Ordinary Everyday...
So, I recently read a review which ripped Harry Potter apart because the main character of the series spent so much time trying to be an "ordinary, everyday student" that he didn't become a proper hero. In fact, the whole character of Harry Potter was compared unfavorably to Buffy Summers from Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
This got me thinking about the "ordinary, everyday... whatever" and it's role in fiction. Ostensibly, it's there so that they reader/viewer can better relate to the main character. Everyone wants to be Superman or Batman, but relating to them on a personal basis is quite hard as our lives don't match up well to theirs. Hell, Disney has a whole franchise of TV Shows which have a plot that can be described as "ordinary, everyday high school student who's actually a... (superspy/psychic/lives in a hotel/runs their own super-successful webshow/etc.)". Everyone loved Smallville because it was about... and ordinary, everyday (gorgeous) high school student who happened to be the boy who would become Superman.
It's a big thing.
I mean, even Luke Skywalker was just a lowly farmer. Even Bilbo Baggins was just an ordinary, everyday hobbit until Gandalf showed up and started messing about in his life.
When it comes to stories, it seems people need someone to start ordinary and everyday for the person to really be "relatable". That's why you see it over and over and over and over again.
Well, I have something to tell you.
It really is. Yes, there are a lot of engaging characters who are ordinary and everyday by default. It's easiest to imagine a mind similar to your own. However, if that were true... I have some questions to ask you and you're going to have to come up with some very good answers for me to understand logically why this doesn't count.
1.) Why was Captain Jack Sparrow the most popular character in The Pirates of the Caribbean film series?
2.) Why do so many people prefer The Phantom in Phantom of the Opera to Raoul and Christine?
3.) Why are elves and dwarves such popular fantasy creatures?
4.) Why is Superman, an alien with crazy superpowers, the most popular superhero when it's widely acknowledged that Clark Kent is the act?
5.) If you read Discworld, do you prefer reading the books about Death or the books about the City Watch or the books about the Witches or all equally?
6.) Explain to me the popularity of The Doctor and Doctor Who even when the companions are less than likeable.
7.) Who is your favorite character in A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin and why?
If you liked Captain Jack Sparrow, Eric, elves, dwarves, Superman, anyone in Discworld (especially Death who discovers Life), The Doctor, and pretty much everyone in Song of Ice and Fire who isn't Arya, John, Sansa, or Bran, then you are showing a distinct love for characters who are not "ordinary" or "everyday". Congratulation! You love oddballs, weirdos, freaks, and awesome people in general!
Yay!
Because, my fellow readers, what people don't seem to understand is that books are an escape from real life, fantasy moreso than anything else. You can read about anyone. So why stick to the dreary everyday people who are just like you only... awesome stuff happens to them? Why not read about Sherlock Holmes and John Watson (Watson is ordinary everyday, but he's just the eyes and ears)? Why not watch the Doctor and ignore that idiot, Martha Jones? She doesn't matter anyway! Get rid of her!
I mean, Firefly was about COWBOYS IN SPACE and the most ordinary person there was... Wash? Umm... not really... Simon? Kaylee? Yeah... I don't think any of them really qualified as ordinary... But people LOVED it! They ate it up! It was amazing!
So, why don't we have that more often? Why do we always bog ourselves down with Harry Potters and Elizabeth Swans and Luke Skywalkers when Ben Kenobi was cool on his own and so would Harry Potter told by Luna Lovegood be even cooler.
I admit, sometimes when you have a character far enough away from the human experience, you need to introduce them with an "ordinary, everyday" type, but eventually even Tyrion Lannister separated from Jon Snow and went on to be a brilliant main character who I related to the best. He wasn't ordinary or everyday, either! Shed the fat and let's go follow Gollum as he fights with himself and his need to own the ring and himself to toss the Ring in Mount Doom after he kills those stupid, fat hobbitses. Let's follow are real kitsune as they teach people lessons in life and how to screw over greedy bastards!
I want to read some real stories now because I'm tired of ordinary and every day and, as can be seen in some of the examples above, sometimes those who aren't ordinary or everyday have a lot more problems with their goals! Just ask Dexter Morgan!
