Would knowing the truth behind your character's reasons and motivations and even behaviors, make you pity them, especially if that character is unlikable???

The Chatters
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21

Wow.

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22

I don’t think unlikeable characters have to turn out okay at the end. They can still be in their bad state. Maybe they can just acknowledge their bad actions? Their bad actions get to a horrible state, and end up biting them back like karma. That’s when they realize what they’d been doing all along was bad.

Being aware is better than not.

I have another unlikeable character, Jack Ogswold. He’s manipulative, controlling, does mean teasing, and is selfish. He does grow and change in the story, and at the end, he’s better, but not fully.

His unlikeable-ness is really toned down. In fact, he even apologizes for his past actions (which only happens after the tragedy he put other people through comes back to him). But his teasing side remains. Now he teases in a playful, flirty way, so it’s more endearing. You can’t help but like him now. At least, I think so :stuck_out_tongue:

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23

Never actually put much thought into this tbh

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24

At all? Even in response to a well-known or popular fiction character?

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25

Nope ;-;

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26

Interesting.

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27

sometimes my characters are unlikeable because they are miserable assholes and their motivation is “fuck you leave me alone”

which is also my motivation but unfortunately i’m not resourceful enough to get away :stuck_out_tongue: yet.

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28

Oh, really? Some days you are chill and friendly enough, while other days you want to stab a person with a fork for just looking at you.

I get like that too. LOL!

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29

the friendliness is an illusion :sparkles:

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30

Late to this party, but I have some thoughts.

While it may not make you pity an unlikable character, it can certainly make you understand why they do what they do better. I also run a true crime blog, and while I don’t pity people who murder, knowing their background, their mental illnesses (if present), and personality can go a long ways in understanding why they do what they do. I alos created an unlikable character for my mystery series. She has a traumatic background, but also has to be responsible for the consequences of her actions as an adult because her background is not an excuse to be so abrasive towards others. It’s part of her character growth. She won’t end up completely likeable by the series end, but she will become more able to relate to others enough to know when and where to speak her mind as bluntly as she does.

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