and beyond those expected of a character in that particular series, or a conventional author surrogate. Later, the concept was expanded to include almost any author surrogate character or highly idealized character that plays a major role in the plot, especially those who upstage the canon characters and occupy the spotlight. The term gained wider use outside of the Star Trek fandom in the late 1990s and early 2000s, primarily on the Internet.

[edit] The common 'causes' of a Mary Sue

It is important to note that the symptom is not the same as the disease. An original character can have beauty, strength and a tragic background, but she will not necessarily be seen as a Mary Sue.

Ultimately, what makes a character be interpreted as being a Mary Sue is not usually any individual factor like beauty, or even a group of symptoms like power, wealth and friendliness. It is not simply a clichéd plot, because sometimes clichés work. It is not even a total lack of originality when creating a character (although that is also generally considered a bad thing).

It is simply the fact that the character is seen as being too special - often absurdly so. There are many ways this impression can come about. Perhaps her description is wildly disproportionate to the other characters (describing what she puts on in the morning with more than a short sentence or two is one commonly-cited warning sign). Perhaps she can charm even the really 'badass' characters, making them act out of character. Perhaps she has what makes other, canon characters special, such as super speed or strength, a special artifact (like a TimeTurner) or is another member of an otherwise extinct or rare but powerful race. She may be someone's long-lost relation. Perhaps, despite her bitter past, she holds none of the psychological scarring that should come with it. All because she is 'special' - and absurdly so.

In other words, while every character in the story should be special in their own way, including any original character, Mary Sue is so special that nobody else is special in comparison.

Note that the above applies primarily to fan fiction, but can be loosely extended into original fiction as well; a character described and portrayed with such overkill as to seem absurdly 'perfect' is usually interpreted to be a Mary Sue regardless of whether she appears in fan or original fiction.

[edit] Sub-concepts of "Mary Sue"

[edit] Canon-Sue (in fanfiction)

The term "canon-Sue" (sometimes also spelled canon!Sue) or Possession Sue is used to describe canon characters who are changed significantly from their original canon characterization and sometimes even divorced from their original context completely. Such characters are seen as having been heavily idealized to the point of being more of a stand-in for the author's wish fulfillment than as the original canon character.

Characters most frequently labeled "canon-Sues" often develop the typical traits of a Mary Sue with little precedent or explanation, a process sometimes called "sueification." Some examples are the discoveries of tragic pasts and abilities superior to other canon characters, the elimination or romanticization of flaws, and being targeted by characters disliked by the fan-author while befriended by canon characters liked by the author, or by an original character created by the author.

If the canon-Sue deviates significantly enough from the original it can also be alternatively be referred to as an act of "canon rape" or "raping canon". This has also been called "characterization rape," or "character rape" for short. The terms can also be used where a significant (and disliked) change has been made to the canon world or characters, such as when a former hero is vilified or a usually-chaste canon character is easily seduced by a fan-created Mary Sue character.

[edit] Canon-Sue (in original source)

A "canon Sue" may also refer to a character whose canon portrayal resembles a Mary Sue, rather than a character who has been altered in fanfiction. Typically, this refers to a character accused of being overly idealized or having other traits of traditional fanfiction Mary Sues, such as being 'special' by having a gratuitously tragic past, unrealistic skills, or a seeming inability for the character to do wrong. Characters such as Wesley Crusher^[2] and Amanda Rogers^[2] in Star Trek: The Next Generation have been criticized for being Mary Sue (or perhaps a Marty Stu in the former case) by fans of the series.

[edit] Gary Stu/Marty Stu

A male "Mary Sue" may be referred to as a "Gary Stu" [1], "Marty Stu" [2], or similar. They are somewhat harder to spot than Mary Sues, partly because they are rarer, and also because their symptoms blend in better with canon characters.

While Mary Sue is often bright and cheerful no matter what her past has dealt her, Gary Stu tends to be brooding and frequently violent. He often rejects authority, ignoring the consequences of his rebellious or aggressive actions, and is proven to have had the right instincts or intentions all along. This pattern of behavior is particularly noticeable in fandoms set in a scholastic or militaristic setting or organization, in which there is at least one highly visible authority figure to rebel against.

Mary Sue is beautiful, so Gary Stu is handsome, although he may have a cool visible scar from a past battle. And like Mary Sue, Gary Stu will be 'special'. It is usually his abilities of leadership or his world-destroying powers that set him apart, rather than his rugged good looks or tragic background.

