Saturday, October 15, 2005
Underdog Characters versus Victim Characters
Disney's enduringly appealing Cinderella is at heart a simple story. It's an ageless tale of the archetypal underdog, the damsel in distress, that finds appeal with anyone who's ever felt disadvantaged or unfairly treated. This ability to empathize with the title character is important in a story, but wouldn't go far unless the character rose above her condition eventually. If the fact Cinderella seems something of a victim takes the audience by the hand, then the fact she doesn't buy into victimization draws them fully into the story's embrace. Cinderella never wastes time blaming others for her situation (though one could argue she has every right). Though occasionally cast down and forsaken, she rises time and again to take action on her own behalf.
This is the difference between casting a character as an underdog and turning them into a victim. Underdogs may be cheated, abused, or otherwise mistreated--but they believe in their God-given ability to affect their own destiny. This does not mean they are macho humanists, proudly unwilling to accept help from anyone, even God. Rather, they actively take responsibility for their actions and believe they have the power to change their tomorrows by what they do today.
Victim characters, on the other hand, buy into their own victimization. These characters descend into passive-reactive modes, relinquishing control of the story to stronger characters willing to take action. Victim characters look to others to help them, instead of taking action themselves, because at heart they believe they can do nothing to change the situation. They wait for outside help to arrive, believing they've earned it through suffering. The Wicked Stepsisters could be viewed as victim characters, archetypal Shadows of the heroine.
At first, both types of characters may capture the empathy of the audience/reader. Soon, however, empathy will turn to frustration or eventually even disdain for a victim character. But an underdog character reaches beyond empathy, tapping into hope in the audience and the desire to better oneself.
This is part of the magic of Cinderella. She is the classic underdog, who at moments of intense despair wavers in her belief life can ever get better. What's the use of trying when the Wicked Stepmother keeps changing the rules? There are times in the story when her efforts are cruelly blocked and she accepts help (from the Fairy Godmother and from the mice). But these key events are engineered in such a way to bolster her faith. They appear in the story as just rewards for her effort instead of her despair. This is an important point, because it keeps Cinderella in control of the story. In the end, the mice secure her release from the tower, but it's Cinderella who secures her happy ending by producing the matching slipper.
This is the difference between casting a character as an underdog and turning them into a victim. Underdogs may be cheated, abused, or otherwise mistreated--but they believe in their God-given ability to affect their own destiny. This does not mean they are macho humanists, proudly unwilling to accept help from anyone, even God. Rather, they actively take responsibility for their actions and believe they have the power to change their tomorrows by what they do today.
Victim characters, on the other hand, buy into their own victimization. These characters descend into passive-reactive modes, relinquishing control of the story to stronger characters willing to take action. Victim characters look to others to help them, instead of taking action themselves, because at heart they believe they can do nothing to change the situation. They wait for outside help to arrive, believing they've earned it through suffering. The Wicked Stepsisters could be viewed as victim characters, archetypal Shadows of the heroine.
At first, both types of characters may capture the empathy of the audience/reader. Soon, however, empathy will turn to frustration or eventually even disdain for a victim character. But an underdog character reaches beyond empathy, tapping into hope in the audience and the desire to better oneself.
This is part of the magic of Cinderella. She is the classic underdog, who at moments of intense despair wavers in her belief life can ever get better. What's the use of trying when the Wicked Stepmother keeps changing the rules? There are times in the story when her efforts are cruelly blocked and she accepts help (from the Fairy Godmother and from the mice). But these key events are engineered in such a way to bolster her faith. They appear in the story as just rewards for her effort instead of her despair. This is an important point, because it keeps Cinderella in control of the story. In the end, the mice secure her release from the tower, but it's Cinderella who secures her happy ending by producing the matching slipper.
