Musings on character types
Nov. 19th, 2012 11:24 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
luzulaI 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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Date: 2012-11-24 01:55 pm (UTC)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.
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Date: 2012-11-24 08:05 pm (UTC)http://grinchsbutt.tumblr.com/post/36442886285/tom-hiddleston-as-captain-nicholls-in-war-horse
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Date: 2012-11-25 09:57 pm (UTC)