Fictional Characters A-Z Meme
OK, well I'm going to bite the bullet and apply for
hogwarts_elite - so sit back and watch me be squibbed *wibble*. Honestly though it looks like a fantastic, intelligent community and it's been a long time since I had somewhere to properly discuss Harry Potter and I'm itching to get back into the saddle.
Anyway I've seen this A-Z of Fictional Characters meme somewhere (really can't remember where, sorry) and thought it looked interesting. It's supposed to give you an idea whether you're a book worm or a tv addict or a film nut. Me being ridiculously verbose as normal, I couldn't resist explaining my choices as well.
A - Aladdin (Aladdin)
Some of my earliest childhood memories are about Aladdin and it will always be my favourite Disney movie and I fell hook, line and sinker for Aladdin. The diamond in the rough, who everyone treats horribly and looks down on and who ends up saving the world just using his wits. Perfect.
B - Bernard Black (Black Books)
Bernard Black may be one of mostly truly horrible people in the world, really, he’s horrible to everyone. But he’s also sort of fantastic, you can’t take your eyes off him, he’s incredibly funny and for some reason I always at least half want him to win. Just to finish, here’s one of my favourite lines of his: - What did you say to Kate? She thinks I'm the Renaissance!
C - Caleb Trask (East of Eden)
I only found the joy of Steinbeck recently and his writing truly leaves me breathless, he manages to capture so much about a character in so few words. In a couple of lines he can make me feel like I’ve known the character for my whole life and East of Eden is a masterpiece. It was a real toss up between Caleb Trask and his father Adam, both are vastly unfulfilled characters, but theres something special about Cal. He spends all his life fighting his own flawed nature and trying to be a good person and never really succeeds. He breaks my heart.
D - The Doctor (Dr Who)
Dr Who is my favourite TV programme on at the moment, I think it’s brilliant and it was a bit of a toss up between Martha (whose awesome) and the Doctor for this meme, but in the end the Doctor had to win. He’s passionate and a genius and so full of energy. He pulls people in around him and you really can’t help but love him. But best of all he’s genuinely flawed, he has a dark side that actually borders on scary and there’s moments when he’s so definiteively not human. It’s a perfect mix for me.
E - Elwin Ransom (That Hideous Strength)
That Hideous Strength is the final book in the Silent Planet trilogy by C.S.Lewis, which isn’t read enough. Elwin Ransom is the lead character in all the books and undergoes a huge amount of character development but even then it was still a huge surprise to me when during the last book I developed an absolutely massive fictional crush on him. I can’t really explain it but go and read it and hopefully you’ll see.
F - Fox (The Animals of Farthing Wood)
Although I read Animals of Farthing Wood (and all the sequels), it’s the TV show I remember - it really was definitive viewing for my generation - it was brutal and clever and what kids really want to see. It was responsible for a whole generation of kids who called their cuddly toys Rabbit and Badger and likewise inventive names. I’ve picked Fox because foxes have always been some of my favourite animals and he was a fantastic leader in the vein of Hazel (see below).
G - Guerin, Michael (Roswell)
Another of my bad boys who secretly meant well. He had a bad upbringing and was always treated like he was up to no good but usually he was just misunderstood. Although he did have an irresistible rough streak.
H - Hazel (Watership Down)
Watership Down was my favourite book before Lord of the Rings came along. Hazel was my favourite character because he has so many indefinable leader qualities, he didn’t force his way in, he wasn’t elected, it wasn’t a birth right - people chose to follow him because they simply believed him. Theres one moment I find truly electrifying - General Wormwort has come after the Watership Down rabbits and he’s under the belief that Bigwig is the lead rabbit and there’s the moment he finds out that Hazel is instead. That’s the moment I’ve always wanted to recreate in other leaders - that feeling that they have truly incredible people following them.
I - Iscariot, Judas (Jesus Christ Superstar)
This is a favourite character that I can’t talk about much what with him being the most despicable man in history and all. But trust me, he’s misunderstood. The point is that he didn’t know about the son of god thing (whether you believe that or not) what he was faced with was the fact that Jesus’ followers were getting out of control, that his message was getting lost and that things were becoming more dangerous every day. Somebody had to do something. More than that he was being pushed into it, he had to betray Jesus for God’s plans to come to fruition. He was really tortured by the decision. And I think that Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical really gets that across perfectly.
