tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post6092625148196243694..comments2024-03-27T10:02:56.747-04:00Comments on Fiction University: What Makes Your Protagonist Heroic? Janice Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-79183901472036698592016-08-19T18:52:25.103-04:002016-08-19T18:52:25.103-04:00I love the Marvel movies, and `Winter Soldier'...I love the Marvel movies, and `Winter Soldier' and `Civil War' top the list because Captain America is trying so desperately to do the right thing. (And I love how much Tony Stark is also trying to do right in `Civil War' I felt so bad for him. He was still a hero, just one who happened to be on the opposite side.)<br />Chicoryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16504144663440678542noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-7384413200032009112016-08-19T07:34:05.571-04:002016-08-19T07:34:05.571-04:00Cool :) It's creepy, but powerful.
I like th...Cool :) It's creepy, but powerful. <br /><br />I like that, especially if her learning what's really right and wrong is part of her character arc. Perhaps if you show why she thinks she "should" do what she's told, then readers will see she's trying to do what's right, but is being misled on some way.<br /><br />I think this is probably common (in a general sense) of a lot of genre fiction, as protagonists are participating in worlds with skewed morals or ethics, and learning the do the right thing is part of the story. So if your story fits that concept, I suspect readers will stick with you to see how she changes. Janice Hardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-73447979187728178852016-08-16T09:04:26.955-04:002016-08-16T09:04:26.955-04:00Perfect timing here...and Mama is now on my list o...Perfect timing here...and Mama is now on my list of movies to see. <br /><br />My protagonist has a slightly different angle...she knows what is right, or what she thinks is right, but she's being told "should" instead. And when she follows "should," disastrous things happen. I just hope she's sympathetic enough, and can see the bigger picture things, even if they're not as clear in the beginning.Karen McCoyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02640324898284007337noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-79208521806803228372016-08-16T07:57:37.083-04:002016-08-16T07:57:37.083-04:00I just love that movie. There's so much a writ...I just love that movie. There's so much a writer can learn from it.<br /><br />That line is the best, isn't it? How far do you push and still be a good guy?Janice Hardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-45167335811038741642016-08-16T07:56:20.267-04:002016-08-16T07:56:20.267-04:00Indeed and well said :) A hero is only as worthy a...Indeed and well said :) A hero is only as worthy as the foe she faces. That must be why I love the villains so much -grin- Janice Hardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-78879671689026781982016-08-15T11:50:40.751-04:002016-08-15T11:50:40.751-04:00I love that you brought Mama up again. After your ...I love that you brought Mama up again. After your original post on it, badgered my family into watching it--much harder to do than getting them to watch my usual super hero fare, and I loved it. You are so right about it! <br /><br />In my series, pretty much everyone is trying to do something good, or heroic, but some are willing to do some pretty terrible things to accomplish them. <br /><br />Nicole Montgomeryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05965868885700569766noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-19437614337823999772016-08-15T08:36:03.795-04:002016-08-15T08:36:03.795-04:00My author tagline is "Stories to show that mo...My author tagline is "Stories to show that monsters can be beaten," so I guess it goes without saying that I love to write heroes. <br /><br />I think another point worth considering is that it's not just the hero's motives and goals that make them heroic, but also the challenge. This is what bugged me about the original Authority comic. In one issue, the team are up against the dictatorial government of an alternate Earth. One of the characters decides that the "simplest" way to put a stop to them is to hold Italy (where they're based) completely still, and let the rotation of the Earth destroy the country.<br /><br />When a character can solve their problems like that, why root for them? Nothing is ever going to be a believable threat. Weak characters can have more freedom to act, but the smaller the gap between the power of the hero and the power of the villain, the more restrictions need to be placed on how readily the hero can take action against them.Paul Anthony Shortthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14393249001158230985noreply@blogger.com