I thought I was done posting in this thread. But, Dandello, I must point out that the reason why I started this thread at all was that I wanted to call attention (for the umpteenth time, I know) to the difference between one person actually dying and one person grieving for his or her loved one.
In all the variations of TOGOM, Lois grieves for Clark. In all the Lois deathfics, Clark grieves for Lois. In that respect, these stories are perfect mirror images of each other.
In the TOGOMs, however, Clark always survives, but in the Lois deathfics, Lois always dies.
If we think that a deathfic is only about watching the grief of the bereaved party, then the TOGOMs and the Lois deathfics are just the same. But if we think that it matters at all whether the supposedly dead person actually dies or not, then the TOGOMs and the Lois deathfics couldn't be more different.
The educational stories that I read as a child told me that it was the same thing when little girls died and went to heaven as it was when little boys were saved by God so that they could live out their lives on Earth. I didn't believe for a moment that these two alternatives were equally good.
Dandello, I believe that you are married. Let's assume, for the sake of the argument, that you are. Would it be the same to you to believe that your husband was dead but find out later that he was alive and well and on his way back to you, as it would be to believe that your husband was dead and find out that he actually was, too?
And would it be the same to him?
I probably crossed a line here. I'm sorry, Dandello. It's just that it frustrates me beyond belief when people seem to think that the TOGOMs and the Lois deathfics are the same. The only way that anyone could believe that, in my opinion, is if this person thinks that the question of whether a person actually dies or not ultimately means nothing. Or at least, you would have to believe that the question of whether a fictional character lives or dies has no impact on the story where this character plays a major part.
Ann
