[ebooktalk] Re: Sympathy with characters
- From: Ian Macrae <ian.macrae1@xxxxxxx>
- To: ebooktalk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Mon, 29 Apr 2013 20:55:35 +0100
It's one of the reasons I never liked EastEnders Trish. I couldn't find a
character to latch on to. Whereas in corrie and Brooky there were so many.
Now the only soap I follow is, dare I say it, the one on radio 4. And there
are plenty of characters to love, hate laugh at and get frustrated over in that
particular corner of Borsetshire. but I think it's time to shut up for fear of
incurring the wrath of our list owner.
On 29 Apr 2013, at 20:43, Trish Talbot wrote:
> I agree, Ian. If I don't have sympathy with any of the characters, I don't
> enjoy the book, so what point is there in carrying on with it? I know that
> some would read on to see how the plot develops, but I'm afraid I can't do
> that.
> Trish.
> -----Original Message-----
> From: ebooktalk-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> [mailto:ebooktalk-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]On Behalf Of Ian Macrae
> Sent: 29 April 2013 19:26
> To: ebooktalk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: [ebooktalk] Re: Televising books.
>
> The problem I had with the characters in The Slap wasn't so much that I
> didn't like them, I could find no sympathy for any of them and, as I said in
> an earlier post, they all deserved each other and whatever was going to
> happen to them. Unlikeable characters can bring a whole other dimension to a
> story, but if they are all hateful you're left with nowhere to go.
> On 29 Apr 2013, at 18:57, Shell wrote:
>
>> I have to agree David, I love a well written horrible character as much as a
>> nice one. As long as the character is consistent and provokes some kind of
>> strong feeling in me, then I will enjoy them.
>> Shell.
>>
>> --------------------------------------------------
>> From: "David Russell" <david.russell8@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
>> Sent: Monday, April 29, 2013 4:52 PM
>> To: <ebooktalk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>> Subject: [ebooktalk] Re: Televising books.
>>
>> > I do not really understand those of you who have to like their characters?
>> > As long as they are realistic, they can be likeable or not, good or bad, so
>> > the only problem I have is when characters do nothing for me at all, i.e. I
>> > just don't care what happens to them.
>> >
>> > I liked the TV Morse and the Morse in the books although they were rather
>> > different. On TV he was a grumpy old man, but he did sometimes show a
>> > softer side. In the books he was a little smug, but he had his good
>> > points.
>> >
>> > The young Morse in "endeavour" was nothing like Morse in character for me.
>> > They just thought that if he liked opera, and refused to buy his round down
>> > the pub, that was enough. There was much more to Morse than that.
>> >
>> >
>> > David
>> >
>> > -----Original Message-----
>> > From: ebooktalk-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> > [mailto:ebooktalk-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]
>> > On Behalf Of Tar Barrels
>> > Sent: 29 April 2013 16:20
>> > To: ebooktalk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> > Subject: [ebooktalk] Re: Televising books.
>> >
>> > Voldi how lovely to see you hear. And you've obviously been speaking with
>> > Clare because we had a similar conversation last week.
>> > I don't need to like or dislike my characters, but in general I'm not fond
>> > of extremes. However, if I'm struggling with a book, then a lack of
>> > sympathy
>> > for the character may make the difference to carrying on with it or letting
>> > it go I didn't find the tv Morse at all cosy, and used to love it as a
>> > series - mainly because of John Thaw. Also, shocking though it may be, I
>> > don't mind swearing as long as it's in keeping with the character. However,
>> > I do object to unrealistic sex scenes - let the author live out their
>> > fantasies elsewhere!
>> > June.
>> >
>> > -----Original Message-----
>> > From: ebooktalk-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:eboow
>> > ktalk-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Voldi Gailans
>> > Sent: 29 April 2013 08:49
>> > To: ebooktalk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> > Subject: [ebooktalk] Re: Televising books.
>> >
>> > Hi Elaine,
>> >
>> > I remember being quite shocked at how awful Morse could be in the books
>> > after having seen the TV series. I thought though that maybe the TV image
>> > of Morse is just a bit too cosy and isn't it rather more realistic to have
>> > a flawed man rather than an all-seeing, all knowing, nice cuddly inspector
>> > in charge? I don't really know how he looked on screen of course. The
>> > book's original must give the author more interesting plotting
>> > possibilities
>> > if he has a less cosy chief inspector. How do we all feel about liking our
>> > main characters? Does it spoil a book if we don't like the characters and
>> > particularly the main one? When I was growing up I liked to have my heros
>> > and felt very let down if they didn't act as I thought they should. My
>> > perception is that characters in modern books have got nastier and a part
>> > of
>> > me does yearn for the nicer gentler characters, but perhaps now I do like
>> > to
>> > see a balance and I like the characters to have both light and shade in
>> > their personalities - if they are too horrible then I lose interest in them
>> > and the book as a whole.
