My favorite type of fictional character is someone who isn’t perfect. There’s nothing more boring than watching or reading a movie or book where the main character makes no mistakes. Even if the main character is a character whose only flaw is that he never makes mistakes or is a perfectionist and never gets into trouble. I feel like a job interviewer hearing the most basic answer ever to the question “What is your greatest weakness?”
The truth is, people are more complex than that, and when we recognize that and choose to address real issues, stories have more depth.
With the popular release of “One Day” on Netflix, many people Social media Disagree with fans about the relationship of the main characters. After meeting at their college graduation, Dexter was not ready to settle down and, despite their mutual feelings, developed a close platonic friendship with Emma over the years. He suffered from addiction after his mother died and went through a period of not treating his friends and family well. A common criticism of the show is that Dexter isn’t right for Emma once they start dating, and that their relationship isn’t something viewers should support.
While it’s understandable to be annoyed by Dexter’s actions, an important part of the drama is meant to focus on real people’s struggles. It’s hard to watch someone make a bad decision at the lowest point in their life, but it’s so important to portray these stories because they are part of the reality of life.
By ignoring Dexter, many are ignoring the complexity of his character and conflicts. Dealing with grief or substance abuse does not excuse someone’s behavior, but it does provide a real explanation for the destructive behavior he exhibits. We observe his 20 years of his life, and his character arc is an important part of the story. I sympathized with Dexter’s journey despite his flaws, watched him grow into a more caring adult, and loved who he became in the end.
The public’s inability to forgive fictional characters is a worrying aspect of today’s media consumption, and it seems to reflect the ideas we have about the mistakes people make in real life. To judge a person to be irredeemable, no matter what growth may be shown after the fact, is very narrow-minded and does not accurately represent the human experience.
Similarly, people who identify with these types of characters often receive a lot of criticism. Connell from “Normal People” is a very divisive character. online discourse About whether it’s okay to identify with him. Struggling to communicate is his worst sin. Normal people make mistakes, so the point of creating characters that aren’t perfect is to help people empathize with and understand them more deeply. Inability to communicate well is a serious flaw that many people have.
An interesting example of this is the show “Euphoria.”Despite all the characters in the series being morally gray, the public massive hate train The story about the girl dating her friend’s ex-boyfriend is out of proportion to the other characters. I’m not justifying Cassie’s actions, but I’m not saying that other people on “Euphoria” are selling drugs, emotionally abusing people, brandishing guns, and falsely accusing people of sexual assault. I have to point out that. Kathy’s history provides an explanation for her actions, but social media often doesn’t care about nuance.
Our discomfort with seeing flawed characters in the media may stem from insecurities within ourselves or unresolved anger towards others for being flawed. It is difficult to shake off our attachment to moral purity and actively practice forgiveness. So when people know a character’s flaws, it can cause unpleasant emotions that are not fun to deal with.
Empathy for others is important, and just because these characters are fictional doesn’t mean they don’t represent something bigger. When you watch a movie or read a book, dig deeper than “good” or “bad” when deciding whether you like a character, and practice the same with real-life individuals. please.
Delaney Rauscher-Adams is Kathy Howard’s defender. Contact her: [email protected].