Main character that is impossible to like... | First Page | Forum

PenguinFighter

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Post: 26574833_1 created on Tue, 01 May 2007 03:49:02 +0000
Posted: Tue, 01 May 2007 03:49:02 +0000

Would you read a story about a character who, for the most part, is just a horrible human being?

And I don't mean evil or bad-a** or anything. I just mean a rotten person. What I'm basically trying to create is someone that absolutely no one could like.

But would that make for a good protagonist?

emily_ismynameo

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Post: 26574833_2 created on Tue, 01 May 2007 03:51:38 +0000
Posted: Tue, 01 May 2007 03:51:38 +0000

depends,

if the all around "rotten guy" is being antigonized(sp?) by someone else than it would make it purdie good.

PenguinFighter

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Post: 26574833_3 created on Tue, 01 May 2007 03:52:28 +0000
Posted: Tue, 01 May 2007 03:52:28 +0000

Well of course there would be a conflict/plot.

omfg_nachos

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Post: 26574833_4 created on Tue, 01 May 2007 03:54:11 +0000
Posted: Tue, 01 May 2007 03:54:11 +0000

You can have a horrible, rotten character, as long as they have SOME, relatable, human qualities, that draws you to him. To be honest, no one would want to read a story about someone they COMPLETELY despise.

x_haphazard_x

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Post: 26574833_5 created on Tue, 01 May 2007 03:55:26 +0000
Posted: Tue, 01 May 2007 03:55:26 +0000

How is this person horrible?

I have a character that's honestly borderline psychopath but my readers seem to like him anyway. He's pretty entertaining.

However, if you take Shinji, fro Evangelion, as a character, it's probably not going to be liked.

PenguinFighter

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Post: 26574833_6 created on Tue, 01 May 2007 03:59:56 +0000
Posted: Tue, 01 May 2007 03:59:56 +0000

Anarchy Rabbit

That's what I was thinking, because there needs to be some kind of growth in the story to make it somewhat appealing.

x_haphazard_x

He wouldn't be a psychopath, I've already got other stories about people with personality disorders.

I was thinking something along the lines of my character making an art of taking advantage of young girls, rape, and more things that have less to do with sexuality.

FISHIExCORE

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Post: 26574833_7 created on Tue, 01 May 2007 04:02:57 +0000
Posted: Tue, 01 May 2007 04:02:57 +0000

The main character can be someone you would think was a terrible excuse for a human being if you met him on the street, as long as in the context of the story you can get the reader to see things from his point of view. Really, making a human piss stain your protagonist can produce very interesting results, since you have to force yourself to find and draw out his sympathetic qualities.

Foxy Grampa

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Post: 26574833_8 created on Tue, 01 May 2007 04:05:32 +0000
Posted: Tue, 01 May 2007 04:05:32 +0000

Acts like you described can be forgiven, by the reader, for the most part, if we can still relate to him. I could easily read about a ***** and not like what he's doing, but still understand his character if it was written very well.

But you know what's hard to like?
Egomania.

But even that can appeal. You hate it at first, but then as the character's revealed more, you begin to cackle at their superior attitude.

It's pretty much impossible to make a character intentionally despicable and then have it turn out that way for readers.
It's been tried many, many times.

I say you should make a completely likable character. XDDD
People naturally are more prone to dislike perfection than imperfection.

Reverse psychology, ne? 3nodding

PenguinFighter

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Post: 26574833_9 created on Tue, 01 May 2007 04:07:50 +0000
Posted: Tue, 01 May 2007 04:07:50 +0000

xd True. I'd probably sicken myself with a perfect character though. Thanks for the advice.

Novouto

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Post: 26574833_10 created on Tue, 01 May 2007 04:23:16 +0000
Posted: Tue, 01 May 2007 04:23:16 +0000

Yeah cuz perfect characters are just so... so... perfect and unrelatable (I suck at spelling).

wonkyspoon

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Post: 26574833_11 created on Tue, 01 May 2007 05:08:53 +0000
Posted: Tue, 01 May 2007 05:08:53 +0000

I like this question.

