Who do you think is the most realistically good character in any piece of fiction? That means Superman can't count, because he's too good and infallibly righteous for the average human being.
Most realistically good character in fiction
- Thread starter Relish in Chaos
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I'd have to say Prince Myshkin form Dostoevsky's The Idiot.
Still, I gotta say that the question makes it hard to answer -- how are we supposed to know what level of goodness that you consider unrealistic?
Still, I gotta say that the question makes it hard to answer -- how are we supposed to know what level of goodness that you consider unrealistic?
Shrek? Granted a 10 foot tall ogre isnt exactly realistic but as far as good goes hes pretty much where you expect a character to be. He is generally a decent guy but he just wants his own space. Plus he's the anti-fairytale which is generally more relatable than similar stories
Well, as I mentioned, people like Superman or Vash the Stampede. In the latter case, the guy's a borderline pacifist, and will literally wrestle someone down for trying to kill a man that raped and murdered their daughter. Most people aren't like that; they believe that certain people are meant to die and wouldn't go so out of their way to stop other people committing violence. It's like charging into a war zone and disabling both sides' grenades, or trying to change Osama Bin Laden's mind on Jihad. It's borderline stupid; almost too pure to be good, naively optimistic to a fault that everyone can just hold hands skipping in a field without anyone having to get hurt.Queen Michael said:
(Just realised I used the word "borderline" twice in a same paragraph. LOL)
When I talk about people who are realistically good, I mean guys like Bill Gates and any number of social activists that set up children's charities and stuff.
That's a tough one to answer given that it's such a subjective question. My first thought is Tanis from the DragonLance series. He is very much a "good-guy" but he's far from perfect. He has many things tugging him in different directions and he makes some rather stupid and impetuous decisions, but he comes out as both good and believable in the end.
Uhmm you said most people aren't like that, and I agree but you don't often write stories about most people that would be boring your write stories about unique and interesting people. You basically seem to be saying its unrealistic to be hold ones self to a standard the majority disagree which would be crazy as the world has tons of disagreement that it would not if that where true. Over all in general people come up with crazy motivations to do anything and do crazy stuff. They do it for love, for power, for god, for since, and so on and so forth, people motivations are not logical as motivation does not come after logic it comes before it. Someone being motivated to do something stupid because they think its right is not unbelievable at all.Relish in Chaos said:
Well this one is gonna be easy.
Ch-Ch-CHIE SATONAKA enters the ring!
If you take away all the supernatural elements of Persona 4, all the characters are pretty much usual human beings and Chie is one of them. Even by now I still cannot really pinpoint why Chie appealed to me so much. Maybe it's because she manages to be the most standout and colorful character of her VERY UNUSUAL group despite the fact that she is an incredibly average girl. I mean seriously, when compared to the rest of her group Chie is very very average. She's not super famous, not super smart and not the prettiest girl in the cast. And yet everything about her is simply radiating. She's strong, honest, a little bit childish, incredibly optimistic and she is always the one person who manages to lift the spirits of her friends. Her design alone tells you everything you need to know about her. It's bright, practical, simple and sporty. It's also worth noting that Erin Fitzgerald did an amazing job voicing her. Her voice is loud, energetic and almost obnoxious, just like Chie herself.
<img src=http://img4.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20120401023954/megamitensei/images/e/eb/Chie_Satonaka_render.png>
Ch-Ch-CHIE SATONAKA enters the ring!
If you take away all the supernatural elements of Persona 4, all the characters are pretty much usual human beings and Chie is one of them. Even by now I still cannot really pinpoint why Chie appealed to me so much. Maybe it's because she manages to be the most standout and colorful character of her VERY UNUSUAL group despite the fact that she is an incredibly average girl. I mean seriously, when compared to the rest of her group Chie is very very average. She's not super famous, not super smart and not the prettiest girl in the cast. And yet everything about her is simply radiating. She's strong, honest, a little bit childish, incredibly optimistic and she is always the one person who manages to lift the spirits of her friends. Her design alone tells you everything you need to know about her. It's bright, practical, simple and sporty. It's also worth noting that Erin Fitzgerald did an amazing job voicing her. Her voice is loud, energetic and almost obnoxious, just like Chie herself.
