Blog Post #9 ~ Likability

     In Veronica Roth's third book in the Divergent Trilogy, Allegiant, the story is told from the perspective of both Tris Prior and Tobias "Four" Eaton. I feel like these characters are very likable, and that Roth's audience can relate to them very well. Keep in mind that they are both questionably suicidal, have tempers that terrify even themselves at times, and both come from a less than "perfect" family situation...

     But THAT I think is why they are so likable; it's because they are RELATABLE. They are not the stereotypical "heroes" that are held on high pedestals and always do whats right. It is often that their own fears and selfishness that is the cause of issue within their lives, thus what advances the book's plot. Throughout the entire series they have both struggled with personal self-inflicted pain and doubts right alongside their crumbling dystopian society.

     I wouldn't go so far as to call either of them the next Oedipus or Humbert Humbert, for these I feel are somewhat extreme cases of characters that make for good books, however I don't really agree that either of them would likely be all that "likable". But I do acknowledge that there are SIGNIFICANT flaws pertaining to both Tris and Tobias, because they acknowledge them THEMSELVES. This inadvertently ends up being almost just as bad a flaw, particularly for Tris as this leads her into a time in her life of obsession with her self-pity and depression.

     I don't think the term "likable" when pertaining to a character needs to imply "perfection" or larger than life morals. I honestly think such things almost add an air of arrogance to the character and definitely annoyance for me as I sit trying to read about how they are perfect. I think that for a character to be likeable, some readers (though most would never admit it) sometimes enjoy some who is "just as bad", or sometimes "worse" than they feel they themselves are, but arestill the protagonist and somehow come out on top in the end...

And are liked.