Happy New Year!
This got me thinking about the "ordinary, everyday... whatever" and it's role in fiction. Ostensibly, it's there so that they reader/viewer can better relate to the main character. Everyone wants to be Superman or Batman, but relating to them on a personal basis is quite hard as our lives don't match up well to theirs. Hell, Disney has a whole franchise of TV Shows which have a plot that can be described as "ordinary, everyday high school student who's actually a... (superspy/psychic/lives in a hotel/runs their own super-successful webshow/etc.)". Everyone loved Smallville because it was about... and ordinary, everyday (gorgeous) high school student who happened to be the boy who would become Superman.
It's a big thing.
I mean, even Luke Skywalker was just a lowly farmer. Even Bilbo Baggins was just an ordinary, everyday hobbit until Gandalf showed up and started messing about in his life.
When it comes to stories, it seems people need someone to start ordinary and everyday for the person to really be "relatable". That's why you see it over and over and over and over again.
Well, I have something to tell you.
IT'S A LIE!!!
It really is. Yes, there are a lot of engaging characters who are ordinary and everyday by default. It's easiest to imagine a mind similar to your own. However, if that were true... I have some questions to ask you and you're going to have to come up with some very good answers for me to understand logically why this doesn't count.
1.) Why was Captain Jack Sparrow the most popular character in The Pirates of the Caribbean film series?
2.) Why do so many people prefer The Phantom in Phantom of the Opera to Raoul and Christine?
3.) Why are elves and dwarves such popular fantasy creatures?
4.) Why is Superman, an alien with crazy superpowers, the most popular superhero when it's widely acknowledged that Clark Kent is the act?
5.) If you read Discworld, do you prefer reading the books about Death or the books about the City Watch or the books about the Witches or all equally?
6.) Explain to me the popularity of The Doctor and Doctor Who even when the companions are less than likeable.
7.) Who is your favorite character in A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin and why?
If you liked Captain Jack Sparrow, Eric, elves, dwarves, Superman, anyone in Discworld (especially Death who discovers Life), The Doctor, and pretty much everyone in Song of Ice and Fire who isn't Arya, John, Sansa, or Bran, then you are showing a distinct love for characters who are not "ordinary" or "everyday". Congratulation! You love oddballs, weirdos, freaks, and awesome people in general!
Yay!
Because, my fellow readers, what people don't seem to understand is that books are an escape from real life, fantasy moreso than anything else. You can read about anyone. So why stick to the dreary everyday people who are just like you only... awesome stuff happens to them? Why not read about Sherlock Holmes and John Watson (Watson is ordinary everyday, but he's just the eyes and ears)? Why not watch the Doctor and ignore that idiot, Martha Jones? She doesn't matter anyway! Get rid of her!
I mean, Firefly was about COWBOYS IN SPACE and the most ordinary person there was... Wash? Umm... not really... Simon? Kaylee? Yeah... I don't think any of them really qualified as ordinary... But people LOVED it! They ate it up! It was amazing!
So, why don't we have that more often? Why do we always bog ourselves down with Harry Potters and Elizabeth Swans and Luke Skywalkers when Ben Kenobi was cool on his own and so would Harry Potter told by Luna Lovegood be even cooler.
I admit, sometimes when you have a character far enough away from the human experience, you need to introduce them with an "ordinary, everyday" type, but eventually even Tyrion Lannister separated from Jon Snow and went on to be a brilliant main character who I related to the best. He wasn't ordinary or everyday, either! Shed the fat and let's go follow Gollum as he fights with himself and his need to own the ring and himself to toss the Ring in Mount Doom after he kills those stupid, fat hobbitses. Let's follow are real kitsune as they teach people lessons in life and how to screw over greedy bastards!
I want to read some real stories now because I'm tired of ordinary and every day and, as can be seen in some of the examples above, sometimes those who aren't ordinary or everyday have a lot more problems with their goals! Just ask Dexter Morgan!
Happy New Year!
Hobbitses!!
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