There are some very successful series with characters who don't change much, if at all, and have few if any flaws to speak of. Anyone read Lee Child's Jack Reacher books? Huge fan base.
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Why the hero's journey?
- Thread starter EccentricGentleman
- Start date
Addison
Auror
I was just listing random things I've heard people complain about. It's nothing against short people, heck there's been plenty of times I wished I was short.
I haven't read these books so I have to ask:
Do supporting characters around Reacher change?
Not so much, because they're rarely the same from book to book. There may be changes in that some of them die, or get hurt, or get saved, or in some cases their attitudes about Reacher may change. He generally ends up helping people, so their circumstances change within the book itself, and then he disappears at the end to resurface in a new place with a new supporting cast in the next book. There are a few recurrent characters that may pop up for a time in different books.
In addition to not changing, the guy just can't lose. In fact, he can't even come close to losing. He's too smart, too strong, and too well-trained for every challenge that comes along. There are a few exceptions, but that's usually how it goes. Eight people approach him wanting to put him in the hospital, and Reacher thinks about how this is really bad and he may not make it out of this one, and then proceeds to tear them all limb from limb
At any rate - shouldn't work, according to some. But the books do work and they're a lot of fun. Reacher is very active. He drives the plot. He solves problems. He's almost an unstoppable force in the narrative of the story. But he's not flawed in any real sense and doesn't undergo significant character changes. When I first starting reading the books, I didn't think I'd like them for these very reasons, but they ended up being a lot of fun, and Child is good at making you want to read one more chapter to see what's going to happen.
BWFoster78
Myth Weaver
I'm not sure that's exactly what I meant.
Because you see the story through the eyes of a character, showing that the character changed as a result of the events tends to elevate the importance of the events. If he instead stays the same, it implies that the events weren't all that important.
I'm not sure if you were saying the same thing.
wordwalker
Auror
I see character change is an option, that almost always strengthens the story but not everyone uses. Part of drama is that you'd expect there to be change as a result (agreed, BWFoster, its lack makes the events look unimportant). However...
There are a lot of book series where the character barely changes at all, like Reacher, or a lot of mysteries. Fans love those for being able to go back to the same guy. There are snobs that'll say those are episodic franchises that aren't Real-- but there are also snobs who say characters changing is picking drama over literature, that real people often resist change and it's more authentic to have them go through hell and come out trying to be the same person they were before. (A bit overstated, but...)
Character change is a tool. It's more likely that the character should change (especially during epic-scale changes in the plot), and it certainly emphasizes everything else, but leaving it out makes it easier to focus on other things and to reuse the character. Still, change is the usual choice, and a tale without it has to be especially good to not look like it just failed to pull off its changes.
There are a lot of book series where the character barely changes at all, like Reacher, or a lot of mysteries. Fans love those for being able to go back to the same guy. There are snobs that'll say those are episodic franchises that aren't Real-- but there are also snobs who say characters changing is picking drama over literature, that real people often resist change and it's more authentic to have them go through hell and come out trying to be the same person they were before. (A bit overstated, but...)
Character change is a tool. It's more likely that the character should change (especially during epic-scale changes in the plot), and it certainly emphasizes everything else, but leaving it out makes it easier to focus on other things and to reuse the character. Still, change is the usual choice, and a tale without it has to be especially good to not look like it just failed to pull off its changes.
Graylorne
Archmage
I would say character change is rather essential if you're writing Coming of Age-stories. That is all about growth and balance and better understanding, after all.
BWFoster78
Myth Weaver
It really all depends on your audience. If you want to write fantasy adventure/thriller driven by action and plot, I think you can find a market for that.
It seems to me, though, that the approach would be more problematic for epic fantasy given reader expectations.
Addison
Auror
I forget where I read the article but I remember it was in an issue of Writer's Digest. There are a few types of character arcs. One is where the character and their goals in life don't change. Second is where the character doesn't change but their goals/priorities do. Third is where the goal remains the same but the character changes. Fourth and final is where both character and goal change. All of these can be a hero's journey.
