True self-insertion is a literal and generally undisguised representation of the author; most characters described as ``Mary Sues'' are not, though they are often called ``proxies'' for the author. The negative connotation comes from this ``wish-fulfillment'' implication: the ``Mary Sue'' is judged as a poorly developed character, too perfect and lacking in realism to be interesting. In chapter four of her book Enterprising Women, Camille Bacon-Smith states that fear of creating a ``Mary Sue'' may be restricting and even silencing to some writers.
True self-insertion is a literal and generally undisguised representation of the author; most characters described as ``Mary Sues'' are not, though they are often called ``proxies'' for the author.
amod
Degree=Pos
true
True
ADJ
JJ
compound
Number=Sing
self
self
NOUN
NN
punct
-
-
PUNCT
HYPH
nsubj
Number=Sing
insertion
insertion
NOUN
NN
cop
Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin
be
is
AUX
VBZ
det
Definite=Ind|PronType=Art
a
a
DET
DT
amod
Degree=Pos
literal
literal
ADJ
JJ
cc
and
and
CCONJ
CC
advmod
Degree=Pos
generally
generally
ADV
RB
conj
Degree=Pos
undisguised
undisguised
ADJ
JJ
root
Number=Sing
representation
representation
NOUN
NN
case
of
of
ADP
IN
det
Definite=Def|PronType=Art
the
the
DET
DT
nmod
Number=Sing
author
author
NOUN
NN
punct
;
;
PUNCT
:
amod
Degree=Sup
most
most
ADJ
JJS
nsubj
Number=Plur
character
characters
NOUN
NNS
acl
Mood=Ind|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin
describe
described
VERB
VBN
case
as
as
ADP
IN
punct
``
``
PUNCT
``
obl
Number=Sing
Mary
Mary
PROPN
NNP
flat
Number=Sing
Sues
Sues
PROPN
NNP
punct
''
''
PUNCT
''
parataxis
Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin
be
are
AUX
VBP
advmod
not
not
PART
RB
punct
,
,
PUNCT
,
mark
though
though
SCONJ
IN
nsubj:pass
Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs
they
they
PRON
PRP
aux:pass
Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin
be
are
AUX
VBP
advmod
often
often
ADV
RB
advcl
Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass
call
called
VERB
VBN
punct
``
``
PUNCT
``
xcomp
Number=Plur
proxy
proxies
NOUN
NNS
punct
''
''
PUNCT
''
case
for
for
ADP
IN
det
Definite=Def|PronType=Art
the
the
DET
DT
obl
Number=Sing
author
author
NOUN
NN
punct
.
.
PUNCT
.
The negative connotation comes from this ``wish-fulfillment'' implication: the ``Mary Sue'' is judged as a poorly developed character, too perfect and lacking in realism to be interesting.
det
Definite=Def|PronType=Art
the
The
DET
DT
amod
Degree=Pos
negative
negative
ADJ
JJ
nsubj
Number=Sing
connotation
connotation
NOUN
NN
root
Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin
come
comes
VERB
VBZ
case
from
from
ADP
IN
det
Number=Sing|PronType=Dem
this
this
DET
DT
punct
``
``
PUNCT
``
compound
Number=Sing
wish
wish
NOUN
NN
punct
-
-
PUNCT
HYPH
compound
Number=Sing
fulfillment
fulfillment
NOUN
NN
punct
'
'
PUNCT
''
obl
Number=Sing
implication
implication
NOUN
NN
punct
:
:
PUNCT
:
det
Definite=Def|PronType=Art
the
the
DET
DT
punct
``
``
PUNCT
``
nsubj:pass
Number=Sing
Mary
Mary
PROPN
NNP
flat
Number=Sing
Sue
Sue
PROPN
NNP
punct
''
''
PUNCT
''
aux:pass
Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin
be
is
AUX
VBZ
parataxis
Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass
judge
judged
VERB
VBN
case
as
as
ADP
IN
det
Definite=Ind|PronType=Art
a
a
DET
DT
advmod
poorly
poorly
ADV
RB
amod
Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part
develop
developed
VERB
VBN
obl
Number=Sing
character
character
NOUN
NN
punct
,
,
PUNCT
,
advmod
too
too
ADV
RB
conj
Degree=Pos
perfect
perfect
ADJ
JJ
cc
and
and
CCONJ
CC
conj
VerbForm=Ger
lack
lacking
VERB
VBG
case
in
in
ADP
IN
obl
Number=Sing
realism
realism
NOUN
NN
mark
to
to
PART
TO
cop
VerbForm=Inf
be
be
AUX
VB
advcl
Degree=Pos
interesting
interesting
ADJ
JJ
punct
.
.
PUNCT
.
In chapter four of her book Enterprising Women, Camille Bacon-Smith states that fear of creating a ``Mary Sue'' may be restricting and even silencing to some writers.
case
in
In
ADP
IN
obl
Number=Sing
chapter
chapter
NOUN
NN
nummod
NumForm=Word|NumType=Card
four
four
NUM
CD
case
of
of
ADP
IN
nmod:poss
Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs
her
her
PRON
PRP$
nmod
Number=Sing
book
book
NOUN
NN
amod
Degree=Pos
enterprising
Enterprising
ADJ
NNP
appos
Number=Plur
woman
Women
PROPN
NNPS
punct
,
,
PUNCT
,
appos
Number=Sing
Camille
Camille
PROPN
NNP
flat
Number=Sing
Bacon
Bacon
PROPN
NNP
punct
-
-
PUNCT
HYPH
flat
Number=Sing
Smith
Smith
PROPN
NNP
root
Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin
state
states
VERB
VBZ
mark
that
that
SCONJ
IN
nsubj
Number=Sing
fear
fear
NOUN
NN
mark
of
of
SCONJ
IN
acl
VerbForm=Ger
create
creating
VERB
VBG
det
Definite=Ind|PronType=Art
a
a
DET
DT
punct
``
``
PUNCT
``
obj
Number=Sing
Mary
Mary
PROPN
NNP
flat
Number=Sing
Sue
Sue
PROPN
NNP
punct
''
''
PUNCT
''
aux
VerbForm=Fin
may
may
AUX
MD
aux
VerbForm=Inf
be
be
AUX
VB
ccomp
Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part
restrict
restricting
VERB
VBG
cc
and
and
CCONJ
CC
advmod
even
even
ADV
RB
conj
VerbForm=Ger
silence
silencing
VERB
VBG
case
to
to
ADP
IN
det
some
some
DET
DT
obl
Number=Plur
writer
writers
NOUN
NNS
punct
.
.
PUNCT
.