Characters vs. People (was: Draco vs. Ron)

[marinafrants <rusalka@ix.netcom.com>]

No: HPFGUIDX 52690

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "gwendolyngrace 
<gwendolyngrace at y...>" <gwendolyngrace at y...> wrote:
> >  But if you were talking about 
> > evaluating Draco and Ron as *characters* -- that is, as 
artificial 
> > literary constructs fulfilling a narrative function -- then I 
> really 
> > don't understand why it should be considered unfair to like one 
but 
> > not the other.  Their narrative functions are completely 
different, 
> > and they fulfill them in different ways.
> > 
> 
> Well, the problem is you don't seem to understand what I mean by 
> people vs. characters.

No, I think the real problem is that we're using different 
definitions of the word "like."

> 
> I think this is starting to veer off-topic, so maybe if the thread 
> doesn't die after this, it should move to OT.

I don't subscribe to OT, so I'll try to cram some canon in here.

> To me, evaluating a character as a person is the sort of thing Amy 
Z 
> was doing: would I like this character if he were real? Would I 
> invite him to dinner? That's valid - but it only gets you so far. 
It 
> tells you what kinds of people you like. It doesn't really tell 
you 
> anything about what makes a good character.

No, it doesn't.  But a good character isn't necessarily a character 
I liked.  To go outside of canon for a moment -- take Iago.  Iago is 
a *great* character.  Great to read, great to discuss, great to play 
if you're an actor.  But I've never heard anyone say, "Gosh, I 
really like Iago!"  People loathe him.  His total believability as a 
loathsome person is what makes him such a great character.

Getting back to canon -- Snape, Pettigrew and Tom Riddle are all 
very good characters whom I don't like.  Hell, Snape is my favorite 
character in the books, and I still don't like the nasty git.  Draco 
is decently-written character whom I don't like.  I don't find him 
particularly complex or mysterious, but he gets some entertaining 
scenes, and he's certainly a convincing portrayal of a malicious 
twit.  On the other end of the spectrum, there are characters like, 
say, Cho Chang.  I think she's a very nice person.  I'd have no 
hesitation about inviting her to dinner: she'd be well-mannered and 
pleasant to talk to, and I think she could be counted on not to 
steal the silverware or hog all the dessert.  But as a character, 
she doesn't do much for me.

And then there are characters like Hermione and Ron and Sirius and 
Remus who have the twin advantages of being well-written characters 
whom I like as people.  Thank you, JKR.

Marina
rusalka at ix.netcom.com