Welcome to Gaia! ::

Skip the intro and go to the bottom if you'd rather just get to the point

I really didn't understand the Raoul thing before. A friend of mine likes him, and when we saw the movie together she was all for him and I just didn't, couldn't get it. I was all "I heart Erik!" (I had read half the book at the time so I knew his name). I didn't understand how anyone could ever like Raould because he seemed so boring. I'll just say some circumstances in my life changed my standpoint, and I understand exactly what the choice was.

Raoul was just trying to help Christine, apparently he'd do anything to help her. In the Leroux novel Raoul just about dies for her, so it's not like he's short of caring. I understand the "older man of mystery" curiosity about Erik, but I also realise how truly horrifying it is to try and handle someone so utterly disfigured inside and to deal with their obsession for you. I nearly have firsthand experience with that. Raoul is the one who is normal, average, and boring. Therefore not a psychopath who is a threat to Christine's life. After Erik she would want someone like that. The tragic male figure is something best kept to most young girls' fantasies alone.

Christine was young, sixteen if I remember correctly. And she trusted a man who was different than what she thought he was, she built him up as this person who was only concerned with her best interests and she cared about him; only to find out that he was a real threat to her health, safety, and sanity.

Now, Raoul figures in to be the one she can run to. Her shelter, you could say. And he is perfectly innocent and full of good intent. The poor guy never asked for any of this, even though he is a bit of a twit sometimes. His actions are all out of love for Christine, he wants to bring her peace of mind and will go to any legths to give her that. The guy deserves a freaking medal.

Yet we all love to bash the guy. I hate to say it though, I still love Erik, but I have a certain like and respect for Raoul that makes them very equal choices, tought for me to every actually make a choice between.

DISCUSS:
Raoul: Do you like him? Do you hate him? Why?

Yes, I agree. The ALW movie does make Raoul look kind of bad, so a lot of people don't like him... But he does really care for Christine and it seems that he would be the obvious choice for her... But I still like Erik better anyways. I just can't help it. He's a more interesting character.

I myself perfur Erik... But sometimes I look at Raoul and ponder why people dislike him... And same with all the chacters... Like today... I thought about the movie with out each character and how it would fall apart...

I did read somewhere that maybe the reason that people like Erik is that they WANT to be altruistic, good and all that as well. Although I tend to lean toward the character-with-depth theory, but the altruism one applies as well. Really though, I don't think many people can honestly say they would stay with a (rotting) psychopath. Not that it doesn't make for good fantasy mind you.

In the novel Erik is almost every much a monster and as dangerous as Raoul believes him to be. Sure there is some depth to Erik, and he has a painful past that makes him the way he is, but he is a cold-blooded killer. To Raoul it is more important to protect the woman he loves than to worry about the trivial reasons behind Erik's psychotic/sadistic nature. He takes action where action is needed. Maybe it was the wrong action, but he definitely didn't sit on his keester whining about how Christine was in danger. I admire that in him.

I never did say that Erik didn't love Christine, I said that he was ******** in the head to put it bluntly. Just because he did love her doesn't mean that he wasn't a psychotic maniac. He was going to kill Christine with himself at the end of the novel (or that's what I got) whilst blowing the whole opera house to smithereens. Raoul was perfectly in his place in wanting to kill Erik. Erik was a murderer, capable of cold-blooded killing. And just because he lusted after Christine doesn't mean she'd be safe with him forever either. Even then she'd be exposed to all the horrible things he does.

I suppose that they would make a better couple.... however, my loyalties still lie with Erik. He is a much more interesting character. Also, i really think that Raoul should have left Cristine with Erik if not only because she was for the most part the only happiness in his life, but also because Raoul was rich and could have gotten anyone he wished for. And he really did love her and if Raoul had not intruded things may have turned out quite differently.

Raoul is ok. He truely loves Christine, but I would still choose Erik. ^^