[edit] Romantic Sue

Sues in romantic situations are seen as idealized versions of the author’s perfect lover, rather than of the author him or herself. Many female characters in shounen anime are criticized for being the male writer's romantic Sue, especially in harem anime, in which an everyman is typically surrounded by beautiful females, most of whom are attracted to him.

[edit] Self-insert

Self-insert is used to describe clear (and usually seen as indisputable) cases where the author has directly inserted a version of themself into the story in lieu of a wholly original character. Though some author surrogates have been thought to "work" in fiction, self-inserts, as a rule, are frequently seen as the most blatant form of Mary Sue-ness, most particularly in fan fiction, where self-inserts are generally heavily idealized. Some online fan fiction archives have a ban on any story which involves self-insertion, especially sites which disallow any fan fiction involving a "real person", such as FanFiction.net.

[edit] Categorization patterns

Frequent subtypes or sub-subtypes of perceived Mary Sues will be named on the fly using certain patterns. Two of the most common methods of doing this are listed below:

The ! convention. Generally this is a one-word description of the character as portrayed in a particular story, set against the word "Sue" with a ! symbol, e.g. rebel!Sue (to denote a rebellious character seen as a Mary Sue). For canon-Sues, the symbol is usually preceded by the canon character's name. It may also be used to ascribe traits to non-Sues. This convention is limited to online use.

The - convention. Used less frequently (in part due to less freedom; the ! convention allows for multiple descriptors; for example, goth!alien!rebel!Sue), but still used nonetheless in some areas of fandom.

[edit] Tests

Because many traits are seen as being common to Mary Sue, many online tests have been created, known as "Mary Sue Litmus Tests". In these "Litmus Tests", matching any Mary Sue trait results in a higher score on the test, and a high enough score is said to be the mark of the "Mary Sue". Most such tests sport a disclaimer that notes that even characters who score extremely high can be executed well enough not to be considered a "Mary Sue", and that the test is primarily meant as a guide for better characterization.

[edit] Criticism and debate on the concept's merit

The concept of the Mary Sue has been criticized on the grounds that:^{[citation needed]}

What constitutes as an “exceptional” skill, background, appearance or even name is often subjective to the fandom. For example, in some fandoms, such as those surrounding certain science fiction or fantasy series, it is common for characters to have names that are also nouns or adjectives. The usual counterargument is that most fandoms still "have limits" past which a certain combination of traits in a single character may still seem over-the-top and thus unrealistic.

Real people sometimes have skills, tragedies, or backgrounds that would cause fictional characters to be classified as Mary Sues. The usual counterargument is that they are "still rare".

Some characters might reasonably have “exceptional” skills or backgrounds. For example, a professional interpreter would be expected to speak several languages very fluently and translate between them in real time, and a samurai would be expected to have great skill with a sword. The usual counterargument is that the "Mary Sue"'s experience and training are out of proportion with what is likely in a real person with a similar skill or background, usually being described as "naturally gifted".

Many authors include similarities to themselves in at least some of their characters - including personality faults. The usual counterargument is that the latter is what a true "Mary Sue" lacks enough of.

Good fiction containing idealized characters or author-surrogates can and has been written. Examples given sometimes include Charles Dickens for idealized characters and Hunter S. Thompson for author surrogates. Even highly psychologically realistic stories can have almost ridiculously skilled or attractive protagonists such as Genji in Genji Monogatari and Julien Sorel in The Red and the Black. The authors of these stories, Murasaki Shikibu and Stendhal respectively, are considered forefigures in the genre of realistic psychological novels largely because of these two stories. The usual counterargument is that a true "Mary Sue" story is not well-written enough to be compared to such works.

It is common for authors to "write what they know", or to write about things which they are interested in. So an author who studies or has an interest in martial arts will be more likely to create characters who study or practice martial arts, and to describe the martial arts in more accurate detail. The usual counterargument to this is that people sometimes bring "what they know" to "what they don't know"; for instance, it is common for non-Japanese fans of Japanese entertainment to (unintentionally) use an ostensibly Japanese character who nevertheless follows Western norms or customs that the Japanese would sometimes find quite strange — or, conversely, to have utilized some research due to their interest in the culture, but to have missed certain other key facts, such as the usual etiquette in such rituals as formal meals, funerals, or certain holidays which are also celebrated in the Western world but differ from the Japanese in regards to exact celebratory customs.

In fan fiction, it is only logical to give an Original Character more physical description than that of a familiar canon character. The usual counterargument is that "Mary Sues" tend to be described disproportionately on multiple occasions through the fan fiction, as being exceptional in comparison to other characters (including the protagonist), or to be thought about frequently by other characters in a positive light, even in cases in which the character would not necessarily automatically "take" to them.

