Most realistically good character in fiction

[Blade1130]

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.

Is Chie considered the most popular? Have there been polls on that? (don't answer that.) I would argue she wasn't near as good as you seem to think. Don't forget that her big secret was that she was abusing Yukiko and acting as a gatekeeper to the most attractive girl at the school just to make herself feel a little more wanted and needed. Kind of a ***** move if you ask me. Her shadow boss version of herself is literally carried on the backs of other girls! (Also kind of looks like a KKK member who washed her sheets with some yellow, probably not related...)

Spoiler: Shadow Chie

[/spoiler]

The most realistically good character... Well since you brought up Persona... Teddy comes to mind, but he's a little too nice to be "realistic" by the OP's definition (also gets a bit perverted later on, I don't buy that he's that innocent to not realize it).

I'd have to go with Rise Kujikawa then. Her big secret is feeling like she's lying to people simply by being an idol and turns it down to go back to a small town and work at her family shop. That's the definition of honesty right there. Always sincere, modest, and caring for others when her idol status would work against that in every way. She's still very human though, insecure about herself and worried about how others see her, but not in a dishonest way. I'd want her as a friend, she could put a smile on anyone's face just by talking to you.

[spoiler="Rise Kujikawa"][img src="http://cdn.myanimelist.net/images/characters/15/39770.jpg"][/spoiler]

Also, honorable mention to Rhyme from The World Ends with You. She's a little too unrealistically innocent for her age though if you ask me.

 

[Vault101]

EDIT: oh I totally mis-interpereted your question....I thourght you meant "good" as in a compelling charachter..not morally good

still keeping my respinse though because OITNB is awsome and the charachters are both flawed yet likable


pretty much all the major charachters in Orange is the new black, theres something to like in all of them...even Dogget who is psycho/evil is funny because she's so pathetic

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?

Charlie from Tim Burtons Chocolate Factory?

as Nostalga Critic poitned out...the kid was like Jesus in his wisdom and patience...Charlie from thr older movie actually acted like a kid

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.

I'm going through a classics period right now but I havn't had the desire to read P&P because aside from being the framwork for a whole lot of dumb Chick Flicks I know the general plot outline

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).

might wanna spoiler that..

is the book any good? books that are that well known and that I (now) kinda know the ending too I don't often fell the inclination to read ...plus I'm not a fan of the YA genre...

speaking of books

Anatole from The Poison Wood Bible (great book) about a Preacher who takes his family to the congo. I havent finished the book (so this might change) but so far...

this guy lives in a village in the congo acting as a teacher the best he can, he acts as a kind of mediator between the preacher and the village....the Peacher is an absolute irrdeemable shithead and the shit Anatole puts up with is borderline saintly, he has every reason to hate white people or to abandon the the Preachers family but he doesn't...he has a certain wisdom in regards to the clashes between the congo and the missionaries who don't understand it

 

[Jak23]

Finn the Human. If you only watched the first 2 or 3 seasons you probably think I'm typing this with my nose on account of the straightjacket.
But what they've done with him(and frankly everyone on this show) in the past 2 seasons is nothing short of amazing.

 

[Fox12]

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.

Is Chie considered the most popular? Have there been polls on that? (don't answer that.) I would argue she wasn't near as good as you seem to think. Don't forget that her big secret was that she was abusing Yukiko and acting as a gatekeeper to the most attractive girl at the school just to make herself feel a little more wanted and needed. Kind of a ***** move if you ask me. Her shadow boss version of herself is literally carried on the backs of other girls! (Also kind of looks like a KKK member who washed her sheets with some yellow.

The point isn't that she's perfect, it's that she's flawed and relatable, in a human way. She's also the only character I see universally brought up over and over again, so she seems to have quite the fandom. But I digress, it isn't a popularity contest to me. Every character from that game was fantastic, even teddie, who I initially hated. Kanji in particular had some of the best development is the series. My only point is that it's probably easier to relate with the down to earth chie then it is to a pop star, a super detective, or a bear monster. That's why I'd say she's good in a "human way" while the others aren't, even if they're great characters in their own right (they are).

While we're at it, lets throw in kanji. He never seems to get enough credit. There's something to be said for a doofus with a heart of gold.

 

[TheRiddler]

I'm going to interpret "realistically good" as "good in a morally ambiguous/realistic setting". With that in mind, my choices are as follows: Atticus Finch (I think somebody above already said the same thing) and Juror #8 from Twelve Angry Men for their commitment to justice in the face of the mob mentality. Cedric Daniels and Bunny Colvin, both from The Wire, for being competent and working toward the public good without straying completely into asshole territory.

 

[chocolate pickles]

Lee Everett. No matter how you played Lee, he was always trying to do the 'right thing'.

Take food/clothing from an abandoned car? If you do, then you can justify it: The group has kids, everyone is starving and, in all likely hood, it is abandoned. If you dont. you can justify it: What if there are people out there who own this car? It would be stealing, and someone else would suffer because of your actions.

