A little while ago, Rachael and I were discussing books and such because we're readers, (hopefully) not the pretentious kind though. She mentioned that she doesn't always think of favorite books, but favorite characters and scenes. That led to us tossing out a few names (we even agreed on one!) and got me thinking which characters I like best. I don't have the heart to rank these characters so I'll just rattle them off as they pop into my head.
Rob Fleming - High Fidelity:
Judgmental... neurotic... deluded... we have a lot in common.
Joshua/Jesus/Christ - Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal:
His knack for diving into things head first and ending up with nary a scratch on his head (no pun intended) reminds me of a couple friends.
Ford Prefect - The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy:
I dare you to not like him. He's the laid back, unwittingly cool galaxy-traveler so many of us would like to be.
Major Major Major Major - Catch-22:
Oh, you poor bastard. I can't help but laugh and feel sorry for him at the same time.
The Man - The Road:
His existence in Cormac McCarthy's post-apocalyptic America pretty much defines what it is to be a man/father.
Brutus - Julius Caesar:
Moral ambiguity! His choice to (repeatedly) oppose, appease, and eventually assassinate his friend/father figure for the good of the republic led to the destruction of his character and his death. There are few more tragic figures in history.
Thor - The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul:
Not all that you'd expect of a Norse god. Sure, he's angry at times and powerful but also a bit insecure and socially awkward.
Edmond Dantes - The Count of Monte Cristo:
His obsession with revenge and retribution provide a lesson for everyone.
Frederic Henry - A Farewell to Arms:
Hemingway's ultimate man's man. Nearly unshakable in the face of hardship, but maybe a little emotionally jaded, too.
Charlotte Simmons - I Am Charlotte Simmons:
Volumes could be written on this character and her constant transformation when she goes from a small Appalachian town to a large university.
So yeah, those are my favorites. I feel like there's some way to relate to all of them... except maybe Major Major. Do you, as one of the 3 people who actually read this occasionally, have any you'd like to share?
Thursday, June 11, 2009
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2 comments:
First of all...I can totally hear Rachael saying "I don't always think of favorite books, but favorite characters and scenes...” She probably had her signature pensive and perplexed expression and I can only imagine that if I was there I would have stared blankly at her like "Who are you? And where did you come from?"
As one of your 3 readers, I feel obligated to comment. My first reaction was that I have read precisely zero of any of the books you mentioned. Maybe I just don't have any characters that I relate to... But then I got to thinkin' and realized YES! There are lots of favorite characters!
*Amelia Bedelia -(Her own series) She's hopelessly lost. Someone tells her to "pitch the tent" and she wads it up like a baseball and throws it. She was once told to "bake a date cake" so she chops up squares of calendars and puts them in the batter. Amelia Bedelia, we really are two peas in a pod.
*Rebecca Bloomwood - (Confessions of a Shopaholic Series)
Not real explanation needed. I like to shop, I don't make enough money, and am I able to embarrass my self easily? Check.
*Bella Swan - (Twilight Series)
Who doesn't relate? I have two eyes to read and a heart, don't I?
I kid. I kid. Kind of.
I completely agree with the 'Thor' one. But then again, Dirk Gently from the same novel could also be said to be quite rad.
Fenchurch from 'Hitchhiker's'...
Bean from 'Ender's Game' (and Petra...and, of course, Ender.)
Encyclopedia Brown...and sometimes Sally...
(Am I getting too cerebral, here?)
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