I'm glad Cindy started this and I look forward to reading what everyone has to say. Often times in writing we express parts of ourselves that don't come out in daily chit-chat.
I wanted to start with explaining my choice of a favorite character. I am hoping that as each of you add to the favorites lists you too will share the why's behind your additions.
You all know I am a devoted Tolkien fan, and Samwise Gamgee is one of his creations. While I love old Bilbo and young Frodo, and of course can rarely not think of Legolas, my heart warms for Samwise. First, he was not the central character. He wasn't the hero, the one with the mission, he was the support staff. I prefer that role myself. Behind the scenes is always more productive than center stage, and who needs applause anyways?
Second, sidekicks have more of the qualities I admire than heros generally do. They are devoted, supportive, nurturing, care-giving, funny, less serious, always there, and teachable. One of my favorite side-kicks, or best friends, is Horatio, in Hamlet. I have always thought that his character has been much under-appreciated. He was devoted to Hamlet, despites Hamlet's many faults and poor choices, and gave him sound advice throughout the play. Though Hamlet brought his own destruction on himself, Horatio was there till the end, understanding the motives driving Hamlet, even though he disagreed. His grief at Hamlet's death is extremely moving to me and his declared dedication to tell Hamlet's story evidence of his devotion. I am more moved by that type of heroism that the flashier Hamlet type.
Third, Samwise was a shortish round fellow who loved to eat and to garden. He also loved a little pony named Bill. Need I say more?
Where to Find Me
8 years ago
Thanks for the explanation Mom. I especially love the third one. If I let the girls in on that explanation, they'll quickly become Samwise fans too.
ReplyDeleteI want to introduce you to one of my favorite characters: James Mackintosh Qwilleran. He is the hero of "The Cat Who..." Series. Though I may not be as eloquent as you English majors, I hope I am able to express myself sufficiently. Called "Qwill" by his friends, this tall dark gentleman is slightly older than most of us in this group. His most prominent feature is a luxurious mustache, though he'd prefer you kept your compliments to yourself. If you want to compliment him, let it be on his writing. He is a newspaperman and the specifics of his job vary a bit as he progresses through the series. Ultimately he becomes the Dan Bernstein of "The Moose County Something". His other favorite topic is his cats.
Now let me explain why I like him so much. Obviously he is an animal lover, but he had to learn that. Verbally, he is a man of few words. This tendency makes him the confidant of many, and well trusted for his discretion. He never offends. In fact I have chosen to adopt one of his mannerisms. When I see that a conversation will soon lead to an argument, I merely say "mm hmm". He is generous and becomes the Moose County philanthope.
He lives in the woods in a converted apple barn and has a screened gazebo just for his cats to go watch birds from.
I FINALLY got my grading done, so I can spend some time on our dear little blog today. It's probably fairly obvious, but I want to start out by explaining why I love Scarlett O'Hara.
ReplyDeleteScarlett O'Hara is the luckiest girl in the world. She is beautiful, with a tiny waist, flowing brown hair, green cat eyes, and a creamy complexion. She has all of the most beautiful dresses a girl could ever ask for and lives in a house any working class schmoe would lust over. And all of the men want her. Those are the obvious reasons I like Scarlett -- I want to be her!
But what I really like about Scarlett is that she gets what she wants. My theme song in life is the Rolling Stones' song "You Can't Always Get What You Want." If you're not familiar with it, they basically just sing that line over and over again. I know that song applies to me because I WANT so much, and I just can't get it all. But Scarlett finds a way to get it all. You may not like the way she gets it, but you have to give her credit for getting it. I sometimes think the difference between me and Scarlett is that I don't have the courage to go after "it." I know it's really that I care too much for other people to be so self-obsessed, but in some moments I think I just want to hold that clot of red Tara dirt up to the sky and say, "I'll never go hungry again!"
As a foil to Miss Scarlett, I offer up Carol Kennicott, the protagonist (I won't call her the heroine) of Sinclair Lewis' Main Street, published in 1920. As a young lady, Carol goes to college and then settles in Chicago where she works at a library. She loves literature and the arts and considers herself very cultured. Along comes Will Kennicott, a doctor in a small town called Gopher Prairie, who woos and weds her without ever taking her to preview his town. At first she is enchanted with the quaintness of it all, but ultimately she is entirely dissatisifed with the deep-seated small-townness of every peron she meets. She tries to overhaul the town by recommending that the grocer put up a new window display and that several merchants reface their buildings. She tries to introduce culture by starting a theater group and having dress up parties at her home, but she winds up alienating her fellow citizens, who are perfectly happy the way they are, thank you very much. Her biggest battle, though, is with her husband, who is too backwards, colloquial, and small-minded for her tastes. One of my favorite scenes in literature takes place between Carol and Will Kennicott as they are preparing for bed one night. They have an extended domestic squabble which covers her extravagant spending and his penny-pinching ways, as well her attack on the low-brow tastes of the town and his defense of their hominess and dependability. Finally they have this interchange:
ReplyDelete[Will]: "Now we won't go into that--eugenics or whatever damn fad you choose to call it. As I say, first you shock him [Will's friend], and then you become so darn flighty that nobody can follow you. Either you want to dance, or you bang the piano, or else you get moody as the devil and don't want to talk or anything else. If you must be temperamental, why can't you be that way by yourself?"
[Carol]: "My dear man, there's nothing I'd like better than to be by myself occasionally! To have a room of my own! I suppose you expect me to sit here and dream delicately and satisfy my 'temperamentality' while you wander in from the bathroom with lather all over your face, and shout, 'Seen my brown pants?'"
I just can't think of anything else I've read that better captures the distance between two people. I think this scene is so realistic and hilarious that I really laugh every time I read it. Why can't I write stuff like that?
Anyway, I won't tell you what happens with Carol and Will in case you decide to read the book (I highly recommend it). I just want to say that I don't "love" Carol, I just get her, because I think she is me. I read how dissatisifed she is with everything, and I see myself and my regrettable refusal to be happy. I wish that recognizing Carol's weakness would motivate me to change how I am, but somehow this is just something rooted deeply within me and something I guess I'll always be dealing with. I will always be seeking perfection in an imperfect world with an imperfect body and an imperfect mind. Too bad for Cindy.
All right, you've got me hooked. I'll look for that one in the library. I love the exchange you quoted. Quite believable if you ask me.
ReplyDeleteHere's some pity for Cindy. Pity pity pity.
:)
I have loved meeting all of your favorites! I'll have to think of mine. The first one that popped into my head was Ron Weasley (I'm so jealous of Hermione), but I should probably delve a little deeper.
ReplyDeleteShelley, that's funny because I've really restrained myself by not putting Hermione up here. Now there is a character I really sympathize with. In high school I wasn't a Hermione. Wasn't too diligent with the homework, tried to never answer in class if I could help it. But in college I certainly have become one. My teachers learn my name early on because I always participate. In Spanish my teacher always resorts to me when several students aren't getting what she asks.
ReplyDeleteI always felt she was a beautiful person even though Rowling's descriptions of her lean toward the not so beautiful. She is loyal and courageous.
See what you started! Oh well, You obviously know who much I like Hermione Granger.
Cindy, don't feel bad for wanting the sky, it's a motivator. Robert Browning said,
ReplyDeleteAh, but a man's reach should exceed his grasp,
Or what's a heaven for?