Success only flourishes in perseverance -- ceaseless, restless perseverance.
--Baron Manfred Von Richtofen

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Who Do You Love?

The characters are my favorite part of writing. I suspect most writers feel the same. I'm curious. Who are your favorite characters from books, movies, TV, folklore, etc.? Why do you love them?
Here are some of mine:

Samwise Gamgee (Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien) My all-time favorite character. He's humble, brave, loyal, hard-working, determined and optimistic. I think Tolkien must have loved him too, because he gets everything he wishes for in the end.

Ender Wiggin (Ender's Game, etc. by Orson Scott Card)
Emma Woodhouse (Emma by Jane Austen)
Elizabeth Bennett (Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen) Who doesn't love Elizabeth?
Jo March (Little Women by Louisa May Alcott)
Charles Wallace Murray (A Wrinkle in Time, etc. by Madeleine L'Engle)
Harry Potter (by J.K. Rowling)

I could go on and on, obviously. It's a thrill when characters jump off of the page (or screen or whatever) and start to live in your head. Even better is creating your own characters that become absolutely real to you. The biggest thrill of all though, in my opinion, is when those characters you created start to live in somebody else's head. A friend complimented me once by saying I was really good at creating believable, likable characters. That made my day. I ask everyone who reads my novel to tell me who his/her favorite character is. The answers always delight and often surprise me. There are quite a variety of characters they name too, which makes me hopeful that my characters are well-rounded. I loved it when my mom complained about the bad guy and how she wanted to kick his butt up between his shoulder blades. He was real to her. I love that.

So, what characters are so real to you that they feel like old friends. Who do you love or love to hate?

12 comments:

Cynde L. Hammond said...

The characters in "Gone with The Wind" are real to me. The book is SO much better than the movie ever thought of being. Every page is filled with action; angst; love; you name it, it's got it! If you want to learn how to write, then read that book.

By the way, Angie. I answered your message on my blog. Please go back and check out what I wrote here.

God bless you, Angie. You're a real sweetheart!

Love ya,
~Cynde
Cynde's Got The Write Stuff

Linz said...

Elizabeth Bennett is my favorite. I think that every woman can, in some way, relate to her.

I also love Samwise. He's the best best best!

I also really love Count Fosco from "The Woman in White" by Wilkie Collins. Even though he was the villan and not a nice person, I just loved how deep and real he seemed. Great Character!

I also like Warren Burgess from the Fablehaven series. He always makes me laugh!

And Katniss from "The Hunger Games". She was so strong.

I could go on and on too...

tiffany said...

i have to think about that i love ron from harry potter becuse he is a great friend to harry i will have to get back with the rest

Danyelle L. said...

I love everyone from Riddle-Master. They are all so complex and awesome!

Angie said...

Thanks for following, Linz.

Suzette Saxton said...

As far as old friends go, I would have to say Ayla from Clan of the Cave Bear. She was so strong, even when all alone. Though fictional, I have relied on her example many times.

As for love to hate, usually the bad guy is the character I love best of all! Take Count Olaf, for example, in the Lemony Snicket books. What a villain!

Rae said...

With each new book I read I fall in love with new characters. I always feel so sad as I get to the end of a great book. I hate putting the characters away. It seems they become a part of my life as I turn the pages.

I love the journey they take me on. I have not read your works but I am off to find them now.

B.J. Anderson said...

I really got into Roland the gunslinger from The Dark Tower series. He was such a creepy guy at first but then he ended up having a poignant backstory to describe why he was the way he was. I also really love Carol Berg's characters. I could go on and on so I won't. :)

Kelsey (Dominique) Ridge said...

I LOVE Ender Wiggin. He's both relatable and unrelatable, kind and cruel, friendly and alone. He is always interesting.

Liana Brooks said...

I love Ender and Valentine, Nyls Jessan from the Mageworlds series for being a great doctor, good friend, and wonderful gunner, Gimli and Legolas for fantasy as well as Granny Weatherwax and Nanny Ogg.

Unknown said...

I have to admit to loving most of Pratchett's Discworld characters. They are each so zanily insane.

Stephanie McGee said...

Mr. Rochester

Mr. Darcy

Elizabeth Bennett

Alanna of Trebond

Keladry from Tamora Pierce's Protector of the Small series

Hugo from Brandon Mull's Fablehaven (Warren too)

Dumbledore

Hermione (I see so much of myself in her)

I could go on but I won't.


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