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Memorable Characters in Books
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If there have been any truly memorable characters in books you've read, characters you still remember because of the force of their characterization, please tell us about them in this topic.Why do you remember them? What were they like?
Joy H. (of Glens Falls) wrote: "As I was reading the following passage, it occurred to me that this might be a good topic, telling about memorable characters we've met in books.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~..."
Charles Bukowski wrote this great short story starring Henry "Hank" Chinaski and a man with three hands, it is my favorite Chinaski short story. In the story Bukowski writes how the gentleman is always doing three things at a time, and he ends the story naarated by Chinaski something like this "... and i stood at the door of the bar with a drink in one hand and a cigarette in the other" sort of emphasizing the fact that he has only two hands and thus can only do two things at at a time.
Moishy wrote: "Charles Bukowski wrote this great short story starring Henry "Hank" Chinaski and a man with three hands..."That was great, Moishy! Loved that ending! (lol)
Sometimes I wish I had three hands... or four.
Below is a link to Charles Bukowski's page: ====>
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/...
I have three favorite and very memorable literary characters.Gatsy, Amberson (Magnificent Amersons), and Phineas from A Separate Peace.
All three characters are complex. And while they are not neccessairly appealing, I found myself caring for them as each story progressed...
--John
Thanks, John. Below are cover-links to those books, forthose like me who are curious:
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A friend of mine, Jon, gave me a The Best of Robert E. Howard Volume 2: Grim Lands which I am currently reading. Robert E. Howard created many memorable characters. Steve Costigan, AKA Dennis Dorgan & Pike Bearfield, AKA Breckinridge Elkins, are two of his comedic characters. both are strong, loyal & tough beyond belief & dumber than rocks. Their stupidity, ignorance & good intentions constantly get them into scrapes that only dumb luck & brute force get them out of. Lots of fun!
Jim, that DOES sound like fun!I followed one of your links and found this tidbit:
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"He (Robert E. Howard) is well known for having created — in the pages of the legendary Depression-era pulp magazine Weird Tales — the character Conan the Cimmerian, a.k.a. Conan the Barbarian, a literary icon whose pop-culture imprint can only be compared to such icons as Tarzan of the Apes, Count Dracula, Sherlock Holmes, and James Bond."
-Wikipedia
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Th first character that came to mind when I saw this thread was Fuzzy from Cider House Rules.....I have others but that was my first thought!!
Becky wrote: "Th first character that came to mind when I saw this thread was Fuzzy from Cider House Rules.....I have others but that was my first thought!! "I can't quite remember "Fuzzy". What was his part in the book? At IMDb.com it says that Fuzzy was played by Erik Sullivan. But I don't recall him there either. ====>
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0838059/
I read the book and saw the movie. Perhaps you can refresh my ever-failing memory.
He was the sickly orphan in the plastic bubble-the breathing machine....I loved the book, thought the movie left a lot out but it wasn't a "bad" movie, especially if you didn't already read the book....
Becky wrote: "He was the sickly orphan in the plastic bubble-the breathing machine....I loved the book, thought the movie left a lot out but it wasn't a "bad" movie, especially if you didn't already read the boo..."Thanks, Becky, for explaining. Now I remember. That was very touching.
The book was so much more satisfying than the movie. IMO, in the book, one could more easily appreciate the dilemma of the characters involved. The book changed the way I looked at the issues in question. I'm still left the way the book left me... wondering how to solve an insoluble problem. I liked the fact that the book advocated no solutions... it simply pointed out the sorrows of the situation.
Below is a cover-link to the book: ====>
Breaca AKA Boudica in Boudica: Dreaming the Eagle,Dreaming the Bull,Boudica: Dreaming the Hound, Dreaming the Serpent Spear: Boudica 4by Manda ScottI especially enjoy strong female characters and this is a real woman from the pages of history who stood up and challenged the Roman Empire.
Manda Scott writes in such a way that inspires, illustrating the courage, passion and leadership this woman from 2,000 years ago possessed. The revolt is documented, as well as the events leading up to the revolt. Manda Scott weaves a life Boudica may have had. A blend of fiction and non-fiction actions and information, peppered with fictitious and historic figures. Quite interesting.
While reading these novels, I couldn't stop thinking of this woman who united warring clans into a military force to stand for what they believed in and to preserve their way of life.
