Favorite characters in literature.

[j1-2themax]

The Count of Monte Cristo. Greatest. Magnificent Bastard. Ever.

 

[cthulhu257]

Dr. Munoz, from Cool Air, for the way he was able to cheat death using a relatively logical method. Also, Rorschach, for how bluntly efficient he is about everything. There were others, but they've already been said.

 

[Lord Beautiful]

Richard Rahl. The ultimate wiz-pimp.

 

[Lord Beautiful]

Jesus.
I'm sorry, but Jesus kicks ass.
I mean, he's one of the most ancient, truly 1337* characters in literature.
Being the son of the only God, water into wine, having an ancient auto-phoenix ability, 'n what not.
You don't have to be a Christian to appreciate that aspect of the religion.
Jesus>Sephiropth.

*said "word" was italicized because it is a non-English word.

I see your jesus and i raise you a tyler durden

Tiebreaker:
Awesome Levels
Tyler: Over Nine-thousand
Jesus: Over Nine-thousand
Tie

Accomplishments
Tyler: Became the leader of a city-wide terrorist organization
Jesus: Became the leading figure of a major world religion
Jesus Wins

Death
Tyler: Can die, and will die
Jesus: He comes back three days later
Jesus Wins: Fatality

 

[ioxles]

Ishida from Bleach, Edward from Anita Blake, and Eric from Charlaine Harris' Sookie Stackhouse novels. Swoon swoon swoon.

methinks someone needs a little refresher course on what consitutes "literature".

Don't worry, if this thread is any indication, so do a lot of people. Even if we were to seriously include the kind of pulp fiction that is described as a "vampire hunter series" under the descriptor of literature, serial manga out of Shonen Jump that is written to fan service is too far separated from the concept.

Seriously kids, a little respect for yourselves and the medium please.

Methinks someone needs a little refresher course in good manners. I could have blathered on about Dickens, Robert Heinlein or Nabokov, but none of their characters are particularly a favourite. Having eclectic reading taste doesn't mean I don't read anything snobbier, and certainly isn't grounds for you to talk down to me just because you think your books are smarter than mine.

"Literature" can mean any number of things, including any printed material whatsoever, any creative writing and the entire written works in any given language. If the OP wants to apply constraints in his thread, he's welcome to. You, however, are not welcome to waltz into someone else's thread, re-define the thread's parameters and then criticise anyone you feel doesn't adhere to them.

Hear hear! couldn't agree more. Literature as such encompasses all written forms, manga/comics I believe fall under this category, some of the best things i've read are in this form (best example: Grant Morrisons The Invisibles.)

I disagree. I have read my share of comics/manga, and while some of it rises above sheer entertainment, posing meaningful questions and providing an interesting look at the human condition, the simple fact that there are PICTURES undermines what literary merit may exist. That is not to say that there is any less inherent meaning/value in such a work, however, the dominant art form in graphic novels is the visual, not the written, and literature, by its definition, should be focused on words.

edit: I forgot to list Kylar Stern, from the night angel trilogy, on my first post. An amazing character, from an amazing series, I can't recommend it highly enough.

Seriously analyzing what I believe literature to be (not the true definition as you would find in a dictionary or wikipedia admittedly) I think some manga's and comic's fall under the category.

Again I feel the need to give the example of Grant Morrison's "The Invisibles", whilst a comic it replaces the artwork and pretty pictures that generally define the genre and shine the spotlight on masterful prose and narrative. I believe this work would stand against any book from any author merely on it written merits, the pictures serve to further enhance the story painting a picture literally.

Manga's such as 20th Century Boys by Naoki Urasawa and Ode to Kirihito by Osama Tezuka also are classed as literature by my definition but other manga's such as One Piece and Naruto - whilst incredibly popular - are not.

I should add that no Stephen King book is classified as literature and neither is anything by Dan Brown.

 

[SkinnySlim]

I'm surprised no one has said Atticus Finch (I'd be incredibly surprised if you don't know the novel he's from)... well, I will. Also,

The dude from 1984. I really felt sorry for him. Damn, that book is so frakking depressing.

I think you mean Winston Smith, right? I preferred O'Brian (from Nineteen Eighty-Four), and Guy Mustang from Fahrenheit 451.

Thanks for mentioning Atticus Finch, I was losing hope for humanity there for a second. I consider him probably the greatest hero in American Literature, and damn well portrayed by Gregory Peck...

