Do you need to like characters?

[clairesthilaire]

I recently read a book of short stories that was prefaced by the warning that "To readers who tend to think primarily in terms of liking or disliking characters: these people are fictional. They do not stand before us asking to be liked. They stand before us asking to be read," and as promised - I really didn't like any of the characters. As a result I didn't enjoy any of the stories. I found myself disconnected from the characters because I struggled to understand people so petty and small.

So my question is: Do you feel that it is hard to relate to a character you don't like? Do you find you finish and enjoy books even if you don't like any of the characters?

[Seii]

I do not think there is a need to like characters.

I do not think it is a matter of liking the character, but the reason why we read the book in the first place. Sometimes it is not the character themselves but how the book was written.

I think books are written to make us feel and understand the characters portrayed in the story. We read books not only to relive events that we already know but to gain a new perspective. Having read a lot of books, I do not always relate to the characters that were written. But isn't that what a story is about? It is supposed to make you feel. Most of the time, I continue reading them for a while until I gain a better understanding of the character. Sometimes, authors are so good that they are able to shift my entire perspective regarding a character. Say, Snape in JK Rowling's H.P., per se. Although there are authors who are unable to grasp the entire idea of the character they created.

There was this character an author created saying that there was this handsome guy who owned and created a large and successful company. He had this air and pride and rudeness that oozed out of his core. I just could not fathom how a "successful" man with a huge company would ride a train every day shouting at people much less lose his phone for three days and not notice it. The author just wanted to jive characters that did not fit. It was so revolting I didn't even finish the third chapter.

Either way, I think it is a matter of perspective and how the book was written. Sometimes it depends on our preference too.

[clairesthilaire]

I do not think there is a need to like characters.

I do not think it is a matter of liking the character, but the reason why we read the book in the first place. Sometimes it is not the character themselves but how the book was written.

I think books are written to make us feel and understand the characters portrayed in the story. We read books not only to relive events that we already know but to gain a new perspective. Having read a lot of books, I do not always relate to the characters that were written. But isn't that what a story is about? It is supposed to make you feel. Most of the time, I continue reading them for a while until I gain a better understanding of the character. Sometimes, authors are so good that they are able to shift my entire perspective regarding a character. Say, Snape in JK Rowling's H.P., per se. Although there are authors who are unable to grasp the entire idea of the character they created.

There was this character an author created saying that there was this handsome guy who owned and created a large and successful company. He had this air and pride and rudeness that oozed out of his core. I just could not fathom how a "successful" man with a huge company would ride a train every day shouting at people much less lose his phone for three days and not notice it. The author just wanted to jive characters that did not fit. It was so revolting I didn't even finish the third chapter.

Either way, I think it is a matter of perspective and how the book was written. Sometimes it depends on our preference too.

This is a really interesting perspective. So, you think that perhaps I didn't enjoy the story not because I didn't "like" the characters persay, but because they weren't fully developed enough for me to become invested in them one way or another? That would make sense. I do enjoy characters that give me a new perspective on the world regardless of if I like them. Thanks!

[adria_charles]

For me, it is very difficult to relate to characters I don't like. I don't believe that authors specifically try and generate characters to make sure that readers like or can relate to them, but they are written in a way to help develop the story. If I come across a character I don't like and have trouble relating to then I will generally try to figure out what it is I don't like about them and how that is important to the story. This doesn't necessarily help me end up appreciating the character, but it can help me appreciate the story.

If I can't get past the fact that I don't relate to or like them, then no I generally don't end up liking the story. I will say though that this rarely happens to me. Usually I come across minor characters that I don't like but it doesn't generally ruin the story for me. What usually happens if I come across a main character that is really driving me bonkers and I just can't seem to like, the author, like Seii stated above, shifts my entire perspective with a plot twist and I end up liking them in the end. Like I said above, there is usually a reason behind a reader not liking or being able to connect with a character, just have to figure out why.

[clairesthilaire]

For me, it is very difficult to relate to characters I don't like. I don't believe that authors specifically try and generate characters to make sure that readers like or can relate to them, but they are written in a way to help develop the story. If I come across a character I don't like and have trouble relating to then I will generally try to figure out what it is I don't like about them and how that is important to the story. This doesn't necessarily help me end up appreciating the character, but it can help me appreciate the story.

