Whom Do You Think Are Literatures Most Unlikable Fictional Characters

[BAYLOR]

I hated Steerpike from Gormeghast. Kellhus from The Prince of Nothing series, gives me the creeps. Couldn't stand Fitz, from the Farseer books. Thomas Covenant I didn't have a problem with. Polgara from Belgaraid and Mallorean in fact all of Eddings female characters are unlike-able.

Polgara was not likable in the beginning but towards the end ,I got to like here a bit. Steerpike a villain no question but I could understand his motives and resentments given the place he lived. He lived in godawful Gormeghast.

 

[Randy M.]

The judge from Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy. His urge to power, his corruption of others, his arrogance while fascinating is also alarming and frightening because McCarthy makes it believable that someone would think this way. At one point, explaining why he keeps a list of thing new to him, the judge says, “Whatever exists, he said. Whatever in creation exists without my knowledge exists without my consent.” The pure arrogance of someone who wants to be God, and maybe is some kind of demon.

Meant, I think, to be unlikable, and a great character because of it.


Randy M.

 

[j d worthington]

The judge from Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy. His urge to power, his corruption of others, his arrogance while fascinating is also alarming and frightening because McCarthy makes it believable that someone would think this way. At one point, explaining why he keeps a list of thing new to him, the judge says, “Whatever exists, he said. Whatever in creation exists without my knowledge exists without my consent.” The pure arrogance of someone who wants to be God, and maybe is some kind of demon.

Meant, I think, to be unlikable, and a great character because of it.


Randy M.

Actually, Randy, the way the Judge struck me is that he IS God. The same sort of arbitrary, brutal, behavior that the god of the Old Testament exhibited is precisely what we see in the portrait of this man. Fascinating, and utterly disturbing, character....

 

[Randy M.]

Actually, Randy, the way the Judge struck me is that he IS God. The same sort of arbitrary, brutal, behavior that the god of the Old Testament exhibited is precisely what we see in the portrait of this man. Fascinating, and utterly disturbing, character....

Yes, it's likely that McCarthy was giving us an undiluted version of the OT God. On the other hand, nothing in nature should be outside the ken of the OT God, so I wasn't sure I wanted to go that far. On the other other hand, I occasionally exhibit the trait of overthinking a thing ...


Randy M.

 

[BAYLOR]

Hester Shaw in the Mortal Engines .

 

[Narkalui]

Heathcliffe and Cathy, both awful people. Thomas "I'M A LEPER!" Covenant (clench). Ender: whiner.

 

[Guttersnipe]

The Harry Potter series has these in spades, so I'll skip that.

The Men in Grey (Momo)
Sun Wukong (Journey to the West)
Sir Perceval (Arthurian literature)
Gmork (The Neverending Story)
Edmund Pevensie--at first

 

[BAYLOR]

Obadia Slope from The Barchester Chronicles Anthony Trollope
Bill Sykes Oliver Twist

Both very despicable characters.

 

[Vince W]

William Blifil and Rev. Thwackum from Tom Jones.
Sal Paradise from On The Road.

 

[BAYLOR]

Ralph Nikleby greedy , grasping and redeemably evil.