tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4994072470312639837.post1307710673830257557..comments2024-03-26T15:49:05.333-07:00Comments on Criminal Minds: Sympathy for the DevilJosh Stallingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09913654176433125233noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4994072470312639837.post-9586958908076159512020-07-04T17:50:08.326-07:002020-07-04T17:50:08.326-07:00Thanks for your comment, Madeline. I agree with yo...Thanks for your comment, Madeline. I agree with you in the sense that the protagonist, even if not totally sympathetic or a good guy, should have some kind of redeeming qualities. It's like my character Jack in White Heat and Broken Windows. As I say, he says the wrong things but pretty much does the right things and people seem to like him.Paul D. Markshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15466234708772287399noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4994072470312639837.post-17820310779720324362020-07-04T08:53:11.631-07:002020-07-04T08:53:11.631-07:00Excellent post, Paul! Got me thinking. I have to &...Excellent post, Paul! Got me thinking. I have to "like" protagonists, or I won't read or watch. But, even after thinking about it, not sure what comprises my "liking" feeling. And yes, so agree, that flaws and goodness's come out as your character is developed... Madeline Gornellhttp://thewritersinresidence.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4994072470312639837.post-24575290125854786482020-07-03T17:33:31.287-07:002020-07-03T17:33:31.287-07:00Thanks, Dietrich. I agree with you, they should be...Thanks, Dietrich. I agree with you, they should be believable.Paul D. Markshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15466234708772287399noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4994072470312639837.post-30761661604074582052020-07-03T17:33:09.456-07:002020-07-03T17:33:09.456-07:00Thanks for your comment, Susan. I think we have to...Thanks for your comment, Susan. I think we have to agree to disagree here. Speaking personally, I have my characters say and do things that I think real people would say and do, regardless of the era. And some aren’t pretty. I don’t do it because of noir tropes, but because it’s how people are and were and I deal with a lot of reality-based situations in my writing. And it is uncomfortable. It's even something I'm uncomfortable reading when I read it back (check out this piece I did recently at Elizabeth White's blog: http://www.elizabethawhite.com/2020/06/05/stormy-weather-by-paul-d-marks/ ). But I don’t think everything should be whitewashed (so to speak). So it is something I’ve dealt with a lot.Paul D. Markshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15466234708772287399noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4994072470312639837.post-45581064349842563102020-07-03T17:30:25.893-07:002020-07-03T17:30:25.893-07:00Hi Jacqueline. Thanks for your comment. Definitely...Hi Jacqueline. Thanks for your comment. Definitely, real people are complex and, therefore our characters should be too.Paul D. Markshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15466234708772287399noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4994072470312639837.post-34869788545043212812020-07-03T11:33:21.548-07:002020-07-03T11:33:21.548-07:00I'm with you, Paul. Characters don't need ...I'm with you, Paul. Characters don't need to be sympathetic. The main thing for me is that they're believable.Dietrich Kalteishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06403361738445161528noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4994072470312639837.post-66082498204621325752020-07-03T10:57:05.497-07:002020-07-03T10:57:05.497-07:00You mention Chandler's misogyny and say it wou...You mention Chandler's misogyny and say it wouldn't have raised eyebrows when it was originally published but would today. I agree generally. But what about authors today who mimic those old noir tropes, supposedly only to create verisimilitude? I'm uneasy about how easy it is to shrug off genuine biases by putting them in the mouths of vintage characters. Is that something you have dealt with? Good post and I definitely agree that nuanced characters be they heroes or villains are what keeps us engaged.Susan C Sheahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18225627756540127032noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4994072470312639837.post-40250127950101644382020-07-03T09:42:16.008-07:002020-07-03T09:42:16.008-07:00Hi Paul,
I agree that a flawed hero/heroine/prota...Hi Paul,<br /><br />I agree that a flawed hero/heroine/protagonist is more interesting because the character is more realistic. Perfection is dull. Real people are a complex mix of good and bad traits. So are characters readers will care about. Jacqueline Seewaldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09177500620940251009noreply@blogger.com