Thanks so much, everyone, for your responses!
Several of them were on a common theme:
Ann said:
Ah!! I'm usually a die-hard Lois fan, but you are going to make it very hard for me to love *this* Lois, Caroline!
Maria said:
she better apologize to Perry this is unprofessional.
LaraMoon said:
I'm a little annoyed at Lois for acting so... ahhh, I can't even find a proper English word... bitchy, I guess.
(LOL - I think you found the perfect English word!)
and MrsMosley said:
I have noticed that we have many fanfics here where Lois isn't just rude and indifferent to Clark in the beginning, she is downright mean - frankly, a bitch (am I allowed to use that word here?). I don't really get that feeling from the show, so I do wonder why it is so prevalent here - is it because we want to see Clark suffer just a little more? Or perhaps we just want to see a bigger contrast in Lois' personality after she finally allows Clark to be a part of her life (or as Jimmy once put it: BCK and WCK)?
MrsMosley, I think you must be allowed to use the word "bitch" or the board would automatically censor it, but someone is welcome to correct me if I'm wrong about that. In this case, I do think the word is apt.
As for why we enjoy making Lois a bitch, I think your theories were pretty good. One of the primary elements of plot is conflict, and Lois being "mean" to Clark provides a source of that conflict. It's not just that we want to see Clark 'suffer' (though I'm pretty sure we get bonus points for that
) but that we need to give this couple some conflict that needs to be overcome. And if you're like me and don't write A-plot very well, falling back on Lois's (IMO) sharp tongue, blatant distrust of men, and fierce protection of her professional environment is one way to go.
Actually, I find the Lois Lane of the pilot and the first couple of episodes to be a step or two beyond rude when it comes to Clark. She calls him insulting names right to his face, rolls her eyes at his story, and when she goes to ask him to take her to the ball and he asks if it's a date, she sneers at him and says, "Oh, you mean a date, like in Kansas, where you meet my parents and try to give me a hickey behind the DairyFreeze..." Ouch. And this is how she asks a favor! Imagine if she were really mad. For the most part, Clark lets it roll right off of him, but it doesn't change the fact that Lois is very capable of being "bitchy" and unprofessional.
That said, I really don't want the readers to hate Lois in this story. If they do, then it probably means I've gone over the top somewhere. In this part, she's hurt by Clark not recognizing her, and she has a very panicked reaction to his walking into her professional life and messing up her compartmentalization. She feels guilty about her lie and doesn't want to be caught, so Clark showing up has made her feel cornered. It's my own personal recipe for bitchiness! I really don't want her to be wholly unsympathetic, though, and hope the readers will let me know along the way if I've gone too far with her reactions.
Thanks again to all who have commented
Best,
Caroline