A dislike for overly idealized characters can be considered a cultural preference in modern Western culture and not a worldwide preference. Historically speaking, for example, highly idealized protagonists are incredibly common in mythology, sagas, epic, fairy tales and folklore.

A character may be accused of being a "Mary Sue" simply because the accuser does not like the said character, criticizing him or her on a purely subjective basis. The usual counteragument to this is that it is a straw man argument, because the term "Mary Sue" is itself a subjective term, usually used to describe characters that are not seen "by the person using the term" as being interesting, three-dimensional or sympathetic. Despite a plethora of "common traits" and a frequent consensus amongst some groups on which characters "are" or "are not" a Mary Sue, the term is used to convey a negative impression of the character in question, and thus is not objective.

Some critics agree with the basic Mary Sue concept but believe that it is wrongly applied to characters who are unusual in any way or to any original or changed character in fan fiction. Other critics argue that "Mary Sue" should be applied only to idealized author-surrogates, not to characters who are only idealized or only author-surrogates.

Nonetheless, though highly subjective in nature and under nearly constant debate in regards to its exact meaning, the term "Mary Sue" continues to gain popularity in both original and fan fiction writing and reading circles.

[edit] Usage of "Mary Sue" in the media

As the concept (and term) has increased in usage over time, it has started to become used in the mainstream media:

In the April 29, 2005, issue of the Times Literary Supplement, Roz Kaveney said that the Doctor Who character Rose Tyler is "what is commonly known as a 'Mary Sue'—an unironic reflection of the writers' and fans' desire to get in there and help the Doctor out (while managing to stay pretty)."
David Orr, in a review of online fan fiction websites FanFiction.net and Godawful Fan Fiction for The New York Times Book Review, wrote:

"When you've had your fill of slash, gen, and 'ship fiction (fanfic terms for various character entanglements), when you groan at the arrival of each new "Mary Sue" (a ludicrously empowered author proxy), when you find yourself wishing every story you read had been beta-ed (i.e. edited), then it's time to visit Godawful Fan Fiction, where the worst fan fiction on the Web is filleted with the hot knife of peer criticism."^[3]

The writers of the television cartoon series Duckman show the occasional reference to Mary Sue. In the 4th season episode "Aged Heat 2: Women in Heat" a cute, sweet blonde character named "Suzie" is introduced who takes over Duckman's fame, fortune and attention.

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

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[edit] Humorous

Protectors of the Plot Continuum A series of semi-surreal, fictional stories about two Mary Sue assassins.

[edit] Origins/history

The Affirmation Some fans believe this to be the story that Paula Smith was thinking of when she wrote "Trekkie's Tale".
A Historical Perspective on Mary Sue: Issues and Trends A chronological description of how the concept has been approached in fan fiction communities, particularly Star Trek, since its inception.
"Too Good to be True: 150 Years of Mary Sue" Essay
"Whatever Happened to Mary Sue?" An article that discusses how the concept of the Mary Sue has evolved over time.

[edit] Additional essays

Mary Sue, Who Are You? a humorous essay on Mary Sues
Self-Insertion and Mary-Sueism examines the difference between a Mary Sue and a character based on the author - and why there often is none.
The Essential Guide to Mary-Sue A guide to Lord of the Rings Mary Sues.

[edit] Mary Sue "Litmus Tests" online

The Universal Mary-Sue Litmus Test A quiz that helps writers to judge if a character is (likely to be perceived as) a "Mary Sue" or not.
Original Fiction Mary Sue Litmus Test Based on the original Mary Sue Litmus Test.
The Original Anti Universal Mary Sue Litmus Test An essay that looks at the difficulties involved in taking the "Univeral" test.

[edit] Communities online

The Official Mary Sue Society Avatar Appreciation Site, a relatively famous website that believes creation of "Mary Sues" equates healthy, harmless, normal fantasy, and supports those who do it.

[edit] References

^ SF Citations for OED: Mary Sue. Retrieved on 20 May 2006.
^ ^a ^b Pat Pflieger (2001). "TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE: 150 YEARS OF MARY SUE". 3. Presented at the American Culture Association conference. Retrieved on 2007-01-15.
^ Orr, David (2004-10-03). The Widening Web of Digital Lit. The New York Times. Retrieved on 2006-10-02.

Verba, Joan Marie. Boldly Writing: A Trekker Fan and Zine History, 1967–1987. Mankato, MN: FTL Publications, 1996.

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