Most pretentious fictional character?

[Relish in Chaos]

Who do you think is the most pretentious character in fiction? For me, it's a toss-up between the protagonists of A Clockwork Orange and Lolita. Alex from the former, despite his sociopathy and absolute lack of regret towards the rape and "ultra-violence" he commits towards his victim, mixes his Slavic-inspired slang with butchered Shakespearean (think of the scene in the film where he challenges Billyboy's gang to a fight) and almost intentionally juxtaposes his thuggery with his "height of fashion" Victorian-era dress and enjoyment of the music of Beethoven, to whom he refers to with his first name as "Lovely Ludwig Van".

Humbert from the latter seems to have an almost obsessive-compulsive manner towards spouting French in the middle of his English sentences, is prejudiced towards the majority of adult women that come his way, and hypocritically tries to flatter the audience out of judging him by referring to the preteen girls he lusts after as "nymphets": a completely made-up term at the time Lolita was written, but has since entered the lexicon (I believe Humbert also coined the male equivalent, "faunlet", although he wasn't attracted to little boys).

What are your thoughts?

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

Those sound about right.
As for pretentious, I feel most Edgar Allan Poe protagonists are this. A combo of 19th century classicist pedantery and their own pathological peculiarities.
Ooooh, Hannibal Lecter (in the books anyway) is also a pretty pretentious character.

 

[Daystar Clarion]

People are using the term pretentious wrong again aren't they...

Hannibal Lecter (in the books anyway) is also a pretty pretentious character.

Hannibal Lecter isn't pretentious, because he can back up the things he says.

A good example of a pretentious character would be Viserys Targaryen from Game of Thrones (the TV show anyway, I haven't read the books).

He thinks he's more important and influential than he actually is. That's pretentious.

 

[Casual Shinji]

Hmm, I fear 'pretentious' is quickly becoming the new minefield word on this forum; Everybody uses it, and everybody criticises everyone else for misusing it.

Anyway, Captain Quark: He thinks he's a hero, but he ain't. Get it?

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

People are using the term pretentious wrong again aren't they...

Hannibal Lecter (in the books anyway) is also a pretty pretentious character.

Hannibal Lecter isn't pretentious, because he can back up the things he says.

A good example of a pretentious character would be Viserys Targaryen from Game of Thrones (the TV show anyway, I haven't read the books).

He thinks he's more important and influential than he actually is. That's pretentious.

I think I found him pretentious in Red Dragon and Silence of the Lambs (haven't read Hannibal) was that his supposedly acute observations and psychoanalysis of the characters left me unimpressed. I realize this may be a case of Seinfeld Isn't Funny (see TvTropes), but his readings of psycho serial killers are as elementary as his appreciations on Will and Clarice. So while he can appear knowledgeable and cult when quoting authors or throwing in a foreign word here and there, I was underwhelmed by his analyses.

 

[Daystar Clarion]

People are using the term pretentious wrong again aren't they...

Hannibal Lecter (in the books anyway) is also a pretty pretentious character.

Hannibal Lecter isn't pretentious, because he can back up the things he says.

A good example of a pretentious character would be Viserys Targaryen from Game of Thrones (the TV show anyway, I haven't read the books).

He thinks he's more important and influential than he actually is. That's pretentious.

I think I found him pretentious in Red Dragon and Silence of the Lambs (haven't read Hannibal) was that his supposedly acute observations and psychoanalysis of the characters left me unimpressed. I realize this may be a case of Seinfeld Isn't Funny (see TvTropes), but his readings of psycho serial killers are as elementary as his appreciations on Will and Clarice. So while he can appear knowledgeable and cult when quoting authors or throwing in a foreign word here and there, I was underwhelmed by his analyses.

I suppose it's a matter of intent.

Does Lecter think he's more important than he actually is, or is he honest with how much he knows and claims to know?

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

Every single character in Atlas Shrugged with the possible exception of Eddie (and as a result he's killed off in an exceptionally cruel way).

Dude, spoilers!

People are using the term pretentious wrong again aren't they...

Hannibal Lecter (in the books anyway) is also a pretty pretentious character.

Hannibal Lecter isn't pretentious, because he can back up the things he says.

A good example of a pretentious character would be Viserys Targaryen from Game of Thrones (the TV show anyway, I haven't read the books).

He thinks he's more important and influential than he actually is. That's pretentious.

I think I found him pretentious in Red Dragon and Silence of the Lambs (haven't read Hannibal) was that his supposedly acute observations and psychoanalysis of the characters left me unimpressed. I realize this may be a case of Seinfeld Isn't Funny (see TvTropes), but his readings of psycho serial killers are as elementary as his appreciations on Will and Clarice. So while he can appear knowledgeable and cult when quoting authors or throwing in a foreign word here and there, I was underwhelmed by his analyses.

I suppose it's a matter of intent.

Does Lecter think he's more important than he actually is, or is he honest with how much he knows and claims to know?

I think the author thinks Lecter's more important than he actually is.

 

[IllumInaTIma]

Doctor Manhattan in Watchers. God I hate this guy! It's like Superman with his superpowers cranked up to 11 and all emotions sucked out. For the duration of the whole movie he was walking around with the same fucking expression and the same fucking tone being nothing but a plot tool.

 

[sextus the crazy]

Doctor Manhattan in Watchers. God I hate this guy! It's like Superman with his superpowers cranked up to 11 and all emotions sucked out. For the duration of the whole movie he was walking around with the same fucking expression and the same fucking tone being nothing but a plot tool.

I don't think that counts as pretentious.

