Talk:Mary Sue

Here's my Grand Unified Theory of the Mary Sue as Cuckoo, which I've been working on for three years. Ide Cyan 10:41, 27 April 2006 (PDT)

So maybe I'm just a clueless guy, but I don't see sexism as central to the hatred of the Mary Sue. A true Mary Sue or Gary Stu is a self-indulgent insertion of one's idealized self into canon. Similar narcissicistic selves are common in all amateur fiction, from fanfic to porno to self-published novels from vanity presses. While certainly there is sexism in one heck of a lot of attacks upon fanfic, I don't perceive the centrality of sexism in the attack upon the Mary Sue.--Orangemike 13:46, 27 April 2006 (PDT)

I KNOW that Mary Sues are original characters, but I was talking about the DILUTED, often misapplied DESCRIPTIVE use of the term, and there's a whole community for the purpose of pointing out "Canon Sues". Ide Cyan 14:27, 27 April 2006 (PDT)

I've certainly heard women complain that a book isn't mary-sue-ish enough for their taste. There's a bit of "reclaiming" of something that is pleasureable & gratifying in a story with Mary Sue elements. We do mean something else by it other than "bad" or "juvenile". --Liz Henry 23:55, 22 June 2006 (PDT)