 

[Zetona]

I disagree. I have read my share of comics/manga, and while some of it rises above sheer entertainment, posing meaningful questions and providing an interesting look at the human condition, the simple fact that there are PICTURES undermines what literary merit may exist. That is not to say that there is any less inherent meaning/value in such a work, however, the dominant art form in graphic novels is the visual, not the written, and literature, by its definition, should be focused on words.

You, sir/madam, need to read Maus II. As good as storytelling and characters get in a graphic novel. Indeed, it works better than many fully-written accounts of the Holocaust.

 

[SkinnySlim]

Oh, I gotta add Samwise Gamgee....

 

[Strege]

Guy Montag from Fahrenheit 451, because his name always makes me chuckle for some reason.

 

[stompy]

Thanks for mentioning Atticus Finch, I was losing hope for humanity there for a second. I consider him probably the greatest hero in American Literature, and damn well portrayed by Gregory Peck...

Hey, no problems, Atticus is awesome. Also, I watched the movie, and Gregory Peck was an amazing actor in the shoes of Atticus (I loved how he acted during the court room scene... it's a shame they can never use that court room scene again).

 

[CoziestPigeon]

Roland Deschain and Walter O' Dim - These characters have such depth as two complete opposites.

Macbeth - Such a tragic downfall so beautifully portrayed. The twist at the end...with the "woods moving in around" was a great ending.

Exactly.

 

[Mumpadump]

Ian Malcolm from the Jurassic Park novels.

 

[Frootata]

Frankenstein's Monster
The "savage" in a Brave New World

 

[Malkavian]

Let me see...

Tyler Durden from Fight Club
Sam Vimes, from various Discworld novels
Moist von Lipwig, from various Discworld novels
Dream of the Sandman graphic novel
Gibreel from The Satanic Verses
Raoul Duke from Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
and, while he is not fictional, Anthony Kiedies from Scar Tissue(yes, it is a biography, but I really liked the book and Anothony in it. Sue me)

 

[Matsamu]

Rochester from Jane Eyre

 

[Smitty of the Tolchocks]

Obviously I'm down with Your Friend and Humble Narrator,but a couple of folks(stickguy,mastertang) have mentioned YHN,so I won't,at least not by name.

Randall Flagg aka Bill Crutcher and a lot of other aliases was an interesting fellow(from The Eyes of the Dragon,and a ton of others)

Solomon Kane,Black Vulmea the pirate,and Francis Xavier Gordon(all from the mind of Robert Howard),and all had thier names changed to Conan,which is a GD shame.

Achilles,from the Iliad.

But my favorite?

-Sir Galahad of the Arthurian Legends,who found the grail.More than a few versions of this guy exist,though.I'm talking about the Galahad who was the truest and purest Knight of all.
He was the only one who COULD get the grail and relieve the blight and suffering caused by the Delorous Stroke,and the only one capable of looking inside the grail,thereby knowing and seeing all.
-----John Steinbeck's recounting of the Arthurian Legends has this account of Galahad,I know,but I can't remember the exact title of the book.I do not believe that Howard Pyle's book has that version of Galahad.

But Myles Falworth from Men of Iron,by Howard Pyle,is also an All-time great character.

 

[SkinnySlim]

Thanks for mentioning Atticus Finch, I was losing hope for humanity there for a second. I consider him probably the greatest hero in American Literature, and damn well portrayed by Gregory Peck...

Hey, no problems, Atticus is awesome. Also, I watched the movie, and Gregory Peck was an amazing actor in the shoes of Atticus (I loved how he acted during the court room scene... it's a shame they can never use that court room scene again).

Wait, why can't they use that scene again? If I could ever have a son, I would entertain the idea of naming him Atticus. But, alas, two girls, and the wife wont go for Scout!

 

[Scunner]

As good a place as any for my first post ...

My favourite book series is the Discworld series so mine would be

Terry Pratchett's Rincewind.

That, and Death. Also Pratchett.

And Susan Sto Helit

 

[stompy]

Wait, why can't they use that scene again? If I could ever have a son, I would entertain the idea of naming him Atticus. But, alas, two girls, and the wife wont go for Scout!

Sorry to inform you, but the court room was burned down during that fire that affected Universal Studios. Here [http://www.screenindia.com/news/Fire-burns-down-Universal-studios/318004/]'s a link, but if you don't want to read through it...:
burned through much of the adjacent Courthouse Square set that has appeared in such films as Back to the Future and To Kill a Mockingbird

Oh, and about the naming, my sibling's friend's brother is named Atticus.

 

[Blow_Pop]

to keep it short from me with how much i read:
Laurell K. Hamilton:
Anita Blake, Merry Gentry, Frost, Doyle, Richard
R.A. Salvatore:
Drizzt Do'Urden