J - Johnny Truant (House of Leaves)
House of Leaves by Mark Danielewski is a fantastic book and one of the most complex I’ve ever read. It’s told through several different methods and strands and occasionally requires you to use a mirror to read it. Johnny Truant is the fictional guy putting all these strands together and his story is told almost completely in the footnotes, and a lot of the time you have to guess what’s actually happening.
K - Kate Monster (Avenue Q)
Another musical character here, for anyone who hasn’t seen Avenue Q (silly people get thee there), Kate Monster is a puppet who is pretty and smart and funny but has an unfulfilled romantic life. She’s a character that I identified with to a worrying extent, the most troublesome moment being when I found myself nearly crying because two puppets had split up.
L - Lannister, Jaime (A Song of Ice and Fire)
It was a difficult choice picking someone from GRR Martins fantastic series, but in the end I decided on Jaime Lannister. He’s a more difficult choice to explain, on the surface he seems like an entirely negative character - he’s arrogant, reckless, amoral, cruel and he killed the King he had sworn to protect. But of course being GRR Martin it’s more complex than that - you discover that he did once share noble ideas of knighthood that were quickly twisted and the King in question was a mad and cruel tyrant and through the books you really see Jaime Lannister being challenged and changing. He’s robbed off his sword hand and has to rediscover his whole identity. He takes on new responsibilities, admits his debt to his brother Tyrion and tries to keep his oath to Catelyn Stark. He genuinely seems to be trying to be a better person, although his methods are still questionable, but how successful he will be remains to be seen.
M - Richard Mayhew (Neverwhere)
I loved the Neverwhere TV series despite the dodgy effects (for gods sake the monster was a highland cow) - it probably didn’t hurt that I already had a huge crush on Gary Bakewell who played Richard Mayhew, the proverbial fantasy fish out of water who comes into his own and saves everyone.
N - Nightcrawler (X-Men)
I’m mostly familiar with the X-Men movies and I’ve never seen such a fantastic introduction as Nightcrawlers, which is still one of my favourite scenes in the whole trilogy. Plus I found the character lovely and sweet and just tortured enough.
O - Omodon (Flight of Dragons)
Flight of Dragons was a significant film for me in my childhood and has stuck with me ever since and if I could only fit one bad guy into the list it had to be Omodon. The story follows the central conflict of magic and logic, as magic is forced out of the world. Carolinus calls the four wizards together so they can create a protected domain for magic, but Omodon the wizard of evil and fire resists. He’s amazing. Here’s one of my favourite bits:- “Fear rules man, by summoning all the dark powers I will infest the spirit of man so that he uses his science and logic to destroy himself. Havoc and rage. Turn brother against brother. Greed and avarice shall prevail here and those who do not here my words will pay the price. I’ll teach man to use his machines, I’ll show him what distorted science can give birth to, I’ll teach him to fly like a fairy, and I’ll give the ultimate answer to all his science can ask and the world will be free for my magic again. ” He’s ruled by self preservation, it’s recognised that he’s a needed part of the world and personally I think his plan is pretty good.
P - Peter Petrelli (Heroes)
Oh Peter Petrelli, you are a problem. The thing is that Peter is sort of a Mary Sue, he can absorb anyones power and everyone is drawn to talk about him and deep down they all seem to love him (pretty much). Plus he still doesn’t seem to achieve very much and generally fucks up and gets to angst about it. And he has silly emo hair (which I fancy the pants off). And despite all this I absolutely love him. Of course, part of the problem (or excuse - take your pick) is that I fell in love with him before we found all this out. I fell in love with him when he was repeatedly throwing himself off of a childs climbing frame and falling flat on his face in an attempt to fly, while a small child dressed as a superhero watched him. What can I do? Once I’m smitten, I’m smitten.
Q - Quinn Mallory (Sliders)
Another early favourite TV show. Quinn was the main hero, a tormented child genius who manages to trap his friends into five years of jumping from world to world. Great character.