I still think of her and the way Manda Scott made her real for me.
More in the way of strong female characters are Cassandra of The Firebrand and Morgaine of The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley. Both of these novels are classic male-dominated stories retold from a woman's perspective, changing the essence of the novels in many unique ways.
Aragorn/Strider in The Lord of the Rings.
This is a character I've loved from my first reading of LOTR. His qualities of strength, courage, integrity, compassion, and wisdom make him one of the most memorable characters I've ever had the pleasure of reading.
Paul/Maud'dib of the Dune series by Frank Herbert. Another character who embodies a wealth of admirable, and some not so admirable traits. When we meet Paul he is a boy of fifteen and we watch him become a man, a leader of his people, a warrior, a prophet. A comprehensive well-fleshed out character. A memorable character by all accounts.
Wow, Jackie. That's quite a convincing list. How do you manage to choose these books... aside from LOTR, which I do remember from when I read part of The Fellowship of the Ring. IIRC, I liked Strider and admired him. He projected safety and security, IIRC.
Dune is old, I read that many times since I was in my late teens. It just seemed like it would be interesting. at the time I first read it, I had no idea how many books would be written and that I'd be a Dune Fanatic.Mostly I choose subjects that interest me. I love all things Celtic so Manda Scott's books were a natural choice for me. I was already intrigued by this Warrior Queen, and I managed to find the perfect series for my liking. It was one of those books where I really felt like I was witnessing events firsthand. I was immersed in first century Britian.
Same thing for Marian Zimmer Bradley's books. I've always liked the Arthurian sagas, read so many of them, but Marian's were unique in it's telling. Firebrand is the story of the Trojan War seen through Cassandra's eyes. In other tellings, she's a minor character, sister to Hector and Paris.
I like sci fi and fantasy and there's so much to choose from. A totally under-rated genre, if you ask me.
Jackie wrote: "I like sci fi and fantasy and there's so much to choose from. A totally under-rated genre, if you ask me."The genre may be under-rated, but it's sure selling well.
Sounds like you enjoy historical novels, Jackie. I've always loved them.
I enjoyed reading _The Other Boleyn Girl_ by Philippa Gregory a few years ago, but her other book about that period lost its appeal because it was so much like the other. It became "same old, same old" after awhile. So I didn't finish it. However, I did enjoy being immersed in the world of Henry VIII for a while. Below is a cover-link:
Joy H. (of Glens Falls) wrote: The genre may be under-rated, but it's sure selling well."Maybe so, but what I mean is other people's reaction to it. When I say I like Sci-fi/fantasy, it's the look I get, or the smirk on person's face, as if sci-fi is less than other genres. It's the perception of people who have never read sci-fi that think it's an unworthy genre.
To give the genre credibility, I have to remind them of novels such as:
Brave New World
1984
Fahrenheit 451
A Sound of Thunder and Other Stories
Lord of the Flies
Animal Farm
What most people do not realize is Today's Science Fiction is Tomorrow's Science Fact.
PS:Joy,
I saw the movie The Other Boleyn Girl but didn't read the book. I like period films and books.
I liked the book The Other Boleyn Girl, the movie left me wanting more but it was at least colorful to see & the costumes were beautiful. I agree Joy, I read another book by the same other from the same era & it was anywhere nearly as good as Boleyn Girl....Jackie-I like period movies too.....
I hear ya, Jackie. I'm glad you listed those classics. They're a good reminder. Well said.Becky, it's nice to see that you agreed with me about the other book from the same era. Sometimes I think it's me. :) It's always comforting to be validated.
What a GREAT question! It really got me thinking about all the characters with whom I've had a relationship over the years. I tried to limit my response to just one, but there are actually 4 characters who kept vying against one another as "most memorable." In no particular order:1. Owen Meany from John Irving's "A Prayer for Owen Meany" (The pint-sized, screech-voiced, visionary hero of Irving's book is about as unforgettable as is the climactic ending of his story.)
2. Elphaba from Gregory Maguire's "Wicked" (Part Frank Baum, part Margaret Hamilton, and ALL Gregory Maguire, Elphie is the ultimate outsider who ultimately becomes a political pawn. She is a conflicting and conflicted anti-hero who you just can't help but love.)