OT: Beats me. Generally, it's the work that's pretentious and not the characters.

 

[iwinatlife]

I belive A Song of Ice and Fire is a gold mine of pretenious characters especially Joffery Baratheon and his wonderful mother Cersei Lannister (certainly in the later books) and of course Viserys as previously mentioned. All these characters bash any and everyone with arms reach over the head with their empty titles and almost meaningless status. As Tywin Lannister Observes any man who has to say I AM THE KING! clearly isnt.

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

Every single character in Atlas Shrugged with the possible exception of Eddie (and as a result he's killed off in an exceptionally cruel way).

Dude, spoilers!

Eh, it's a nearly 56 year old novel written by a demented russian woman with themes (and even it's -endind-/big twist) frequently referenced in pop culture. It hardly has spoiler privileges.

I just so happen to be reading the novel. I wouldn't presume to tell a person what he should and shouldn't know already, especially about this vaguely defined thing called "popular culture". Please use spoiler tags next time.

 

[Queen Michael]

Eh, it's a nearly 56 year old novel...

So? That doesn't mean we've had 56 years to read it.

Doctor Manhattan in Watchers.

You mean "Watchmen."

Me, I gotta say Humbert Humbert. Don't get me wrong, Lolita is one of the best books I've ever read, and I've read a lot of masterpieces, but him never using a regular word when a ten-dollar one can be used instead is kind of the point about him. He's supposed to be a very pretentious person who has much higher thoughts of himself than the readers do.

 

[sanquin]

I just so happen to be reading the novel. I wouldn't presume to tell a person what he should and shouldn't know already, especially about this vaguely defined thing called "popular culture". Please use spoiler tags next time.

Oh please, it's not his fault that you're 56 years behind on a novel.

OT:
Most 'government dog' characters in action movies. The type that goes 'we'll take it from here, you leave. We don't need some lowlife like you.' All while said 'lowlife' was the only one doing what needed to be done, making the right decisions, before that.

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

I just so happen to be reading the novel. I wouldn't presume to tell a person what he should and shouldn't know already, especially about this vaguely defined thing called "popular culture". Please use spoiler tags next time.

Oh please, it's not his fault that you're 56 years behind on a novel.

Nope, it's his fault that now I know stuff I shouldn't.

 

[Canadamus Prime]

Ok, before we go any further with this I think it needs to fully understood exactly what the word "pretentious" means. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary pretentious is defined as: "having or showing the unpleasant quality of people who want to be regarded as more impressive, successful, or important than they really are"

 

[Wackymon]

[HEADING=3]C-,
Coherent thoughts,
bad grammer.
See me after class[/HEADING]

I belivebelieve A Song of Ice and Fire is a gold mine of pretenious pretentious characters, especially Joffery Joffrey Baratheon, and his wonderful mother Cersei Lannister (certainly in the later books), and, of course, Viserys as previously mentioned. All these characters bash any and everyone with an arms reach over the head with their empty titles and almost meaningless status. As Tywin Lannister Observes, any man who has to say "I AM THE KING!" clearly isn't.

Sorry, sorry, but your Grammar isn't that great, especially with your lack of commas to split sentences, but you make valid points, and I'd rather they don't drown under misspelling and bad grammar.

In A Song of Ice and Fire, Personally (having only read the books), I found Robb to be at least a bit pretentious, though I couldn't pinpoint why.
As to other media, Philippe in Fallout New Vegas (Albeit that's a major aspect of his character), to the point of hilarity. Seriously, if you confront him, he proceeds to say that he freaking invented edible food. If that's not pretentious, then nothing is.

 

[Eclectic Dreck]

Hell, the only reason those characters -are- successful is because they live in a Fantasy Land where the universe caters to their every wish and every other person on the planet literally is subconsciously programmed to not think.

I don't think it's pretension when they are successful in various facets of industry. Reirdon created a magical new alloy that would best steel in every possible way for example - something that wasn't allowed simply because other people were idiots. Indeed, each of the major characters (With the exception of John the-man-who-wont-shut-the-hell-up Gault) may be arrogant but their deeds and abilities are their own. There is no pretension in such a case; it is simple arrogance.

What's more, the universe hardly caters to their every wish and whim. You will recall each, in turn, had their empires stolen away from them by the unthinking masses. Indeed, the universe was ultimately designed to ensure that they would eventually fail in spite of their abilities. And, when it became clear that the huddled masses thought they could do every facet of government and industry better than the inconceivably talented main cast, they opted to go on a general strike that lead, inexorably, to a rapid decline of the world. Thus the title is a question: What happens if Atlas shrugs?

So, while the narrative has tremendous flaws predicated upon several unrealistic points (that a handful of prime movers are responsible for everything good in the world (a now largely discarded Great Man theory of history), that everyone who is not a prime mover is a helpless leech, etc), and the characters themselves have glaring personal failings, you could not count pretension among them. In this case, the word would better describe the various huddled masses but even then it isn't particularly apt.

 

[Buffoon1980]

Ha, man, more discussion about Ayn Rand? Sweet. I don't have a whole heap to add to the discussion, except a) I don't think 'pretentious' is quite the right word for the characters, although it might be for the book and Rand herself; and b) even if you hate Atlas Shrugged, I urge you to give The Fountainhead a go. IMO it's the far superior of her two novels.

OT, I gotta say, Humbert from Lolita is a damn good call. He was a masterfully created character.

I'll try to add something original... hmm... this is a tough one... Okay, how about Adrian Mole? Anyone remember him? The fictional diarist, big in the 80s? The books are still going though, the most recent one was released not all that many years ago.