R - Remus Lupin (Harry Potter)
By far my favourite adult character in the Harry Potter series. Originally because he was a werewolf (this was still in my ooh wolves are cool and shiny stage). Now I love him because he’s manipulative and clever and funny, he makes people like him and he seems to be a natural leader. And there’s a million more reasons too, but I may rabbit about them another time.
S -Smendrick (The Last Unicorn)
OK, I think The Last Unicorn is probably the most important film of my life, I rented it about a hundred times from the video shop and still feel the same sense of awe and beauty when I watch it today (I really need to get a copy of the book). And you know I’m so glad it was there for me because it’s such a complex kids film that I can’t imagine anything else challenging me so much. And Smendrick was always my favourite, he was clumsy and unsure of his magic but otherwise filled with self belief. He was kind and did what he could for others but could be defensive and didn’t suffer fools gladly. Throughout the film he’s doubted by everyone and yet in the end it’s him that achieves nearly everything and rightfully he’s the one that deserves the personal goodbye.
T - Took, Pippin (Lord of the Rings)
Lord of the Rings was one of the most important books I ever read, it started me off on the fantasy road I’m still on today and for the 14 odd years it’s been since I read it my favourite character has never once changed - it’s always Pippin. Now, he represents to me something I’d love to be able to achieve in my writing because a) he’s a character whose personal journey is so well developed and resonant for me and b) his personal characteristics such as his rashness, lead to both negative and positive results and his mistakes really do fuel the plot. For me he is a beautiful creation.
U - Unicorn (The Last Unicorn)
Otherwise known as the Lady Amalthea. Only really made the list because I found U a difficult letter, but I’m glad she’s here. She sums up everything I think of as beautiful and noble and tragic. One of my favourite lines of the film is “For no unicorn was ever born who could regret, but now I do. I regret… Unicorns are in the world again. No sorrow will live in me with that joy… save one - and I thank you for that part too.”
V - Vimes, Commander (Discworld)
There had to be at least one character from the imcoparable Discworld series in here and really it had to be Vimes. He’s grumpy and funny and pragmatic and mostly cleverer than everyone around him. And it doesn’t hurt that in my head he has the voice of a very funny friend of mine.
W - Weasley, Ron (Harry Potter)
This time my favourite child character from Harry Potter (although I guess I have to call him a young adult now). Right from his first entrance I’ve had a huge soft spot for Ron. In many ways he reminds me of Xander (so this answer can count for both of them) - an ordinary guy, whose talents don’t shine as brightly as the people around him but who had a tremendous heart and who would lay down his life for his friends. I find that more admirable.
X - Xander Harris (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)
No seriously, see above.
Y - Young, Adam (Good Omens)
It’s really not just Adam represented here, but also his group of friends. One of my favourite things (among many) in Good Omens is there relationship - it feels so real and down to earth and out of place with all the fantastic things happening around it. And that makes it wonderful.
Z - Ze Frog, Kermit (The Muppets)
OK, so I cheated on this one, but really Z??? Plus how could I leave Kermit out - he was my first ever crush. He owned a theatre and he was funny and he was creative. What more could you want. Obviously the relationship was never going to be a success, especially with my horrible frog phobia. But it was a tragic love affair.
So here's my totals, some of them are from two different things, i.e. a book made into a tv show - so I've just picked where I most remember them from:
BOOKS - 10 - Caleb Trask, Elwin Ransom, Hazel, Johnny Truant, Jaime Lannister, Remus Lupin, Pippin Took, Commander Vimes, Ron Weasley, Adam Young,
TV - 9 - Bernard Black, The Doctor, Fox, Michael Guerin, Peter Petrelli, Quinn Mallory, Richard Mayhew, Xander Harris, Kermit the Frog
MOVIES - 5 - Aladdin, Nightcrawler, Omodon, Smendrick, Unicorn
MUSICALS - 2 - Judas Iscariot, Kate Monster,
OK - so books and tv have come out almost equal, I'm not really surprised as both give you a lot of time to get to know a character. It's interesting that four out of the five movie characters and from kids movies - I guess I'm still a child at heart.