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On Reasons for 'Liking' a Character


Jon Mark Selmy

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Not just the never ending bitching about how unjust his life is.

I can totally see that opposite of Dany thing now. And its awesome to finally talk to someone who agrees Jon was quite the little bitch early on. I guess I haven't been able to recognize him growing as a character because hes just so colored with that for me still haha

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Why do I like certain characters? I dunno, I just do.

I really like Jaime quite a bit and I don't think I can give a good reason other than to say I feel comfortable in his skin. He's funny but he doesn't use his humor as a weapon the way his brother does and I really like that. He's got layers like an onion and I enjoy figuring it out.

Catelyn, well, I just adore her. I find myself empathizing with her and I like the way she thinks. She displays the most polittical savvy of the Starks that we see on page and passionately loves her children.

Jon had me from almost the first time I met him. It wasn't so much the direwolves but the way he talked to Bran. I've liked him ever since even though I thought he was rather emo in the first book. I've enjoyed every moment of watching him grow as a character.

Sandor is another onion to me, lots of layers, fascinating story and I like having to work to understand him since he isn't a POV character.

Sansa is my favorite character in the series. I think Martin is playing the long game with her and that she's going to surprise lots of people in the next couple of books. The difference between what she reveals to the world and her inner thoughts is amazing, speaks to an iron self-control that just about every other character in the series lacks. Martin has been putting out many themes on the nature of women within Westeros throughout every single female character in the series. Yet, she is the only one that has all of theme in her arc so I think GRRM is using her as a lens through which to examine much of it.

So, based upon the above, I sense no pattern whatsoever. I like them because I just do.

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You can't be serious. Yes, statistically there will be a percentage of individuals who find relating to a character is important compared with those who don't but neither is the "wrong" way. It's not black and white like theories that will eventually play out to which you can say "I was wrong about that", or "you were spot on".

You misunderstood me. I was answering another poster who said that either this was a very important factor to most people or it wasn't and therefore there must be a right answer, it's not subjective. Which it is to each individual person is subjective of course.

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Either most people find relating to a character a very important factor or most people don't. This can be determined statistically so there is a right answer. And I believe you are right even though I do not fit into the 'majority' on this.

I dont see any other way to interpret it. Can you explain what you mean?

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I like gravitate to certain characters because I can relate to them in some small way.

I'll start with BRAN. I'm not crippled, I'm not highborn, I'm not a warg but I know how felt when he realized he couldn't be a knight. My whole life I wanted to be a soldier but when I was a teen I got diagnosed with Type - 1 diabetes I couldn't and it hurt. I knew my dream was dead but had a hard time accepting it.

Now I'll move on to STANNIS. I'm not a king, I have no brothers and I'm not a brilliant commander but sometimes I feel like I can relate to the fact that he gets no respect. I feel like that too, is it irrational? Mayhaps, but I feel like I deserve more than I'm getting. I even grind my teeth but only in my sleep.

I have the same taste in expensive women as just like SER JORAH. Things never seem to end well.

I think the HOUND in a lot of ways is a sad, lonely, misunderstood guy. I can totally relate to that.

And DOLOROUS EDD Tollett. The dolorous part says it all.

And I'm a self professed coward like SAM TARLY.

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1. Sandor - I like warrior types, Sandor is a warrior

2. Tyrion - I like his story arc, we see lots of action from his PoV

3. Daenerys - I like dragons, her story line is ok, I have hope that it will be more intersting in the next two books.

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Jon - I'm a little introspective and try to be objective myself so I like how "emo" he is and how he always tries to do the right thing in the big picture scheme...plus I felt like he was a character I could attach to because he wasn't going to die until at least later on in the story. I'm also partial to the fighting action of things and Jon is above average (and may be very formidable in the future) and in the fray often.

Jaime - surprised me, but I empathize with his pride and self-loathing as well. More than that though I think he is hilarious and his story is a really interesting read. Redemption theme drew me in and I hope he becomes known as Full Hand (upgraded Halfhand...haha)

Bran - the mystical aspects of the story that I enjoy and can't really get enough of. I love the fantasy aspect and while he is a kid I still find his experiences and trials interesting.

Arya - She just feels like the little sister I never had...minus the killing and assassinating and maiming.

Davos - I just have respect for this guy. He is not a leader per say, but I like how he is a genuinely good person and while a follower, not a push over....plus he helps keep Stannis on the straight and narrow when he can...

Brienne - really similar to Davos but add in the female perspective. I like how she doesn't let herself become a victim to the perception of masculinity and just does her thing and does it well. Her actions speak for her...not her vagina (*cough* Cersei *cough*)

Stannis - Makes me conflicted...I empathize with him, but also think he can be a butt head once in a while. He is the rightful king which makes me root for him, but he is also taking short cuts through Mel and leading people on (he doesn't give a shit about AA stuff)...

