What Character?

Holden Caulfield (Catcher in the Rye). I was fascinated by him, and I guess looked up to him as the ideal big brother when I read the book as a youngster. Now as a man in my late 30's, looking at those 'lost' teenagers you see hanging around in surly groups in the mall, on the street corner, I'm reminded of Holden, and I often wonder if they think the same sort of things as him.

Anyway....to answer your question, I think I'd like to have written an update on him, perhaps looking at him now as an old man....and imagining where his life would have gone.

Jame$ Bond.

three seven - was that who and the reason why all in one? Genius.

Mine would be Steerpike from Titus Groan. That dude is pure evil - the best portrayal of evil I've ever seen.

Hard to say...

Part of me wants to say "Luke Skywalker". I guess thats the goal of every adventure writer, some helpless wannabe that trancends his frial nature and becomes something great, (Like my 2006 Seattle Seahawks!).

But if I had to chose now, I'd say Robert Langdon from the Dan Brown novels "Angels and Demons" and "Da Vinci Code". I really like his nature, the whole scholar on the run, involved in fights and solving puzzles facinates me.

Hopefully the world will look back at our characters with the same zest. Perhaps one of you have the next Skywalker? I believe it, heck, look at Frodo, who saw that comin'?

Long John Silver from Treasure Island. He might have been the bad guy, but he was cool! He just made that book.

My answer is the same as the answer to which novel do I wish I had created:

Tarzan of the Apes

Lionel Essrog of Motherless Brooklyn. That one kills me.

Chuin from the Destroyer series. Something about the self-absorbed, soap opera addicted, Master of Sinanju made for many delightful reads.

(grasshopper) said:

While pondering the post by Optimus about what novel you wish you had written, I was thinking about East of Eden by Steinbeck, and that reminded me of one of my favorite characters, a Chinese fellow in the book named Mr. Lee. I just loved his philosophical insights about life. I wanted to know his background, where he was born, his childhood experiences, what forces brought him to America, and what forces led him to develop such a wonderful attitude about the human condition. Oh, how I wish I could have had him as a friend!

But unfortunately, Steinbeck simply had him appear somewhere in the middle of the book with no explanations whatsoever. Very disappointing. In fact, I find it amazing that he created such a powerful character without any prelude. I have often thought I'd like to write a background for Mr. Lee, myself. And, of course, I sure wish I had created him.

(g)

Click to expand...

Huh? Mr. Lee just appeared in the middle of the book? It's been awhile since I read the novel, but he had a very substantial role from the moment the boys were born until the end of the novel. Of course he didn't appear until then, because Adam didn't meet him until then.

Also, we do know who he was and where he came from.

SPOILERS AHEAD!!!

His parents were Chinese immigrants, of course. His mother was a prostitute, his father worked on the railroad. They loved each other so much that his mother dressed as a man so she could work on the railroad too. Unfortunately, his mother was revealed as a woman. She was gang-raped by the men, forced into premarture labor, and died as a result, but he survived, thanks to his father clawing him out of her body.

He spoke in Pidgen so that he wouldn't surprise or frighten anybody. He told Samuel that he was educated at UC Berkeley. I imagine that shaped his thoughts and philosophy quite a bit. He also mentions that he was raised in Grass Valley. He's apparently a Presbytarian as well, and he practically raised the twins himself.

I know Lee is a bit mysterious, but Steinbeck offered plenty of background and details about him.

Good question (grasshopper)! I was racking my brain to discover which character I'd like to have written myself when "Gemma!" came to mind but it turns out she IS a character I've written myself! I guess it's kind of like asking which children I'd like to have borne. My own are always the best, of course!

Welcome!

Oh yes, (grasshopper), I adored Lee and Samuel--and even Adam, for all his faults. I thought they were all fabulous characters.

Two Anarchists and an Ape

Ignatius J. Reilly...

Or maybe the homicidal Ourang-Outang in "Murders in the Rue Morgue:

Sebastian Dangerfield...

Memorable ones with an attitude.

Hari Seldon of the Foundation Series by Isaac Asimov - and Lucy in the Chronicles of Narnia - and Lt. Jacqueline Daniels of Whiskey Sour/Bloody Mary/Rusty Nail by J A Konrath.

...to name a few