You have these two horrible extremes, which utterly destroy a character -- you have EVIL and you have PERFECT. In the realms of evil and perfection, psychoanalyzation doesn't exist. You can't psychoanalyze two-dimensional stereotypes.

Plus, nobody is purely evil. People do evil, terrible, sickening, repulsive, spine-chilling things, but they're not pure evil.

Even Darth Vader was good in the end!

The deal is, this man can be a creepy *****, but there has to be a reason -- and, I believe, that as soon as people have a motive, it makes them, well, human. Maybe he was molested when he was younger. (We feel some pity.) Maybe it makes him feel powerful. (We all want that sometimes.) Maybe he is attracted to little girls and is disgusted with himself because he can't help it. (Weird factor, but also some pity.)

I'm kind of rambling now. (I told you I liked this question.)

There's a way that you can write despicable characters in a not-so positive light, but keep us hooked.

Ah!
Example!

Have you read Capote's In Cold Blood? Amazing book. Made me cry. It really gives life to "sympathy for the devil." It's amazing what good, empathetic writing can do. If you have a good grasp of human character, I believe you can pull anything off.

But now I'm just being idealistic.
Hey.

I hope this turns out well. Good luck.

schmeddyhead

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Post: 26574833_12 created on Tue, 01 May 2007 07:04:32 +0000
Posted: Tue, 01 May 2007 07:04:32 +0000

Well, completely rotten, with absolutely no redeeming quality, and nothing admirable or enjoyable? No. Someone lacking humanity by being completely wretched? No.

Someone who is just not a good person, is unlikeable as opposed to likeable? Oh yes.

Most of my characters are in that boat.

Foxy Grampa

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Post: 26574833_13 created on Tue, 01 May 2007 07:12:13 +0000
Posted: Tue, 01 May 2007 07:12:13 +0000

wonkyspoon

Have you read Capote's In Cold Blood? Amazing book. Made me cry. It really gives life to "sympathy for the devil." It's amazing what good, empathetic writing can do. If you have a good grasp of human character, I believe you can pull anything off.

fjhskahfkjsa You win 9000 internetz for the mere mention of Capote. heart

And while that is a good example--wonderful, in fact--you do know that the book was technically NF, right? Capote knew the beasts himself. confused That's why the characterization was so damn good in it. XD He had real life people to play with.

Panoramic Paranoia

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Post: 26574833_14 created on Tue, 01 May 2007 16:39:13 +0000
Posted: Tue, 01 May 2007 16:39:13 +0000

Of course you can write about a character who you may think is a horrible human being. The thing is, as someone said before, the character needs to have some kind of attractive quality. Also, even if you personally think that whatever this character does is awful, think about it from the character's point of view: He/she probably isn't going to go through life thinking "oh, look at me I'm the bad guy." Usually a character like that would see themselves as being in the right, or would at least be affected by knowledge of some awful thing they've done.

In Crime and Punishment for example, Raskolnikov is a murder (with an axe, no less), and yet reading the book I still liked him because of how it was written.

Lea Fealith

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Post: 26574833_15 created on Tue, 01 May 2007 16:41:14 +0000
Posted: Tue, 01 May 2007 16:41:14 +0000

Foxy Grampa

wonkyspoon

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0379725/plotsummary

That does in fact sound like awesomesauce.

Evil Characters and unlikeable characters are very different.

Humbert Humbert of Lolita and Erik from Phantom are people who do evil things. But they are sympathetic.

I can't think of MC off the bat who was purely unlikeable and still sat on a good story. In fact, it's because I find certain characters unlikeable that I decide I dislike certain popular works, like Catcher in the Rye and The Fountain head. Hated both the MCs with a passion, and in turn found to books a chore to read, regardless of their literary merits.

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