Goodreads asked Alan Williams:

Who is your favorite fictional couple, and why?

Alan Williams Interesting question! Thinking about it, I have come to realise the the relationship between 'couples' of sorts drive most of my favourite books. Most of these seem to be 'odd' couples, such as Stevens and Miss Kenton in 'The Remains of the Day', Winston and Julia in '1984', Leo and Marian in 'The Go-Between' - or even Birkin and Moon in 'A Month in the Country'! I'm going to plump for Arthur and Doreen from 'Saturday Night and Sunday Morning' however. Not just because they come from my home town, but because their relationship has a redemptive quality that they may or may not be aware of. Each of them fights it at first, probably knowing that it is ultimately doomed, but the consequences of not being together are probably worse. In Alan Sillitoe's hands Arthur and Doreen are 'real people', believable characters who might have walked the saem streets as my parents. It is everyday life, 'kitchen sink' stuff - but they are embarking on an adventure together nonetheless.

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