What makes the perfect protagonist? Is it someone who is such a good person that you wish they were your best friend? Nope. Is it someone who is so beautiful that you can daydream about them while turning every page? Wrong again! According to Jennifer Jenkins, author of NAMELESS --- a new young adult novel that follows a girl named Zo who infiltrates an enemy clan to help her people --- it’s about making characters feel human, or, in other words, flawed. See her reasoning below, and decide whether or not you agree!
When old Bill Shakespeare penned THE MERCHANT OF VENICE he wrote one of the most quoted pieces of dialog in the English language: “If you prick us, do we not bleed?” (Act III, scene I)
His point?
We’re all human. We all have flaws and shortcomings. We laugh, we cry and sometimes we don’t handle situations in life with perfect grace.
Novice authors often create characters that flirt too closely with perfection. They’re afraid that by giving a main character a major flaw, or *gasps*multiple flaws, the reader might struggle to cheer said character on.
I, myself, was guilty of this mistake when writing my very first novel (a debauchery that no one will ever see unless my computer is hacked).
When we create characters that bleed flaws and shortcomings we create opportunities for growth. What’s more, we create tension. Readers find themselves turning pages, literally chasing resolution, while secretly relating to the character’s deficiencies.
Exhibit A:
Jace from Cassandra Clare’s Mortal Instruments series is one of the most arrogant, rude people you can imagine, but he fills the romantic lead of the story quite nicely. Why? Not because we approve of his behavior, but because his behavior makes him interesting. We’re curious to learn why he acts the way he does and trust the author to provide a motivation in time.
Exhibit B:
Zo, the protagonist in NAMELESS, carries a deep-rooted hatred for Gryphon’s clan --- a hatred so blind she struggles to fulfill her role as a healer inside Ram’s Gate. This prejudice provides plenty of growth in her character arc and offers depth and meaning to her past. Again, tension.
Exhibit C: (bring on the haters J)
Superman is one of the worst characters of all time, in my opinion. His greatest weakness (besides the green stuff) is that he’s too sympathetic. He has so much compassion that his enemies exploit the fact that he’s nice and decent. (ahem, BORING!) Why do you think Man of Steel got such lukewarm reviews? He’s too perfect, and therefore viewers don’t relate.
So do your readers a solid and let those characters bleed all over the page. “Perfect” is for grandmas and lightweights.
(Love you, Grams!)
With her degree in History and Secondary Education, Jennifer had every intention of teaching teens to love George Washington and appreciate the finer points of ancient battle stratagem. (Seriously, she’s obsessed with ancient warfare.) However, life had different plans in store when the writing began. As a proud member of Writers Cubed, and a co-founder of the Teen Author Boot Camp, she feels blessed to be able to fulfill both her ambition to work with teens as well as write Young Adult fiction.
Jennifer has three children who are experts at naming her characters, one loving, supportive husband, a dog with little-man syndrome and three chickens (of whom she is secretly afraid).