<img src=http://img4.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20120401023954/megamitensei/images/e/eb/Chie_Satonaka_render.png>
On a similar note, Alexei Fyodorovich Karamazov from The Brothers Karamazov, also by Dostoyevsky, is another realistically good character. He tries to be the paragon everyone wants him to be, but at the same time their actions make him question his faith that is required to become that paragon.Queen Michael said:
One other character that comes to mind is perhaps Shepard Book from Firefly, another pious character who is the moral compass of the ensemble amidst all of the shit that they go through. However, he's no saint, and is still willing to protect those he loves and such.
Lastly, since it's within eyesight and it's a good example of a realistic good character, Ender Wiggin. Ender is definitely not without flaws, but like the other two on the list, he comes off as basically a saint (which the speakers for the dead are, more or less) throughout the books. He even redeemed himself in the second book for his morally questionable actions in the first book!
Chie is the quintessential girl next door, which is why she's probably the most popular character in her game (which is saying something). Her flaws and raw honesty just make her more relatable to the average human being.IllumInaTIma said:
OT: It depends on what you mean by good. Do you mean moral? Do you mean realistice , well developed, or interesting? And if you mean kind, then what level of kindness is too kind? I guess I'd vote for Atticus Finch, since he's fighting a battle he can't win, and chooses to fight it anyway, because he feels it's a fight that needs to happen.
I take exception to that.Relish in Chaos said:
What makes superman good is that he's kind, doesn't hold grudges, and helps people when he can (which being super man is pretty much always). Excuse me for sounding like some idealistic bible verse but... that's not impossible. That's not even immensely difficult.
Unless by average human being you mean the actual average of people's behavior rather than just picking any person off the street, then yes.
For the record, yes, I'm talking about morality here (which, of course, is subjective...but then, what isn't?). And...I suppose Superman in recent years can count, now that I've read some other people's posts.
I disagree. I don't think Superman is too good or "infallibly" righteous at all. He goes out of his way to help people and he refuses to kill, that's not an unrealistic persona, a lot of people are like that.Relish in Chaos said:
I could point at multiple Miyazaki characters, though I'd probably say Ashitaka more than anyone else. Given the chance to stop Lady Eboshi's guard, all he does is bends the guard's blade so he can't attack, and then continues on his way to pick up San, and stop the fight.
In all of literature, though? I'd throw Sir Samuel Vimes at 'most good' since he's not exactly pure, hell, not even close, he does what needs to be done to save the most people, he's basically True Neutral...
In all of literature, though? I'd throw Sir Samuel Vimes at 'most good' since he's not exactly pure, hell, not even close, he does what needs to be done to save the most people, he's basically True Neutral...
I'm going to go with Harry Potter. He's a good guy. Sure he has a time where he gets angry at everything and everyone, but considering all that he had been through it was understandable. Plus he was a teenager! He's not a bad person at all really, he would do anything for his friends, he fights to help everyone that he can possibly help. Plus, he never lets the fame goes to his head really, all he wants is to be left alone. I know that wizards and whatnot aren't exactly realistic, but the characters are really.
I'm gonna have to second this, Jane Austen's characters are pretty damn great and pretty realistically good. I'm addicted to Pride & Prejudice at the moment, I'm re-reading it, I keep telling myself to read it slowly and enjoy it but I find it hard to put down. The characters are great, and the way they interact is incredibly well written.Res Plus said:
I would say the main character from the Giver. All the Givers before him knew that the society was flawed, but stayed with no intention of making it better. The MC (Can't remember his name) is so righteous in his conviction that the society is not a utopia that he steals a damn baby (a twin that was going to be euthanized because he was the smaller of the two babies) and runs, with the book ending as he approaches a cabin outside of the utopian village.
