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Give the reader something to connect to early on, and the protagonist doesn't even need to redeem themselves. (No reason why they shouldn't, it's just that it isn't necessary for not alienating the...
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#4: Attribution notice removed
by
System
·
2019-12-12T21:57:19Z (about 5 years ago)
Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/34266 License name: CC BY-SA 3.0 License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
#3: Attribution notice added
by
System
·
2019-12-08T08:18:05Z (about 5 years ago)
Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/34266 License name: CC BY-SA 3.0 License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
#2: Initial revision
Give the reader something to connect to early on, and the protagonist doesn't even need to redeem themselves. (No reason why they shouldn't, it's just that it isn't necessary for not alienating the reader. My favourite example is Humbert Humbert from "Lolita". The man is a paedophile. He's despicable. Yet he's so intelligent, so sharp, so engaging, you keep reading. Another example: Satan in "Paradise Lost". His pride, his independence, his leadership, even his language, evoke not only empathy, but admiration. "_The mind is its own place, and in itself / Can make a heav'n of hell, a hell of heav'n._" or "_Better to reign in Hell, than serve in Heaven_" - it's beautiful, and easy to identify with. Nonetheless, I find your description troubling. > a very shitty person that makes bad decisions for the wrong reasons If your character is petty, cruel, stupid, and doesn't have any desire to change, what engaging quality does he have that I can connect to? He might have one, but if so, you haven't mentioned it. You've got to give a reader _something_.
#1: Imported from external source
by
System
·
2018-03-13T22:41:15Z (almost 7 years ago)
Original score: 5