Question Character problem in novels

Discussion in 'Novel General' started by krishna2100, May 4, 2021.

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  1. krishna2100

    krishna2100 Well-Known Member

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    I have read many Chinese,Japanese,Korean webnovels.

    I have seen most of the antagonists like jealous little shits.
    I have seen some of the ML like they are the gods (can do whatever they want to FL)
    I have seen some FL acting like they have a negative IQ.
    I have seen parents that are more of a psychopath.
    I have seen fiance acting like morons.
    Why is it so ?

    Korean novel: The Untouchable lady(parent problem)
    Japanese novel:My Sister Told Me to Give Up My Fiancé (WN)(parent problem and antagonists)
    Chinese novel: (I think most of us have read one).
     
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  2. otaku31

    otaku31 Well-Known Member

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    That's the impression a cursory reading gives. But if you think deeply enough, you will sense literature's underlying purpose of trying to depict the world of life as is, i.e., in its infinite, Shakespearean variety. :blobpeek:
     
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  3. Bellilelly

    Bellilelly Well-Known Member

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    Because with this moronic characters that seems like there’s always quite a bit loose screw, it offsets the main characters as more reliable, op, smarter, kinder, you name it etc.

    And Ig these vain character also easier to write compared to a more complex villain/antagonist. Since they want to make it seems like mc and ml are never wrong but it’s those moronic villain that are wrong
     
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  4. Jevanka926

    Jevanka926 Grumpy and Awkward <3

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    Tbh, in my country, many novels use family issues too. But anyway, if written well, those issues (family, fiancee, school, etc issues) could be great and they could add more depth to the characters
     
  5. SylviaViolet

    SylviaViolet Toast to the ones that we lost on the way⚓️

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    Because it's easier to write dime a dozen villains and 2D characters and pump out more chapters while making money instead of spending too much time thinking about them.

    Of course no matter which language, the best authors always have good works.....

    Just take a look at what webnovel contract terms are to know why they do stuff like this. Required number of words per week and you're done.
     
  6. aShinyVaporeon

    aShinyVaporeon Well-Known Member

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    It could be lazy writing (author knows they're acting like morons, but doesn't change it because it's easier to write morons), it could be lack of empathy (author thinks that characters acting like that is logical), it could be purposeful (author knows they're acting like morons and uses it to further the story in a meaningful way).

    Most of it's the first two, though. There isn't much to do about it. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
     
  7. Ruyue

    Ruyue Well-Known Member

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    Webnovels don't have the tough editing revision process that physically published novels tend to have, well for korean and chinese anyways. Japanese light novels probably have it a bit harder/tougher because the novel is physically being produced and there aren't as many different novel titles being produced all at once. Not saying that Japanese Light novels are always good, but I think they are generally held to a higher standard.

    In general, webnovels are meant to be some well written masterpiece that will be remembered for decades to come. They are just something that someone reads when they have extra time to cool off their brain and enjoy themselves. In Korea and China, most kids/adults probably don't have hours on end to read webnovels, so its probably made to be easy to digest while riding a bus or subway from school to work. (Can't comment on Japan since I do not know their culture to well, but I hear office jobs are really tough there so I assume it may be the same for adults.) Not saying that someone can't enjoy reading something tough like Shakespeare, Moby Dick, etc.

    TLDR; People don't have much free time, so when they do have a bit of free time they can just read a chapter of an WN or something, and that is why it is made easy to digest.
     
  8. Greater thunder

    Greater thunder Well-Known Member

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    Try reading Legend of The Great Sage.

    There are shallow, petty villains, or even merely side characters like that. But any real threat comes from people who use these cliche motivations merely as smokescreens to cover their real intent and goals. And the ratio of former vs latter changes in the capable and cunning characters favor the more along the story goes.

    In the end, it comes down to writer capability and how a reader perceives a work. For me, Overgeared never moves past the shallow stage, despite appreciating the character development Grid goes through.
     
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  9. Yakiyo

    Yakiyo Active Member

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    Thats kinda true. Been reading for a while but this never came to my head actually, but when you pointed it face front, its true
     
  10. zetsuen_dark

    zetsuen_dark [blue is the color of distance]⚓️

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    true. it's really hard to write villains with a true sense of purpose other than fucking the protagonist up and then trying to own the world. esp in bl it's hard to make it logically that the mc and ml are correct so you can't help but put brainless fodder in

    true. personally, the character development for overgeared wasn't enough to cover up all it's fuck ups
     
  11. krishna2100

    krishna2100 Well-Known Member

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    I don't think that the worlds situation is that bad in this area.
    Kindly correct me if I misunderstood.

    Like the novel
    I’m The Ex-Girlfriend of a Soldier
    in which the mc tells a rival of the ex that she is not into him and suggests her to live her own life while giving reasons,and the rival understands it.
    Or the
    The Stereotypical Life of a Young Lady
    where the rival understands her flaw.

    Why the small antagonists can't be like them?
     
  12. Shiroikaze42

    Shiroikaze42 Well-Known Member

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    What you've described are character motivations and flaws, which are important parts of a story.

    Jealousy is a natural and relatable motive for an antagonist.
    Being prideful or having a superiority complex is a big character flaw that can result in conflict.
    The female lead (or any character for that matter) isn't always going to make intelligent decisions, just as most real people don't.
    Having parental issues is a sometimes relatable, or at least easy to imagine, motivator and source of character.
    Fiances are a type of relationship ripe for tossing in conflict involving acting on emotions rather than careful thought.

    How these are handled are the important thing. Do they happen in a believable way? Are the issues addressed at all in the story? Do conflicts get resolved? Do characters grow to overcome their flaws? Do characters reflect on their actions? Etc.

    I haven't read any of the stories you've mentioned, so I can't comment on them directly unfortunately.
     
  13. Bachingchung

    Bachingchung Well-Known Member

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    It's more appealing to the audience if the characters have these predictable imperfections. However, there's a fine line for this, a little bit too much and a character would be ruined, a little too less would make them boring.
     
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