3. The Baroness Elsa von Freytag-Loringhoven from Rene Steinke's "Holy Skirts" (The Baroness is a strange, flawed, possibly psychotic historical person who Rene Steinke brings her to vivid life in her historical/biographical novel "Holy Skirts." I didn't know anything about the dada poetess before reading "Holy Skirts" and could not wait to find out more about her upon completing it!)
4. Atticus Finch from Lee's indomitable masterpiece "To Kill a Mockingbird" (Atticus is a hero in every sense of the word. Through Atticus, I learned about justice, fairness, and kindness.)
I know what you mean Jeff, there's so many. And Atticus, I still think of him often. Excellent choice!I haven't read your other 3 choices. I did real Maguire's 'Mirror, Mirror' but wasn't that impressed, which is why I didn't read 'Wicked', though I have considered it.
Jeff - Glad you like this topic. I thought of it while reading _The Master_.About your post... there's Owen Meany again! LOL Guess I'll have to try reading that book again. I couldn't get into it years ago, even though I had enjoyed reading some of John Irving's other books. I've noticed that everyone raves about the Owen Meany book. So I'll have to go back and read it one of these days.
Thanks for reminding me of Atticus Finch. I read the book as a member of an in-person book group. Of course, it was great. I think that Gregory Peck was perfect for the part in the movie. I've always thought of him as a man of integrity. Wonder if the movie had anything to do with my opinion of him. (g) In any case, I've never heard one bad word about Gregory Peck.
i still remember the character "gail wyanand" from "the fountainhead"...the way the character was introduced and it was moulded in the book was amazing...a very powerful character...
Prachi wrote: "i still remember the character "gail wyanand" from "the fountainhead"...the way the character was introduced and it was moulded in the book was amazing...a very powerful character..."Hi Prachi. In the movie made from the book, _The Fountainhead_, the character of Gail Wynand was played by Raymond Massey. I think he was a good choice for that part. You can see the entire cast at: ====>
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0041386/
Below is a link to the NY Times review of the film. ====>
http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/revie...
It wasn't a complimentary review.
The character of Gail Wynand is described as "a power-mad newspaper publisher". The article says: "Raymond Massey plays the publisher in grim and sonorous style". That seems appropriate.
I read the book a long time ago and copied 10 pages of quotes from the book. So I must have been very impressed by it. I remember the movie better than I remember the book. I'm glad I saved the quotes.
Jeff wrote: "What a GREAT question! It really got me thinking about all the characters with whom I've had a relationship over the years. I tried to limit my response to just one, but there are actually 4 charac..."Jeff-I thought of Owen Meany right off but I posted Fuzzy from Cider House Rules!!
Kickaha from Philip Jose Farmer's World of Tiers series & Conrad from Roger Zelazny's This Immortal & Sam from Lord of Light are a lot of fun. Completely irreverent on the surface, but they have a deep caring for their people & aren't afraid to tilt at windmills.
Thanks for all the links, Jim.I see that _This Immortal_ won the Hugo Award for Best Novel (1966).
Also, _Lord of Light_ won the Hugo Award for Best Novel (1968)
I also checked and reminded myself that "the Hugo Awards are given every year for the best science fiction or fantasy works and achievements of the previous year. The award is named after Hugo Gernsback, the founder of the pioneering science fiction magazine 'Amazing Stories'."
