Christina Dotson's Blog - Posts Tagged "redeeming-qualities"
Why I Love Morally Gray Characters
I'll be honest, I love an anti-hero. Every story I've ever fallen in love with has a morally gray, complex and flawed character as its protagonist. The same goes for the stories I write. To me, these characters are the most valuable to a story because they challenge our empathy. Can you see things from their point of view? Are you able to embrace their vulnerabilities and find the 'why' behind their behavior? Do you care about a character even if you disagree with their actions?
As a social worker, I'm often faced with clients who make bad decisions, however, people have the right to make bad decisions. The challenge is to find the root cause of that decision--the 'why'. Morally gray characters feel real, which is probably why we often feel such strong reactions toward them. They frustrate us, annoy us, intrigue us and, most importantly, they keep us turning the pages because we want to know if they can change.
But what if there are no redeeming qualities for a morally gray character? In 'American Psycho', Patrick Bateman is a character without redemption. This is also true for Amy Dunne in 'Gone Girl'. Yet, we continue to accompany them both on their journey because, ultimately, they serve a purpose in their story--whether it's to symbolize something or simply to disturb us with a story that mirrors the darker parts of our own realities.
Whatever the reasons, morally gray characters are compelling and always memorable. Whether we're rooting for them, or rooting for their downfall, one thing's for certain: they keep us entertained, and isn't that always the goal?
Love You to Death
Christina Dotson
As a social worker, I'm often faced with clients who make bad decisions, however, people have the right to make bad decisions. The challenge is to find the root cause of that decision--the 'why'. Morally gray characters feel real, which is probably why we often feel such strong reactions toward them. They frustrate us, annoy us, intrigue us and, most importantly, they keep us turning the pages because we want to know if they can change.
But what if there are no redeeming qualities for a morally gray character? In 'American Psycho', Patrick Bateman is a character without redemption. This is also true for Amy Dunne in 'Gone Girl'. Yet, we continue to accompany them both on their journey because, ultimately, they serve a purpose in their story--whether it's to symbolize something or simply to disturb us with a story that mirrors the darker parts of our own realities.
Whatever the reasons, morally gray characters are compelling and always memorable. Whether we're rooting for them, or rooting for their downfall, one thing's for certain: they keep us entertained, and isn't that always the goal?
Love You to Death
Christina Dotson
