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bachennoir t1_j68hqvt wrote

Reply to comment by wordyshipmate82 in Does anyone actually like the catcher in the rye? by Piazytiabet

Your first point is one of my biggest gripes when it comes to discussing books with other people. Everyone seems to think that all main characters should be good and likable with minor flaws. Boring. Morally ambiguous characters are my favorite, because when they are well-written, they bring realism and moral questions to the story. Characters can and should be unlikeable sometimes. They should challenge our perspectives or present us with realities that we don't usually see.

I don't have to like Humbert Humbert or anything he says or does to see that Lolita is an exceptionally well written book. The unreliable narrator makes you question the story they're telling you, making you engage with the context clues in the story more.

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wordyshipmate82 t1_j68j8ut wrote

I agree entirely, I love Lolita even though Humbert disgust me because I don't have to relate to the protagonist to enjoy reading. And I think most real humans are morally ambiguous at some point or another, so characters without deep flaws are unrealistic and poor writing.

I agree with everything you said, actually, "challenge our perspectives..." which is exactly the point of good literature, beyond entertainment, it forces us to confront unpleasant realities, and by proxy, ourselves.

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