The paragraph I've chosen to analyse is "In the children's classic..." to "...its loving use." on page 219. In the original text, Textual Poachers, Henry Jenkins uses a comparison to The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams Bianco to illustrate how reworking and adding to popular works does not detract from their value but rather adds to them, just as the Velveteen Rabbit could only become real through repeated changes ("most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby"). He compares the perspective of the toymaker to the perspective of the protective creator of a text- both of them view the changes in their work as acts of vandalism. However, to the child, the changes to the toy did not represent damage but rather traces of fondly remembered experiences, evidence of his having
held the toy too close and pet it too often, in short, marks of its
loving use. Similarly, the fans who rework and try to continue the stories of their favorite authors or TV shows are not damaging the original work. This
modification need not be understood as textual “disintegration”
but rather as home improvements. The text becomes something more than what
it was before, not something less.
In Letham's text, he uses the passage in largely the same way that Jenkins did- he emphasizes that creating new art from already existing models should not be considered as theft or vandalism, but should be appreciated. A novel that can fuel its viewers to create works of their own inspired by it should be considered a success and the works created should be considered as a homage to the original. Artists who seek recompense for every second use make the mistake of punishing their best audience members for exalting and enshrining their work. The second use of stories adds to their value by cementing their place in culture and society, and there is enough space in the world for both the original and the additions.
Letham's use of his work didn't go unnoticed by Jenkins- the latter made a blog post about Letham's article, saying that it "tickled him pink" to see his writing included in an essay written by the author of one of his favorite books. Both the authors seem to hold one common viewpoint- the beauty of second use is something rare and appreciable, not a crime.
In Letham's text, he uses the passage in largely the same way that Jenkins did- he emphasizes that creating new art from already existing models should not be considered as theft or vandalism, but should be appreciated. A novel that can fuel its viewers to create works of their own inspired by it should be considered a success and the works created should be considered as a homage to the original. Artists who seek recompense for every second use make the mistake of punishing their best audience members for exalting and enshrining their work. The second use of stories adds to their value by cementing their place in culture and society, and there is enough space in the world for both the original and the additions.
Letham's use of his work didn't go unnoticed by Jenkins- the latter made a blog post about Letham's article, saying that it "tickled him pink" to see his writing included in an essay written by the author of one of his favorite books. Both the authors seem to hold one common viewpoint- the beauty of second use is something rare and appreciable, not a crime.
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