Top 5 Wednesday: Character Tropes

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I've been really busy this month, so I've been neglecting my Top 5 Wednesday posts.  However, I'm back this week to discuss my favorite character tropes.

Three of my choices are very closely related, and many characters overlap each category.  Therefore, I suppose you could reason that I have a literary "type."  So, please pardon me for my lack of variety.

Let's get into it.

Number Five

Star-crossed Lovers

Even though this is one of the most cliché archetypes, I still really enjoy it when it's done well.  I tend to prefer love stories when there is tragedy involved, so couples like Sakura and Syaoran from Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicles, Heathcliff and Catherine from Wuthering Heights, Romeo and Juliet, and Will and Lyra from the His Dark Materials Trilogy are some of my favorites.  

Number Four

The Child Savior

These days, this character is often linked to the Chosen One trope, which can be tiresome after awhile.  However, I still like literature that features a singularly gifted child led through horrible circumstances because of the expectations and pressures of adults.  My favorite example of this is Ender from Ender's Game, which is one of my favorite books.  

Number Three

The Vigilante

The vigilante is a favorite of mine.  Instead of merely complaining about the status quo, he takes control and does what others can't or won't.  I love the moral ambiguity involved with his work and how this trope can range from the almost lawful good (such as Spiderman) to absolute chaos (think Rorschach from Watchmen).  

Number Two

The Antihero

I know that this is very closely related to The Vigilante, but it is still a distinctive archetype, and it is my favorite type of hero.  I always prefer a protagonist with a dark side.  Not only does it make him or her more complex, but it creates a tense ambivalence in me throughout the read.  I especially enjoy it when I'm not sure if the character is a hero or a villain, as in the case of Severus Snape. 

Number One

The Rebel

I think this list makes it apparent that I like bad boys, with The Rebel coming in at number one.  There are so many different types of rebels, but the Revolutionary (Kelsier from The Mistborn Trilogy) and the Misfit (Sal Paradise from On the Road) are my favorites.  You can check out an in-depth breakdown of the different types of rebels here. 

Those are my favorite character tropes. What are your favorite archetypes?  Tell me in the comments below.

To see my last Top 5 Wednesday, click here.

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Happy reading!