I can enjoy a book without respecting the main character but if the main character does something really stupid or something that's morally wrong that I just cannot dismiss, then perhaps I may not enjoy that book as much. I think I'm too used to overly good characters in books (and in tv shows) that I can't seem to change my preference (probably not the right term). That is why I often cannot enjoy books with anti-heroes or serial killers or morally gray characters as main characters.
There is no such thing as a person who does everything right but as main characters in books, I would like them to be a little better than the average person at making moral judgments but not necessary for everything they do but just enough that I won't think they're asshats and maybe allow me to respect them a little.
How about you? Do you need to respect a main character in order to enjoy a book?For more about the A-Z Challenge, go here.
I can go with morally gray to a point but yeah I have to like or respect the character a LITTLE at least or it's hard to read them. I can't read about serial killers or REALLY bad people at all.
ReplyDeleteGreg: Same here. I don't have to like the character but they shouldn't be asshats.
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I can't abide reading a novel or watching a series/movie where the main point of view uncritically presented is that of a psychopath protagonist. So, no "Dexter" for me. Morally grey protagonists or anti-heroes are fine, provided they have SOME redeemable qualities and are struggling with their issues, OR there is an accompanying narrative showing why the character is evil even if they are justifying their own evilness in a self-serving way. If there's no accompanying critical narrative, however, the book runs the risk of simply propagating horrible views justifying evil -- like "Mein Kampf" does or Humbert's blame-shifting/spurious defence of child sexual abuse in "Lolita."
ReplyDeleteDebra: No Dexter for me either. The advertisments/images of that show freaks me out. I agreed having some redemable qualities is fine but if a person is simply doing bad things just because they can is just bad.
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I am happy with grey - which is true of many (most?) people anyway. I am not happy with celebrating people at the dark end of the scale.
ReplyDeleteElephant's Child: I completely agree with you, celebrating bad deeds is just not something I would condone.
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Villain main characters don't appeal to me.
ReplyDeleteOh that cmnent 'villain main characters don't appeal to me' was mine
ReplyDeleteChristine: I also don't like villains as main characters. Those shows turning villains into heroes- I don't like those either.
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I have come to dislike books where the main character was not nice, but I have also enjoyed some. I think it depends on the writing. For example, I didn't enjoy Atonement at all and have stayed away from Ian McEwan ever since.
ReplyDeleteMarianne: Yes, sometimes it does depend on how the characters are written. I haven't read Atonement so I can't judge that book but I kind of didn't much care for the movie.
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I never watched the movie because I disliked the book so much. And I haven't read a book by Ian McEwan since, doubt I ever will.
DeleteI like moral ambiguity. I dont read to like the character, I enjoy a book because the people in it are interesting. For example The Brief Wondrous life of Oscar Wao, I had no point of contact with the main character and he makes appalling decisions throughout the story but I rooted for him because you see past his weaknesses. Also , for example, Lolita. A very disturbing read, but the character is fascinating because you get to watch and analyse his behaviour and decision making. You don't have to like a character, but you have to be interested in them.
ReplyDeleteMartine: Yes, some characters are quite appealing even if they do make appalling decisions and are unlikable. I don't mind them but in order to have some interest in a character, I suppose I kind of prefer them to have something good in them but they don't necessary have to be completely good, nobody's like that. I don't really read that deep into characters so sometimes the surface is easier to like than what's beneath.
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