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Musings on character types
I watched the Captain America movie a while ago, and it got me thinking about the kinds of character types I'm drawn to. I seem to be captivated by people who are idealistic and brave and try to do the right thing. They are often part of some institution that they believe in, but that institution often fails or betrays them, and then they struggle with that.
Obviously Benton Fraser is my prime example here. But Nate Fick, my favorite character in Generation Kill, is another example, and Steve Rogers seems to push the same sort of button for me, although not as strongly. For a more obscure example, Longstreet in The Killer Angels totally hit that button for me, too.
So, these are all men, and all in military or police organizations--I guess that's a place where these issues often arise, but I'd love to find other examples. The first female character who comes to mind is Elizabeth Moon's Paksenarrion, who really fits into that pattern, although her story has other appeals to me as well. She's in a military organization, too. Perhaps Utena Tenjou? Hmm, not really--she's more of an outside challenger than part of an institution, although she is brave and tries to do the right thing.
But one example that really clicked for me when I realized that it fit this same pattern is Shevek in Le Guin's The Dispossessed. He is partly rejected by the anarchist society he comes from, even though he deeply believes in its principles. God, I love that book.
So, do you have any examples of this type of character that you think I'd enjoy?
Obviously Benton Fraser is my prime example here. But Nate Fick, my favorite character in Generation Kill, is another example, and Steve Rogers seems to push the same sort of button for me, although not as strongly. For a more obscure example, Longstreet in The Killer Angels totally hit that button for me, too.
So, these are all men, and all in military or police organizations--I guess that's a place where these issues often arise, but I'd love to find other examples. The first female character who comes to mind is Elizabeth Moon's Paksenarrion, who really fits into that pattern, although her story has other appeals to me as well. She's in a military organization, too. Perhaps Utena Tenjou? Hmm, not really--she's more of an outside challenger than part of an institution, although she is brave and tries to do the right thing.
But one example that really clicked for me when I realized that it fit this same pattern is Shevek in Le Guin's The Dispossessed. He is partly rejected by the anarchist society he comes from, even though he deeply believes in its principles. God, I love that book.
So, do you have any examples of this type of character that you think I'd enjoy?
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Oh um, and have you tried Flashpoint.
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For women - I don't know if this really fits your mold, but I found Cassia in the Matched trilogy (which is dystopian YA) much more interesting than Katniss of The Hunger Games, which she's often compared to. She begins as entirely believing in her country's government ('Society') and its rules and strictures, but gradually over the course of the first book she sees how it's betrayed her and her family and friends, and becomes a rebel.
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Hmm, let me think about this some more. I feel like I must know some non-military example, but I sure can't think of one off the top of my head...
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ETA: He [Carrot] could lead armies, Angua thought. He really could. Some people have inspired whole countries to great deeds because of the power of their vision. And so could he. Not because he dreams about marching hordes, or world domination, or an empire of a thousand years. Just because he thinks that everyone's really decent underneath and would get along just fine if only they made an effort, and he believes that strongly it burns like a flame that is bigger than he is.
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Women are more often portrayed as pragmatists than idealists, and are less likely to be part of an institution.
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I have not watched Flashpoint, no, but you're bumping it higher up the list! : )
I never really connected with Discworld? Or at least, Pratchett's style works best for me in small doses.
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I'll check out that YA trilogy!
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Women are more often portrayed as pragmatists than idealists, and are less likely to be part of an institution.
Yeah, you're probably right that that's the reason women are more rarely written as this type of character.
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In NCIS, the first criterion covers most of the regular cast and a lot of the recurring and one ep characters. The betrayal aspect is particularly apt for Gibbs, Tony DiNozzo and Ziva David, in a range of arcs. Try S5.10 Corporal Punishment followed by S7.15 Jack Knife. Just because the recurring character, Damon Werth, also fits the bill very nicely, on all counts.
In Buffy, I tend to think of Giles first. But your second criterion is much more apt for Wesley, and continues into Angel the series. And of course the Slayers themselves, Buffy, and more so Faith. Not sure how idealistic works for them, but they're certainly doing a thankless difficult job in an institution that betrays them, sometimes systematically and by its very definition. They might not believe in their institution after a certain point, but they certainly believe in its goals. Buffy has more stability and support that enable her to handle better, whereas Faith gets damaged much more by it.
Blue Bloods can fit too. I don't watch it myself, but it's about a police family, and so has all of your ingredients for multiple characters, multiple generations.
Your mention of betrayal made me think, in a wider context, of Watergate and All the Presidents' Men. The book is better than the movie.
I think Grisham's The Firm and The Pelican Brief might fit the bill as well, although I'm not sure to what extent they are idealistic or just really naive. The latter gives you another woman. Personally, I enjoyed the second (book and movie), and found the first boring (didn't bother with the movie), but its general popularity suggests it has appeal potential.
There's Captian Ramius in the Hunt For Red October - a book I really recommend, and the movie is watchable too, but misses a lot of the fun and characterisation. Ramius is the Captain of the Soviet submarine. I don't think he believes in his institution so much, or maybe the book is the culmination of his disillusionment, with flashbacks to the earlier stages.
Oh, Inspector Aberline in the Jack the Ripper production with Micheal Caine.
That's it for now. There's bound to be more. I'll comment again if I think of any.
[random icon is random]
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http://grinchsbutt.tumblr.com/post/36442886285/tom-hiddleston-as-captain-nicholls-in-war-horse
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ETA: Oh, actually, have you watched Farscape? Aeryn Sun doesn't quite fit that pattern, but it's close: she comes from a very regimented, military environment and has internalised their values, and over the course of the first few seasons she slowly comes to realise that those values actually kinda suck. It's extremely painful for her.
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Rupert Giles in Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Very much the archetypal Good Man, the one who cares deeply and does the right thing, or tries to, even when it's hardest, even when it's not recognized or rewarded, sometimes at odds with the organization (Watchers council) to which he belongs and reports.
I'll have to think on female characters. Possibly Torin Kerr, infantry sergeant, in Tanya Huff's Confederation sci-fi series (the ones with "Valor" in the title). I love the series for many reasons; Huff is a good writer rather than a great one, but she's an excellent storyteller. Will ponder to see if I can come up with others.
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I have not watched Farscape! It does sound like something I'd enjoy--boyfriend and I are looking for a new series to watch together, so I'll look into it. : )
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I tried the first book of that Tanya Huff series after you recced it to me a while ago, but it didn't really grip me--I can't put my finger on why. Maybe it's that the aliens didn't feel like actual aliens somehow? Like, there was this lizard species that had the same military organization as humans down to the division between commissioned and non-commissioned officers. I suppose I like my aliens a little more alien? Or maybe it was something else--it's not like I always want my science fiction super serious and realistic or anything. But for whatever reason, they didn't stick with me.
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