180º main characters

katiemac · Nov 5, 2008

Can anyone recommend a novel or two where the main character does an 180 through the course of the story? I'm talking about characters that start as a protagonist and end up the antagonist, or vice versa. I'd prefer main characters as opposed to supporting, but I know they're not entirely common stories. Also, I'd rather it not be a case of a twist ending, like the character was evil/good all along, but misunderstood.

Thanks!

geardrops · Nov 5, 2008

The first thing that came to my mind was Meursault in The Stranger. He's very active externally (or should I say reactive?) and inactive internally, but by the end he's externally inactive (being imprisoned) and internally very active.

Donno if that's what you're looking for.

Aschenbach · Nov 5, 2008

There are tons. Off the top of my head, Crime & Punishment (Raskolnikov) and The Shining (Jack Torrance).

Both are MCs, start off sympathetic, and become less so, although at least one of them finds redemption. But of course it isn't as simple as that. Because they are well written, credible characters, you always have some degree of sympathy with them, even when they are being bad.

JoNightshade · Nov 5, 2008

I think you could say the Count of Monte Cristo fits this, although he goes from good to bad and then sort of good again.

hammerklavier · Nov 5, 2008

The first thing that came to my mind was that you were asking if it's a good idea to have 180 main characters in your novel.

Mad Queen · Nov 5, 2008

Do you want stories of good / evil characters who become evil / good characters or stories with a POV switch so the antagonist becomes the new protagonist?

Chasing the Horizon · Nov 5, 2008

hammerklavier said:
The first thing that came to my mind was that you were asking if it's a good idea to have 180 main characters in your novel.

LOL, that was my first thought too.

maestrowork · Nov 5, 2008

Carrie?

katiemac · Nov 5, 2008

Hope To The Horizon said:
LOL, that was my first thought too.

Whatever gets you to click the thread.

Do you want stories of good / evil characters who become evil / good characters or stories with a POV switch so the antagonist becomes the new protagonist?

The first, preferably, although the POV switch wouldn't be a bad thing to study.

Thanks for the suggestions. I should have thought of Crime & Punishment. Frankly, trying to re-read that again scares me a bit. I'll have to dig up my who's-name-is-this cheat sheet. The Shining is actually a great example, also. Haven't actually read the novel, so this is a good time to start; only seen the movies for both this and Carrie. I have to dig out my copy of the Stranger, too. I hope it's not in French--I can't remember what version I own! :tongue

I haven't read Count, either, so another good suggestion.

maestrowork · Nov 5, 2008

Not books but movies: Secret Window (okay, it's a short story), and Hide & Seek.

katiemac · Nov 5, 2008

maestrowork said:
Not books but movies: Secret Window (okay, it's a short story), and Hide & Seek.

Secret Window might be a good POV study.

Stunted · Nov 6, 2008

I'm actually writing one like that.

Garpy · Nov 6, 2008

Macbeth?

AdamH · Nov 6, 2008

How The Grinch Stole Christmas would be a good example. It's a simplistic story but covers what you're looking for on a basic level.

The Grinch starts off as this hateful evil character but he turns it all around by the end and restores Christmas for everyone...sorry, I should've mentioned this as a spoiler for anyone who hasn't read it. Sorry... :Shrug:

Selcaby · Nov 6, 2008

Along the same lines as the Grinch, A Christmas Carol.

In fact I suspect there were a lot of these in 19th century literature.

HourglassMemory · Nov 6, 2008

Hope To The Horizon said:
LOL, that was my first thought too.

Me too. I was ready to suggest "War and Peace"....

TrickyFiction · Nov 6, 2008

Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. Best ever sweet to bitter.

Liosse de Velishaf · Nov 6, 2008

TrickyFiction said:
Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. Best ever sweet to bitter.

ditto.

katiemac · Nov 6, 2008

TrickyFiction said:
Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. Best ever sweet to bitter.

I have an excuse to reread it now, thanks!

Gillhoughly · Nov 6, 2008

Carrie works okay with that theme, but skip The Shining. I thought Jack Torrance was an a$$hat from his first scene, and he's even worse in the Kubrick film.

I hope Secret Window is a better story than the Depp uh--well, can't really call it a movie, since there were so many still shots--I'll just say film. One formed over my eyes while I waited for anything interesting to happen.

And I LIKE Depp!

But if I want to see a scruffy writer with bad hair and a dirty bathrobe schlepping around a messy house while wallowing in self-pity I can look in the danged mirror! :scared:

katiemac · Nov 6, 2008

Isaac Espriu said:
Aw man - and here i was thinking that someone was writing a novel with 180 main characters. I was almost excited and everything...

Yeah, yeah, I get it, bad title on my part! :tongue

katiemac · Nov 6, 2008

Isaac Espriu said:
- Nah, seriously, i was like 'wow, that takes balls! - possibly up to 360...'

I'll leave that challenge up to you.

Charlie Horse · Nov 7, 2008

Sweeney Todd is the first story that comes to mind. And if movies are on the table (which I think they should be), The Prestige has that element in it as well.

Good discussion.

katiemac · Nov 7, 2008

Charlie Horse said:
Sweeney Todd is the first story that comes to mind. And if movies are on the table (which I think they should be), The Prestige has that element in it as well.

Good discussion.

One of my favorites!

Chris Grey · Nov 8, 2008

Hamlet - everyone starts off alive and ends up dead.

A Clockwork Orange - the book, the original ending. Alex starts as, well... sociopathic and in the end realizes everything he knew was wrong.

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