Intensely Moral Characters

[Ernie]

What happened to the Paladin?

Growing up I used to love Superman. He was a sort of role model for me. It wasn't his powers, which were cool, but his impeccable moral character. He always did the right thing, chose the right path. Superman was Good.

I transitioned into mostly fantasy and science fiction reading classic fantasy like Tolkien and C.S. Lewis. The morality of characters in those books were well defined. The good guys were good guys, the bad guys were bad guys. Sure, the characters had personal conflict to overcome, but I had no doubt that Strider would step up and become Aragorn, Elessar Telcontar, the Returned King of Gondor.

Superman has become simply Clark Kent of Smallville on the WB. Paladins have gone from paragons of virtue to men barely holding back the overwhelming depravity raging in their souls, attempting vainly to purge the evil by acts of good in a loosing battle with self.

I've even noticed this trend in our culture in general through other t.v. shows (non-science fiction/fantasy). Whether reality t.v. or drama or you name anything beyond little kids shows, I can't think of a character who through whatever conflict they are forced to encounter comes out chosing right every time.

Is writing an intensely good character a waste of time? Are there no readers (other than myself) who want there to be, at least on occasion, a character who is Good? None who I can rely on to be that rock of morality that all other characters desire to be, despise, envy, or depend on because they are unwavering?

I miss Superman.

[Elizabeth]

One of the best posts I have seen on Goodreads. I, too, miss the 'good guys'.

I do try to write 'good' characters - I firmly believe in good conquering evil but I have on occasion been accused of making these characters 'too good to be true'. These characters are not 'goody, goody', but they do make the right moral judgements. Just as there are 'good' people in real life, so should there be in literature, otherwise where is the example to readers - especially young ones?

Harry Potter is a 'good' character, and we all know how popular he is with readers of all ages,especially young ones.

[Andrew]

The really intersting characters are the ones who struggle with real issues, but overcome them. For example the decent man who resists an affair to fulfill his destiny, the woman who turns down the lucrative job to do teh less well paid charity role. Also, intriguingly, bad guys are much more interesting they have a streak of good to them. Bad guys should be civil, soem can strive for wisdom, some can even show compassion amid the carnage they cause.
The really moral character is one with weaknesses who never-the-less triumphs over evil.

[Elizabeth]

The bad guys are interesting, sure enough, but it's the guys who overcome temptation and stick to their principles who make the difference in real life.

[Harold]

Recall the fictional characters of great principle that you have admired over the many years of your reading. These characters spring immediately to my mind:

Atticus Finch -- To Kill a Mockingbird
Ross Poldark -- Winston Graham's Foldark series of novels
Tom Joad -- The Grapes of Wrath
Dick Summers -- The Big Sky, The Way West, and Fair land, Fair Land

The decent, principled,"good" character is essential to any narration that professes to be a reflection of reality. We need these people in our fiction as much as we need them in real life.