I wouldn't get too upset about it. You can't put out a piece of fiction that's autobiographical under the surface and not expect people who enjoy it to want to interpret it in different ways, especially with an ending as ambiguous as LTROI. If it were a true autobiography, then obviously it would be very strange to be adding on events to the author's life that never happened. Things would be much more sacrosanct because you'd be altering the life story of a real person. But that's not really what we have in this case. Of course, if you want to take the approach you've described out of some deference to JAL as a person, that's perfectly acceptable, too. I don't think there is a clear right or wrong answer here.Wolfchild wrote:I did a little update to this piece. I fixed a few things that have been bugging me about it and also tried to address some valid criticism that it has received.
I also find that I am having second thoughts about this story in general. For me this story - the novel in particular - is about Oskar's escape from Blackeberg. I thought that logically Oskar would embrace fully the means of that escape, and the natural way for him embrace it fully would be for him to be turned.
However, now I feel mindful that this story is sort of autobiographical of JAL's childhood in Blackeberg. Taking liberties with Oskar is something like taking liberties with JAL's life story. Tomas Alfredson pointed out that a child who is tormented like Oskar was must have a lot of anger built up inside. The Eli character is the embodiment of that anger. I am now wondering if my story is really symbolizing Oskar instead embracing that anger.
I don't know JAL, but my sense is that if he harbored any anger from his childhood, he has certainly not embraced it. I sort of feel that by having Oskar choose to be turned, I am somehow misrepresenting John Ajvide Lindqvist.
My own take on Oskar, incidentally, is actually very similar to yours. I never have seen him as really embracing the concept of going out and doing the things that Eli does in a wholehearted way. I think he'd do it if it was the only way he could remain in love with Eli, probably, but even there I think it'd be hard on him. My 2 cents' worth.