>> >
>> > Best wishes,
>> >
>> > Voldi
>> >
>> > At 01:04 27/04/2013, you wrote:
>> >>I haven't seen the "Young Morse" series and will not do so.
>> >>Morse was one of the few times when I loved the series but didn't enjoy
>> >>Colin Dexter's original at all. Morse was rather more crude and in the
>> >>books and less likeable.
>> >>
>> >>Chris has just begun watching some of the Ngaio Marsh series and says
>> >>Br'er Fox isn't as good onscreen as in the books; I love Ngaio Marsh
>> >>but have yet to see the series; since we have just bought the DVDs
>> >>there is
>> > no hurry.
>> >>
>> >>Now as you go to bed, here in Upside Down Land I am about to go into my
>> >>garden.
>> >>
>> >>Elaine
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>-----Original Message-----
>> >>From: ebooktalk-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> >>[mailto:ebooktalk-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]
>> >>On Behalf Of David Russell
>> >>Sent: Saturday, 27 April 2013 8:20 AM
>> >>To: ebooktalk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> >>Subject: [ebooktalk] Re: Televising books.
>> >>
>> >>Yes, occasionally televised books work very well, but very often
>> >>characters on tv are nothing like my imagination of the book
>> >>equivalent. Reginald Hill's Dalziel and Pascoe was fairly good in
>> >>characterisation, but Pascoe had to lose his wife on tv whereas she
>> >>stayed
>> > married to him in the books.
>> >>Elizabeth George did not have much luck with her Inspector Lynley series.
>> >>His wife was killed on tv and in the books, but in a completely
>> >>different way. Inspector Morse was generally faithful to the books,
>> >>but the young Morse series is really dreadful. It does not work for me
>> >>at
>> > all.
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>David
>> >>
>> >>-----Original Message-----
>> >>From: ebooktalk-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> >>[mailto:ebooktalk-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]
>> >>On Behalf Of Elaine Harris (Rivendell)
>> >>Sent: 26 April 2013 22:23
>> >>To: ebooktalk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> >>Subject: [ebooktalk] Televising books.
>> >>
>> >>David,
>> >>
>> >>In her semi-autobiography, a sort of "Year in the life of", P. D. James
>> >>talks about how televising of books is such a minefield. She says they
>> >>often insert a car-chase where none was to be found and seem to delight
>> >>in changing some details for the sake of it.
>> >>(I can check the details of the book if anyone is interested.)
>> >>
>> >>Often I try to separate my impressions of a book from the televised
>> >>version as so often they diverge beyond recognition, which is sad. The
>> >>Ruth Rendell "Inspector Wexford" series came pretty close to getting it
>> > right.
>> >>
>> >>I won't even watch the later Miss Marple Series; Dame Agatha wouldn't
>> >>approve of the bedroom scenes and Joan Hickson got the character of
>> >>Jane just right.
>> >>
>> >>Elaine
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>-----Original Message-----
>> >>From: ebooktalk-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> >>[mailto:ebooktalk-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]
>> >>On Behalf Of David Russell
>> >>Sent: Saturday, 27 April 2013 1:37 AM
>> >>To: ebooktalk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> >>Subject: [ebooktalk] scanning books
>> >>
>> >>Hi all
>> >>
>> >>As those of you who know me will already be aware, I do spend some time
>> >>scanning books. I usually do this if there is something I particularly
>> >>wish to read, and it is not available elsewhere.
>> >>
>> >>Just out of interest, I thought I would tell you about my current scan.
>> >>It is a Maggie O'Farrell book called "Instructions for a heatwave". I
>> >>cannot tell you much about it as I only brought it home from the
>> >>library today, but if anyone wants the book once it is scanned, I can
>> >>either attach it to an email and forward to the list, or send it to
>> > individuals who request it.
>> >>
>> >>Trish may be interested to know that I found a Dorothy Koomson book
>> >>which has not, so far as I know, been made available. I will tell you
>> >>more about that when I put it on the scanner.
>> >>
>> >>Talking of Dorothy Koomson reminds me that I was amazed to learn from
>> >>her Woman's Hour interview that, in the TV version of "The Ice Cream
>> >>Girls", they have changed the murderer. Why should anyone want to do that?
>> >>
>> >>Koomson did sound like the kind of lady you could sit down with and
>> >>have a cup of tea. Rather homely and definitely the mothering type.
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>David
>> >
>> >
>> > -----
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>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>
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