There weren't really 'good' or 'bad' choices in walking dead. It mainly seemed to come down to Lee doing things for the good of the group of the good of others.

 

[BodomBeachChild]

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.

Whoa I never see anyone who has read The Giver. That is a good example.

 

[Cowabungaa]

As far as realistic Lawful Good characters go, I'd say Marge Gunderson from Fargo was the first character I thought of.

She just tries to be a good cop, is brave but not stupid and wants everyone around her to just be safe. And she'll do her very best to keep those people, which is just doing her job well. No superhuman heroics, no insane acts of bravery. I really damn like her.

 

[Blow_Pop]

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.

Whoa I never see anyone who has read The Giver. That is a good example.

Who wrote The Giver then? Sounds quite Brave New World like. I loved Brave New World too.

Lois Lowry wrote it. And it's on my to -read list

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.

I'm going through a classics period right now but I havn't had the desire to read P&P because aside from being the framwork for a whole lot of dumb Chick Flicks I know the general plot outline

Read Pride and Prejudice with Zombies. Much better book and fairly true to the original. And despite it setting the framework for a lot of really dumb chick flicks it's still a good read even with knowing the general plot outline.


OT: I'd probably have to agree with Darcy and Elizabeth because most of the books I read especially lately don't really have realistically good characters. Though, the Pretty Little Liars series, the girls TRY to be good but due to circumstances and other things of the like wind up not a lot of times. So basically they are fallible humans.

 

[Blow_Pop]

OT: I'd probably have to agree with Darcy and Elizabeth because most of the books I read especially lately don't really have realistically good characters. Though, the Pretty Little Liars series, the girls TRY to be good but due to circumstances and other things of the like wind up not a lot of times. So basically they are fallible humans.

Cheers for the Giver author, much appreciated, although not sure I entirely agree with your statement that Pride and Prejudice with Zombies is a "much better book than Pride and Prejudice". : )

Don't get me wrong. Love P&P. But I also adore the hell out of classics being re-done. And my reasoning for better is how much I was cracking up while reading it. Then again I've also read almost every different adaptation of P&P so yeah.......

 

[MeChaNiZ3D]

So in all probability it's not the most realistic, or even in the top thousand, because I haven't read all of fiction. But Captain Lawrence from the Temeraire series. As a man forced to juggle his dragon's naive unmitigated optimism with his duties, reputation and the agenda of the country in a time of war, he acts honourably no matter the circumstances, even when it puts his career at risk.

 

[Nigh Invulnerable]

I want to say Phill Dunphy from Modern Family.

He's the most genuinely good character I can think of off the top of my head.

That's an interesting choice, and not one I'd have made right away. I do agree that he's generally the most genuinely kind and helpful person on the show, who just happens to have a few quirks and weaknesses. Good call!

I'll throw Harry Dresden into the mix. He's practical, and not afraid to use his magic or muggle tools in creative ways to beat a baddie, which can sometimes seem a bit underhanded, but he's protecting the ones he loves, and the city in which they live to the best of his abilities at all times.

 

[PainInTheAssInternet]

Ellen Ripley from the first three Alien movies (arguably fourth, but that isn't her so it doesn't technically count).

She is a fairly average person; not particularly intelligent, physically strong or morally pandering. She just does what she does in that situation. She isn't willing to let innocent people die, gets angry when they do and grieves at her many losses. She does originally deny the mission to Acheron/LV 426 and agrees due to personal reasons. She finally breaks in the third movie and disengages when she realizes

Spoiler

she's pregnant with an Alien queen and the only people who are capable of helping her
1) Don't care about her well-being and
2) Would make all her efforts, and the deaths of her friends, for naught

She isn't someone who goes out because it's the right thing to do, but because she's compelled to do so. She saved Newt because she cared for her on a personal level. Her character, and indeed the movies, really lack an overarching moral and I'd say the trilogy ended in the only way it could have.

Spoiler

While on the subject of the end of the trilogy, I am aware of the Jesus imagery. That would appear to disprove my belief that she is realistically good because she's being compared to Jesus, but she kills herself for the reasons above, not merely because it was the right thing to do. At that point, she had invested and lost so much in her life thanks to both the company and the aliens that she was willing to kill herself to deny them a victory. It was spite more than morality, likely mixed with the realization they would have just forced her to give birth to the creature and die anyways. That last bit seems to be supported with Bishop's pleas when he realizes what she's doing, which by the way never made sense to me. Why would he say that when he knows that's exactly why she's doing it?

 

[NeutralDrow]

Um...doesn't the existence of Fred Rogers kind of imply the bar is set a lot higher than you're giving it credit?

 

[gargantual]

Also what's a 'good' character?

It's very easy to be 'good' if you never face any hardship, so I guess characters in many children's books or utopias?

It's a bit of an odd question.

Brandon Sanderson's Warbreaker was a direct example of that. Actually so was 1983's Trading Places. Take the prudent out of their comfortable hypocrisies, and see how quick their opinions change. Why don't we have MOORRE fiction like that?