Those are the ones that stick out to me...minor characters I like due to just plain awesomeness and mystical allure are the Blackfish, Mance, Val, Areo (JK!!), Dolorous Edd, Grenn, Donal Noye, Halfhand, Tormund - I obviously have a Northern-ish preference, haha...and many more...I could keep the list going on the minor characters for a while. I feel like some of the minor characters are easy to like though...you don't see much of them, they serve limited purpose and that almost defines how you think of their character.

Edit - HAVE to give a shout out to the Hound. I love the obvious internal conflict he has and how he can always surprise you. Plus he is a beast of a fighter and very different from other characters. Unique.

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My favorite characters are Jon, Arya, Sam, Stannis, Tyrion. When I look at them as a whole I see:

*Misfits

*Non-conformists

*Higher intelligence

*Better than normal observation skills- Bran says," Jon's eyes miss nothing" and my 5 are all like that.

*Lonely/sad childhoods

*Honorable ( Tyrion and Stannis have failed a couple times but they try to stand true )

*Honest

*Humble- no big ego's or braggarts

*Mocked a lot and they feel ashamed of themselves for being different ( Stannis feels no shame , just outrage and confusion)

*Unusually protective of others ( not Stannis though)

Then I love Tormund for his humor and his tenderness with his children

I love Manderly for remaining faithful to the Starks and acting on his beliefs

I love Davos for his unwavering love of the unlovable one

I love Meera and Brienne for their bravery and strong character

I love Theon because he's such a screw-up and someone has to love him

I loved Robert for his sad/glad/mad personailty

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I have no logical explanation for the characters I like/dislike. I love Daenerys, but I can see how so many people dislike her. But, that doesn't stop me from getting super offended when I people talk junk about her....I almost feel like she's one of my friends and I have to defend her.

That being said, I'm not a huge Bran and Jon fan, because when I read them, all I basically get out of it is "I'm Bran, I'm crippled, wahhhh" and "I'm Jon, I'm a bastard, nobody loves me, waahhh"

I know that Dany whines just as bad, if not worse than Bran and Jon, but her whining doesn't bug me like theirs does....

I also really like Cersei. I know she's a psycho, but she's such a brilliant psycho, that her psycho-ness doesn't bother me

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Because you see yourself, or a part of yourself, in that Character?

is it a good part or a bad part it doesn't really matter, but I think is definitely something that makes us like a character.

Yeah that's it for me. So I guess that goes under the interesting read category? In case you're wondering, my favorite characters are in no particular order: Jaime, Jon, Tyrion, Arya, Sansa, the Hound, Podrick Payne, Brienne, and Theon. So I guess that makes me a handless bastard serial rapist that stabs stable boys, rats out her father's plans to the queen, cuts children in half, throws rocks at bloody mummers, get's my face bit off by a syphylitic cannibal, and was gelded by a madman.

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I dont see any other way to interpret it. Can you explain what you mean?

Two people argued about whether, for MOST people, it was important to empathyze with a character to like them. I, particularly, don't really think this is an important factor FOR ME. But in my experience I believe that most people do.

There MUST be a correct answer for it (either most people need to identify with a character in order to like them or most people don't). Of course, whatever is the case (and I believe most people do need to identify) there's nothing 'wrong' about being on the camp that likes characters mostly for other reasons (like myself).

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My personal fave is Sansa, followed closely by Cat, Davos, and Edmure.

I tend to the 'interesting read priority' part of the spectrum. A character has to be both reasonably plausible/realistic as a person/undead person ( :drunk: ) and be thrust into an interesting situation, while being interesting in and of him/herself (and, to me, the best way of making a character interesting is by making her/him plausible and reasonably complex*; see Edmure, who at first glance is just a poor clueless plot device/fellow, but is actually quite smart, somewhat snarky, and unfortunately shallow; also sexy redhead :bowdown: ).

Character's personality would ideally be very marked and strong.

I can't say for sure wether I find it necessary for characters to be 'competent' in order for me to like them, or to be 'good'. That said, I usually gravitate more towards people not as crazy as Ramsay Snow or Gregor Clegane :drunk: . Still, all stories need a variety of characters, good and bad, competent and incompetent, and whatnot, and I can like antagonistic characters, like Roose Bolton.

Identifying with a character is a bonus, but not a top priority - for example, feeling some sort of similarities made me like Edmure and Sansa more. But I also find people like Davos and Catelyn extremely attractive as characters, even if they are nothing like me (strong personality, savvy, smarts and sexy redheadedness :bowdown: in Catelyn's case; moral code and unyielding loyalty, as well as an appretiation/longing for family life in Davos').