Above quote from: ====>
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugo_Award
Zelazny's list of awards is impressive. I don't know if he has the most Hugo & Nebula awards of any author, but he sure got nominated a lot & won a lot against some of the best writers in the business.Hugo Best Short story nominee (1964) : A Rose for Ecclesiastes
Nebula Best Novella nominee (1966) : He Who Shapes
Nebula Best Novella winner (1966) : He Who Shapes
Hugo Best Short story nominee (1966) : The Doors of His Face, the Lamps of His Mouth
Nebula Best Novellette winner (1966) : The Doors of His Face, the Lamps of His Mouth
Nebula Best Short story nominee (1966) : Devil Car
Hugo Best Novel winner (1966) : This Immortal
Hugo Best Novellette nominee (1967) : This Moment of the Storm
Nebula Best Short story nominee (1967) : The Moment of the Storm
Hugo Best Novellette nominee (1967) : For a Breath I Tarry
Hugo Best Short story nominee (1967) : Comes Now the Power
Nebula Best Novellette nominee (1968) : The Mortal Mountain
Hugo Best Novella nominee (1968) : Damnation Alley
Nebula Best Novellette nominee (1968) : The Keys to December
Nebula Best Novel nominee (1968) : Lord of Light
Hugo Best Novel winner (1968) : Lord of Light
Nebula Best Novel nominee (1970) : Isle of the Dead
Mythopoeic Fantasy Award for Adult Literature Best Novel nominee (1971) : Nine Princes in Amber
Hugo Best Novel nominee (1972) : Jack of Shadows
Mythopoeic Fantasy Award for Adult Literature Best Novel nominee (1973) : The Guns of Avalon
Nebula Best Short story nominee (1975) : The Engine at Heartspring's Center
Hugo Best Novella winner (1976) : Home is the Hangman
Nebula Best Novella winner (1976) : Home is the Hangman
Hugo Best Novel nominee (1976) : Doorways in the Sand
Nebula Best Novel nominee (1976) : Doorways in the Sand
Hugo Best Novellette winner (1982) : Unicorn Variations
Hugo Best Novella winner (1986) : 24 Views of Mount Fuji, by Hokusai
Nebula Best Novella nominee (1986) : 24 Views of Mount Fuji, by Hokusai
Hugo Best Novellette winner (1987) : Permafrost
Nebula Best Novellette nominee (1987) : Permafrost
Nebula Best Novel nominee (1995) : A Night in the Lonesome October
A very impressive list, Jim.I checked out the description of the Nebula awards. Wiki says: "The Nebula Award is an award given each year by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA), for the best science fiction/fantasy fiction published in the United States during the two previous years."
I really should read Zelazny one of these days. His profile page says: "He won the Nebula award three times (out of 14 nominations) and the Hugo award six times (out of 14 nominations)."
I wish I were a faster reader.
P.S. Which Zelazny book would be the best to begin with?
I have just added _This Immortal_ to my to-read shelf. I see that it has an average rating of 4.1. Excellent! I've included it on my fantasy and my sci-fi shelves. Hope that's accurate.
I've also added _This Immortal_ to my to-read shelf. Thanks to the reccomendation. My to-read shelf list is getting longer.
Hi Susan. I notice that many folks have lots of books on their to-read shelves. I guess that's what the shelf is for... so we can keep track of books we come across that might appeal to us. It gives us the feeling that we have things under control... even when we don't. (lol)How can anyone keep up with all the books they'd like to read! It's so impossible. Anyway, the to-read shelf is a very useful place. It's like a storage room. In our homes, we never seem to have enough storage room, but at Goodreads, we can enjoy the fantasy of having all the storage space we need. :)
The To-Read shelf is like a giant Wish List for me.Many I already have on my shelves but it's a great way for me to keep track of all the books I still want to get. Prior to goodreads, I had slips of paper in my desk with titles and authors on it.
Oh, tell me about those slips of paper! LOL I'm always jotting something or other down. I do have a system, but it's not always feasible. So the to-read list helps. Yes, it's a Wish List... I wish I had time to read those books! (vbg)
I have a little book that my daughter bought for me & it is called Books To Check Out-A Journal. The cover looks like a the old check-out page in the back of a library book. I slip it in my purse when I know I am headed to Border's or B&N & if I see anything interesting, I put it in the book. There are also sections for favorite quotes or passages, a spot to list who you loaned books to & of course a list of what you have already read-I love it!!
Sounds like your little book will come in very handy, Becky.
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Books mentioned in this topic
This Immortal (other topics)This Immortal (other topics)
Lord of Light (other topics)
This Immortal (other topics)
Lord of Light (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Roger Zelazny (other topics)Roger Zelazny (other topics)
Philip José Farmer (other topics)
Marion Zimmer Bradley (other topics)
Manda Scott (other topics)
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"During the lectures, Henry paid as much attention as he could to the subject in question, but mainly he examined his fellow students, studying the types, weighing the expressions from the dull and vaguely handsome to the memorable and remarkable. He sought to let his eyes do the thinking for him, deciphering the faces, the smiles and scowls, the ways of walking and moving, and transforming them into characters and temperaments.
From p.276 of _The Master_ by Colm Toibin (large print)
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The book, _The Master_ is a fictionalized version of parts of Henry James' life. I'm learning that some of his characters were modeled on the different characteristics of real people in his life. Indeed, they seemed to be inspirations for his stories.