If I can't get past the fact that I don't relate to or like them, then no I generally don't end up liking the story. I will say though that this rarely happens to me. Usually I come across minor characters that I don't like but it doesn't generally ruin the story for me. What usually happens if I come across a main character that is really driving me bonkers and I just can't seem to like, the author, like Seii stated above, shifts my entire perspective with a plot twist and I end up liking them in the end. Like I said above, there is usually a reason behind a reader not liking or being able to connect with a character, just have to figure out why.

I like how you talk about finding the "reason behind a reader not liking or being able to connect with a character". That is such a proactive approach to learning and self-discovery without waiting for the author to "feed" you the story and the ideas within it.

I would agree I rarely come across stories with characters I don't like. I always assumed this was because the author didn't want to spend a year with a character they didn't like either :p. Thanks for your thoughts! You gave me more to ponder.

[LivreAmour217]

Personally, I need to like at least some of the characters in order to enjoy the book. If I don't like any of the characters, then I won't care what happens to them, and eventually I'll lose interest in the story.

[clairesthilaire]

Personally, I need to like at least some of the characters in order to enjoy the book. If I don't like any of the characters, then I won't care what happens to them, and eventually I'll lose interest in the story.

I find this when I read too. I like how you say if you don't like any of the characters you don't care what happens to them. That is exactly what happened to me reading those short stories. I just lost interest because the story arch didn't matter. If they were miserable... They kinda made their proverbial bed... I wasn't gonna lose sleep over it. And I like books that make me lose sleep

[LivreAmour217]

I wasn't gonna lose sleep over it. And I like books that make me lose sleep

Those are the best kind of books!

[sleepingbeauty621]

I don't think liking a character is necessary. Sometimes hating them works just as well. When I read, I always do it with passion, and my passion transfers into the characters. I like to like the main character of a book, and put all my reading energy into hoping they find their "happy ever after", but sometimes hating a character and awaiting their "just desserts" is just as rewarding.

[Freethinker]

I don't know if you have to like them but maybe you need to be able to relate to them in some way, even if it is something you don't like about yourself or a negative experience you've had. I guess for me it is about being able to empathise or sympathise with a character or situation & I don't need to like them to do that.

[barb429]

I do not necessarily have to like the characters in order to enjoy a book. For example, when reading Shirley Jackson's The House on Haunted Hill, I hated all of the characters.f I was actually rooting for the house to win (of course, in the case of this book, one may consider the house a character). But I really enjoyed the book. I actually had this conversation with my ex-husband once because I was writing a story in which the main character was unlikable. He argued that you had to like a character to care about what happened to them....I disagreed though. I have enjoyed books without liking the characters much. You just have to be interested in them- I think an interesting character is much more important than a likable one.

[Akita]

Hmm, I guess it's different for every person, to be honest.

When I read a book, I tend to keep an open mind to the characters that are being introduced into the story. There are times when I don't like certain characters, but I try looking from a different angle. In Harry Potter, for example, I didn't like Professor Snape. He just seemed suspicious a lot and harassed Harry Potter. But I began to wonder why he is the way he is; why was he being so harsh to Harry when he knew so little about him?

Every character no matter how minor they appear to be is still equally important to the rest of the characters. Each one has a significant role to play and has a background story behind them. Even if I didn't like Professor Snape, I found out that he was important in the story and even if I couldn't relate to his problems, I just felt lke I could sympathize with him in the end.

So even when you don't like one or many characters and can't relate to them, try to get a better understanding as to why you dislike them so much. If they have a backstory that explains how they act or the way they are, pay close attention to that...

Also, I continue to read books with characters I just really don't like because I, in a sense, want to get to know the characters more.

[TrinityFayth]

I do enjoy books where I feel like I can relate to the characters. However, some of the books that have created the greatest emotional response in me are ones that had characters that I disliked. Sometimes the characters come across as selfish or uppity and I dislike them and know that if they were a person I met in real life I would not get along with them well. However, it is this emotional response, either of like or dislike that makes me feel really engaged with the story.

[Esies98]

No I don't need to like characters, I just need to feel interested with the situations they face, sometimes I hate the characters but keep reading the story hoping they get what they deserve. Although sometimes the story is better if you can relate to the characters

[Annelore Trujillo]

Sometimes I do have a hard time reading when I don't like the characters. But sometimes it makes me like the book even more. I think the characters should always evoke emotion in the reader, even negative emotion.