What do you CALL the guy, anyway?

[fignewton]

So these Mitchell drabbles...

First of all, I am very happy to get so many prompts. Thanks, folks! :) It's the first time since I started this impromptu series that I actually get to pick and choose. I hope no one will be offended if I don't choose a particular prompt; it's just a question of what hits, so to speak. I've done nine so far, so I'll be choosing three more to complete the set.

But I am running into a problem.

How do I refer to the guy?

My personal preference is "Mitchell," but I have an unhappy suspicion that it's because I don't actually like the character too much. (One day I will post meta regarding the majority of people who regularly refer to Sam as "Carter.") I don't dislike him, even if his recklessness really gets on my nerves sometimes. I'm just... neutral. Chaotic neutral, from my old D&D days, perhaps. :) But it does mean that I don't entirely trust my judgment. I've been vacillating back and forth. It looks a bit weird.

So I've posted a poll over at LJ. (I have a basic account on DW, so I can't mirror it here, sorry.) If you'd like to help me figure out the best way to refer to Cameron Mitchell, please vote in the poll here, or just comment in this entry. :)

Edit: I certainly wasn't fishing for it, but my warmest thanks to the person who gifted me with points. :D

Comments

[sid]

I always use 'Cam' for his own POV. I'm sure when he was a little boy he didn't think of himself as 'Mitchell'. And he told Daniel to call him 'Cam'. (Of course they call each other Mitchell and Jackson regardless of that conversation, but nevertheless!)

[fignewton]

::nods:: "Cam" for his own POV certainly is the popular choice. As for the Mitchell and Jackson thing, that was actually one of the prompts over at LJ. It's here, if you don't want to wait for the complete collection (hopefully posting tomorrow!)

[princessofgeeks]

I always consider the point of view character for the specific fic, and refer to him the way the POV character would. Usually in canon there's examples of that. Jack would call him Mitchell, I believe Daniel starts out calling him Mitchell and changes over time to Cam, Sam always called him Cam. Not sure what Teal'c calls him -- Colonel Mitchell, I think. Not sure what Vala called him either.

If Mitchell himself is the POV character, you have to decide for yourself how he would name himself in his own head.

Good luck!

[fignewton]

Yes, I agree with most of what you say here in terms of what each person would call him. Pretty sure Vala says "Cameron," which would fit with her "Samantha" thing.

you have to decide for yourself how he would name himself in his own head

Difficult when you have trouble getting into that head of his. :) Which is why I asked the question.

Thanks!

[princessofgeeks]

is there any canon on what his parents call him?

and the whole camshaft nickname thing leads me to believe he might have thought of himself as "Cam". But I can equally buy himself thinking of himself as Mitchell.

[fignewton]

Good point, and I just checked the transcript for Bounty. His mother definitely calls him "Cam."

[princessofgeeks]

I think it would be a reasonable assumption that he calls himself by his childhood name -- but other characterizations are possible.

[scrollgirl]

(One day I will post meta regarding the majority of people who regularly refer to Sam as "Carter.")

I'd be interested in reading this meta! In my very, very early days in SG-1 fandom, I think I called her Carter because it's what Jack called her. Since then, however, I've gotten to know her POV more and obviously she isn't "Carter" to herself (except in some military situations).

My personal preference is "Mitchell," but I have an unhappy suspicion that it's because I don't actually like the character too much.

My instinct is to call Rodney "McKay", and it's definitely because I don't like him too much! But I'm aware of this instinct and don't give into it every time. *g*

[fignewton]

::nods:: I was very surprised to see I'd referred to Sam as "Carter" in one of my earliest posts. Like you, I think I was influenced by the stories I'd read at the time.

Being aware of an instinct can help. Sometimes. :)

[scrollgirl]

It wasn't just the fic--in canon Jack rarely calls her anything but Carter. Of course, Daniel called her Sam almost from the beginning, so I'm not sure what swayed me to see her from Jack's POV instead of Daniel's. Maybe Hammond and Teal'c also being formal with her tipped the scales.

Being aware of instinct helps, yes! Also, locked posts for venting. *g*

[princessofgeeks]

oh and regarding Sam Carter -- by "people" do you mean fanfic writers, or characters on the show? Because to me those are 2 very different questions.

[fignewton]

Definitely fanfic writers. I have very little trouble with people who call her "Carter" on the show. In fact, I am more irritated when certain guest stars refer to her as Sam - it feels disrespectful/patronizing to me. Then again, I was annoyed when Landry referred to Daniel as "Daniel" in a briefing in Avalon/Origin, so what do I know? :)

[princessofgeeks]

Yeah, again, for me, it would be all about the point of view character -- what does the point of view character call her in his/her head?

Janet would call her Sam. Jack would call her Carter (I think -- other characterizations are possible). Daniel would call her Sam.

I think she calls herself Sam, myself.

[scrollgirl]

I remember the joke (well, not "joke" exactly) about how, if each SG-1 team member addressed the rest of the team, you'd know exactly who was speaking.

Jack would say: Carter, Daniel, Teal'c
Sam would say: Colonel/sir, Daniel, Teal'c
Daniel would say: Jack, Sam, Teal'c
Teal'c would say: O'Neill, Major Carter, Daniel Jackson

It's not quite as elegant with SG-1 2.0, but it still kinda works.

[princessofgeeks]

exactly!!! and it's these little details that to me add up to what i call character voice. if it's off somehow in a fic, it throws me out of the fictional dream, you know?

i like it when character voice sounds like the show.

[fignewton]

Yes! I do love these little touches that add character.

[fignewton]

Oh, absolutely. Unless it's a completely informal setting, my fanfic Jack always thinks about her as "Carter." But I'm not thinking in terms of writing about her from Jack's POV - I'm talking about a certain tendency for people to talk about the show in their posts and refer to Daniel and Jack and Teal'c and Carter. Or writing 3rd person omniscient, and referring to Daniel and Jack and Teal'c... and Carter. Bit jarring, that.

[princessofgeeks]

yeah, that would puzzle me, for sure. unless they've so totally adopted the Jack POV that even in their own narrative head they think of her as Carter...