Paolini's "Eldest" SPOILERS

[Steve]

--- In HPFGU-OTChatter at yahoogroups.com, "dumbledore11214"
<dumbledore11214 at y...> wrote:
> 
> Steve:
> > As far as character development, I found all the primary 
> > characters> very well developed. ... I feel as if I know all these
> > characters, as if I know them very personally, ...
> 
> 
> 
> Alla:
> 
> ...edited...
> 
> Yes, so, back to Eldest. I don't find comparison  to LOTR characters 
> to be a true test of character as well developed. :-)
> Again, IMO.
> 
> Take Eragon for example. He is a good guy,who strives to be even 
> better guy , or Rider to win the war, right? He fells in love with 
> Aria.
> 
> What else do I know about him? I want to know more about his 
> struggles and doubts, I want to know what else he desires, I want to 
> see more of his pain when discovers that Morgan is his father, etc, 
> etc.
>
> ...edited...

bboyminn:

Interestingly, character development is not really about how much you
reveal about your characters, it's about how much the Reader THINKS
you revealed about them.

For example, if you read all the physical descriptions of Ron Weasley
in all the Potter books, you will discover that we really don't know
that much about how he looks. Yet, I have no doubt that every reader
has their own unique /sharp/ mental image of him. I know I have mine,
and he doesn't look like Rupert Grint. 

As a further example, we don't really find out that Draco has Blond
Hair until, believe it or not, Goblet of Fire. At least, I found no
prior references in my search.

JKR has a very compact style of writing. She says just enough to
stimulate your imagination to fill in the blanks. If you look at her
writing clinically, then she has poor character development, but if
you look into the minds of the readers and see the vivid images and
the sense of personality of those characters, we realize that the
characters are very well developed. 

That's why there are massively more Harry Potter Fan Fiction writers
than any other genre. Because so many of us have such a true to life
sense of Harry and the gang that we have no problem imagining them in
almost any, and frequenly very unlikely, situations. Harry Potter
Lives, and so does Ron, Herione, Draco, Neville, etc... etc... etc...
because the author stimulated our minds to give them life. THAT is the
mark of a good writer and storyteller.

To some extent, I get this same sense with Eragon, Murtagh, Orik,
Arya, etc..., regardless of how much the author actually said about
them, I see them crystal clear in my minds eye. They live, they
breath, they have character and personality. 

Regarding, Eragon's feelings about Morzan (not Morgan), I think they
are very clearly shown in the narrative. In fact, a great deal of the
narrative takes place in Eragon's mind. Of course, this book is not a
'single point of view' book the way Harry Potter is. Multiple points
of view can be difficult especially of an immature author. Yet, I feel
Paolini does an excellent job. 

Keep in mind that the end of the book is pretty much the end of the
battle, and everyone is wear with exhaustion, so I don't expect a lot
of deep thought from anyone. I expect we will get a great deal of
reflection on the 'Morzan' news in the next book which seem oh so far
away. 

For the record, despire her simple compact basic form of storytelling,
very few book characters are as alive has Harry and the gang. Though,
Ender and Bean (and their gang) come very close. I do see the
characters in Eragon/Eldest very clearly, but not with the same
insight as Harry Potter. Then again, few books I've read, are as vivid
as Eragon/Eldest, and none as vivid as Harry and friends.

So, my measure of character development is the extent to which the
characters live in my mind. 

Just a few thoughts.

Steve/bboyminn