Two things about protagonists

[sqbr]

I have no deep thinky thoughts, but I found these essays interesting, especially since I encountered them close together:

Buffy S8, canon Sues, and the impossibility of socialism under Campbell: or Protagonist Privilege

Passive versus Active: DEATH MATCH, or possibly, just a cup of tea

Comments

[hl]

The Protagonist Privilege thing is really interesting. I've been discussing with my brother about sort of that subject--specifically, how story structure can influence the meaning of the story. I've found it significant, thinking on my own patterns, that when I try to think a story that's inherently communist or anarchist, it's automatically an ensemble cast with no designated protagonist, and that all my story ideas die there, because I've no tools to think a structure like that. Though I shall keep trying, heh.

[sqbr]

Hah, yes, I've had a few stories halt when I go "Well, I can't do X because it ties into the same old dodgy subtexts as everyone else. But...then what do I do instead?"

[aquaeri]

Yes, protagonist privilege is definitely thinky stuff. And I can see how it rubs up against active/passive characters.

[onceamy]

Deep thinky essays for the win!

You and hl are the only ones who do link to deep essays - I see a lot of links to superficial forays into analysis, but a lot of is related to specific anecdotal stuff. You two give me hope :)

[sqbr]

I'm pretty sure someone else linked these to me. Though maybe it was hl :D