Blaming characters for problems in the plot
Sara Jaye's post on Damsel Scrappies got me thinking about this (actually, I started posting it there, but thought it might be off-topic). I've noticed that there are a large number of bashers who, when they complain about a certain characters, are really annoyed/upset with things that happened around or to that character. They're annoyed with the
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I don't believe there is something "unnatural" about a person who's main interest in a story is a character or relationship rather than "the vision" or "plot." Vision, plot and character are three separate things and any one of them is a perfectly fine thing to be someone's main interest. Some writers have no grand vision and aren't very good at plot, but they are capable of creating a wonderful character or two or three. Recognizing and appreciating what maybe the writer's main strength is not merely natural, but best for all.
Also I think people are reluctant to blame the author...
I believe it generally comes down to people being unable to blame the author.
...thinking that s/he must be perfect or something.
I'm sure for some it is a matter of being incapable of admitting to themselves, much less others, that the author isn't perfect. For others though I think it maybe a matter of them feeling safer criticizing the fictional character rather than the actual writer. While the fictional character may have their defenders they are an individual character, not the creator of all of the characters, vision, plot, etc. Criticizing one character may put one in conflict with that character's fans, but it isn't risking being in conflict with all of the writer's fans. It's the path of least resistance.
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