Reading Classics to Learn About Character Development, and Please Don’t Say We Don’t Need Them

Disclaimer: This may irritate or annoy younger writers. Proceed only if you want to hear my honest opinion.

I started this morning off reading a reaction post to The Ten Most Haunting Male Literary Characters. See the original article for this story HERE I was actually quite fascinated with the list and could understand why many were put on this list, specifically, and I stress this, because it was done by the British. They have their own tastes and ideas and it was a decidedly British list.

What struck me was the reactionary post. It was written by a blog I follow, from a young author and I won’t name names because I’m not out to irritate people, but this thought came to me. How can you give honest criticism about why certain characters are not on the list, if you have not read most of what is on the list? How can you judge whether or not a character from a book you like should be on the list just because you think the character is haunting?

First off, let’s take the word Haunting.

: that haunts: such as

a : lingering in the consciousness : not readily forgotten <the cathedral organ and the distant voices have a beauty — Claudia Cassidy>

b : having a disquieting effect : disturbing <from two handsome and talented young men to two horrors of disintegration — Charles Lee>

Let’s take the second definition. We are not talking villains exactly. Because while Mr. Rochester could be described as the antagonist in the story of Jane Eyre, he is not exactly that. Nor is Caliban the villain in The Tempest. These characters have a more in depth point to the story. It’s not merely good or bad, but technically grey. They are not Good vs. Evil.

That being said, some of the characters on the list are evil, but not necessarily so. The word definition is crucial here.

So where am I going with all of this?

I’m finding that younger writers who have not read a lot of classics, nor have they lived unique lives, don’t have a grasp of what makes a character evil, haunting, disturbed, manipulative, psychotic, complicated or whatever adjective you want to address a character. If you have lived within the sheltered pages of life going from high school to college and that is it for your age, really, you have not lived. And if you haven’t read the classics, or at least a couple of them, I don’t think you have a grasp on some really good character development.

Now don’t get me wrong, I have not read a ton of classics, but at age 13 I read The Three Musketeers and from there on, I’ve attempted to tackle more in depth books. Pride and Prejudice, Persuasion, Scaramouche, Jane Eyre (though I have not finished it yet, but saw the film), The Great Gatsby… I’m blanking on others. But in the past 10 years, I have learned a lot, and I stress LOT, by reading those types of books. You learn that characters are complicated. Sometimes there is no right or wrong, but there is something about a character that is thought provoking. Heck, even Mr. Darcy could have been considered haunting. (not really, but guys need to read P&P to understand why women adore Darcy….though there is Mr. Knightley…)

I don’t see how anyone can really write without reading some of the more famous works. I never thought I would say that you need to read the classics. My father would kind of shoot me, but I honestly think you need to read some to get even the slightest grasp on character development and depth. And if you haven’t read most of the classics, don’t even try to complain about why Voldomort is not on a list but Heathcliff is. Don’t even go there.

And Haunting doesn’t mean evil. People, remember that!

Side Disclaimer: I have not nor will not ever read A Clockwork Orange, anything Stephen King or anything really disturbing.

Whew! Now that I’m done ranting, I want your input. Are you someone who thinks you need the classics? Do you think I’m off my rocker? How do you get your character development? And what do you think of the list of Haunting Male Characters?

Signing off

Kate