WHY I do WHAT I do/WHY I write THE WAY I write... · 7:49pm Dec 30th, 2023
The main reason the hero stands out is because we like to think of them as a strong character. Personally, I like to think that people gravitate the most towards not necessarily a tough guy with a heart of gold or somebody who is liked by everyone but a character who gets away with every little thing that they would love to be able to get away with and saying things to people that they would love to be able to say (and without fear of repercussions or consequences), especially if that includes arrogance and even flamboyance.
He (or she) is clever, they can outsmart anybody, they can get into a lot of trouble and still come out of it smelling like a rose. They absolutely win the day but on their own terms, and they do it their own way. I strongly believe that any audience can relate to that, and (as an audience) I like to think that we all like to watch and read about that. It's hard to think of any other character (cartoon or otherwise) that can give anyone that sense of being able to identify with said character. Do you want to be the one who gets blown up and/or has an anvil fall on their head every five minutes? No! We all dream about being the hero, but when we wake up and we look at our reflections in the mirror, we think, "Ugh! There's (insert a character you hate)!"
I think Chuck Jones put it the best: "If you can't identify with and sympathize with a certain character, and put aside everything else and BE that character, then you shouldn't even be writing that character." Granted, he was talking about Daffy Duck when he said it, but I believe that principle can apply to any character, no matter who they are. I strongly believe that we, as human beings, perceive that we deserve the best (in our own minds) not for any specific reason other than the simple fact that we think we deserve it. And we make no pretenses about having earned it... and we each have that within us, right down to every last little bit of frustration that comes with it. And I try to incorporate into any negative character that I write. Now, that character doesn't necessarily have to be a villain, but definitely some kind of antagonist. That being said, you can't have an antagonist that isn't a challenge for the hero, someone who is easy to overcome and/or defeat. If you do, then the hero just looks like a bully.
But, obviously, some individuals have lost that sense of identification to the point that they feel alienated and "offended" by such characters. So much, in fact, that they take it WAY too personally and can't even brush it off and move on. That is why, if I EVER do decide to start writing again (and I sincerely doubt that I will), I will not even include such characters.
I agree. Some people take the portrayal of some too literally and seriously these days to the point all it takes is one thing and then they don't bother sticking around or hope things get better