Our Relationships with Fictional Characters

It's a known fact that one of the reasons why people read especially fiction is to feel seen and to connect with the characters. That's the deal with ownvoices books and talks around representation in the media. We follow these characters on their journeys, laugh, cry with, and sometimes mentally yell at them, and even when we close the covers we take a part of them with us into our lives.

Sometimes we even may fall in love with them. I've been asking myself why and came down to the conclusion that it's based on three different factors.

1. They're usually love interest's so their flaws are barely magnified

Authors want to make the readers understand and feel why the protagonist falls in love with this particular character, so they strive to make them as appealing as possible.

2. They don't come with the drama and trauma of real people

Any communication issues, daddy/mommy issues, or just any problems that occur when two people are trying to come together are more or less resolved by the last page.

3. Dragonslayers, chosen ones, and people who solve mysteries on the reg just have that sort of appeal.

Do I really need to explain this one?

It's nothing to be ashamed of and is actually a big part of fandom and just loving a fictional world and I was thinking about how it spills over into the real world. Do you how many Esty stores there are that sell nothing but letters and emails written from fictional characters? Too many to count and you know what, they sell like hotcakes, and there's very little question why.

A lot of people these creations on ink and paper to heart and that's what art is supposed to do, isn't it? To make people feel.

I read a touching review on one of those letter stores which said that her son was having a hard time at school and she bought him a two-page letter 'written from Captain America'. She said it really brightened her son up and made him feel better about himself.

It strikes me as a form of affirmation from a person (fictional mind you) that he respects and I'm sure it's not just kids. It'd be safe to assume that plenty of adults buy those letters too.

So the characters we love are a sort of wish fulfillment in our own lives but there is the risk of losing yourself in a fantasy. I think the best way is to channel those feelings and passions outwards at times. It's striking a balance between finding yourself in the pages of books and being also able to propel yourself forward in the real world and forge connections out there.

I want to hear from you, who are some of your favorite fictional characters? Let me know below in the comments.