That being said:

What constitutes an 'interesting' read?

For me, it tends to be something in which the conflict is personal (and emotionally loaded, preferably not only with rage or thirst for revenge), and characters have to make choices that compromise their views and notions of what is right and wrong, and at a certain point are left just wanting out.

That's the reason I found Catelyn's arch so appealing: you could feel her getting gradually more depressed and exhausted, just wanting to be in Ned's arms again :crying:

And then she died :frown5:

That is a very compelling character (and character arch) type for me. Of course, not everyone can have such a story (some people have to live :drunk: ).

Sansa won me over with her goodness and stern attitude when facing life as hostage during ACoK and ASoS, not even once wishing death or suffering on her captors; and that was quite interesting considering that most people (myself included) would be a lot more resentful. So that is a rather particular example of character goodness translating into interesting read and a demonstration of a strong personality.

*Of course, competence can be appealing, and can spice up an already interesting character greatly; see Roose Bolton, who in addition to not being one-dimensional, is too cool to live, even if slightly... cold?

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This is tough for me since I also watch the show... I had only read the first two books before I saw the first season and after the show my opinion of certain characters changes.

Pre-show I was all about Jon and Dany and like everyone I assumed they would end up together. Also Littlerfinger didn't even show up on my radar and I assumed he would die right away.

After the show I could not stop picturing the actor on the show when reading Jon and I don't care for the actor very much and it kinda ruined it for me, same with Dany. BUT! The actor that plays Littlefinger is so awesome :pimp: that I started to take notice and now I think he is bad ass and my favorite.

Sadly I think I pick which characters I like based simply on if I would like to ether be them or sleep with them. :smileysex:

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- Purpose, what and why are they doing something is key. It drives the overall story.

- Humor & Witty dialog

- Unpredictability, reading is interesting when you're never quite sure what their next move will be or even if they are good or bad

- Courage, nothing like a character with some plums.

- Code. It can be good or bad but it let's us know what he or she is about.

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To me, it's always simply a question of how entertaining I find the character. That said, I can't identify a particular set of traits or characteristics that dictate on a sliding scale why I like a character or not. Quite often I will like characters for completely different reasons. And the only thing a character can do to ensure that I'm completely unappreciative of him or her in any way is if they are boring. That being the case, whether I tend to enjoy a character is never a question of morality and a character by no means must be 'good' to qualify as a favorite of mine. Even the truly horrible characters I can well like as villains.

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I choose and like characters that are most realistic hence my favorites tend to be people such as : Sansa (overall fav Ned a close second) followed with the rest of the Starks (Cat and Jon after Ned but Arya brings up the rear here) then in no real order: Tyrion Little Finger, Theon,Stannis, Cersei, Jamie, Sandor, Lord to fat to sit a horse Manderly, Meera Reed and Brienne, Sam and Dolorous Edd ( his 1 liners are great ).

Most Iron born bore me ( Damphair, Euron Victarion) Asha not included, but I don't rank her above because not much to read.

People of Dorne bore me also, but I want to read more about House Dayne there is something there, that makes me want them to mesh with House Stark.

I like reading about Lord Walder and the Boltons and hope they get what is due.

The rest are fill ( yes even Danny ), hopefully she get her ass amovin.

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Do you think that this might be because she is probably more like you (i.e., you identify yourself more with her) than the other two?

Are you calling me a whiner? Haha, jk

But yeah, I've often thought of if I were in her same situation, I'd probably make the exact same decisions that she does. I also identify with her, in that she tries to put on the strong, confident, take charge front, but ont he inside she is conflicted and not as confident as she presents herself.

My comments regarding Bran and Jon above were a little harsh. I do feel bad for them and their situations, but I guess they just don't connect with me the way Dany does.

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I am in the interesting read camp. I despise the Lannisters yet all of them are my favourite characters and really enjoy reading them.

The other thing i realized was that the three Lannister siblings get an awful lot of witty one-liners and wise-ass sarcastic remarks. Though that still doesnt stop the "Golden twins" from being foolish a lot of times.

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I can totally see that opposite of Dany thing now. And its awesome to finally talk to someone who agrees Jon was quite the little bitch early on. I guess I haven't been able to recognize him growing as a character because hes just so colored with that for me still haha

I don't say I'm fond of Jon now. He is just starting to grow into this Lord Commander, I'm So Cool, Rhaegar/Ned's Bastard role. He is starting to act like a man. And it was HIIIIIIIGH time. And it's all thanks to the Wildlings. Ygritte was annoying saying You know nothing, Jon Snow, but she had the right of it and in the end they managed to pour a thing or two into his stupid stubborn head. I really liked to see his character develop at last.

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