The Casual Vacancy question

I definitely noticed that Barry was the one who seemed the most heroic. I found myself wishing along with everyone else that he had not died. As for those alive throughout the book, I don't really think there is a hero. It seems to me that this book emulates life. There is good and bad in everyone. We all probably have at least one character from the story that we identify with in some way, and there doesn't really have to be a definitive hero.

Sukhvinder Jawanda, she is the only character we see who makes a marked effort and is the only one you really have any hope for in the end. Her rebellious cyber attack on her mother is a modern version of how many of us have talked bad about our parents growing up and is forgivable.

kristal struck me as the character with the most to loose or gain. i was certainly most concerned with her plot line.

the actions of all the characters impact kristal the most - in fact is there any character who's actions do not have an impact on kristal?

Tess is another character that ends on a hopeful note. She finally manages to start to bring her family together, something she struggled with selflessly through the whole novel. She's also the only character to successfully bridge the gap between the adults and children in the book.

Pagford is the main character! but Hero.. that title can only be given to Sukvinder...

I don't think there should necessarily be a hero or heroine in this book. if there's someone who comes close to be a hero, I think it is Barry Fairbrother.

J.K. said the Hero was Barry- who died in the first three pages. The heroine is Krystal Weedon- according to Rowling anyway. I do have to say that I agree with her though.

To me it was Andrew.

He grew throughout the story from a pimply lust stricken abused teenager to a more mature person, more learned through life's experiences. He even reconciled (somewhat) with his abusive father, and let go of his immature self-centered friend. He gave up on his fantasy and accepted friendship from Gaia.

Barry sounds right to me :) If i could know any of those characters in real life it would be him. He was involved in everyone' s life in some way and related to both Fields and Pagford. Krystal was an example of how he looked into another' s soul. He was her hero. He was someone many looked up to or measured themselves against. He could also be an anti hero to other characters including Howard, Shirley, and Gavin and others who try to benefit from his death and destroy his legacy.

I'd say Krystal was a tragic hero in the classic sense in that situation and circumstance conspire to stop her from fulfilling her true potential. I also think that the scene told in flashback in which she alerts the primary school teachers to Andrew's peanut allergy attack is the most poignant in the book and its juxtaposition with the scenes that take place before and after serves to underline Krystal's role in the novel.

I don't think that the Casual Vacancy has one central character. I agree with Jeanette, it emulates life. Every character with its flaws has equal attention in the story... But if I had to pick a hero it would probably be the ghost of Barry Fairbrother!