Changing a characters mind about vulnerability is not easy, nor something that can happen quickly. He technically kidnaps children, he cut Captain Hooks hand off and fed it to a crocodile, and he just laughed when the mermaids tried to drown Wendy. Love is not supposed to be a prison with your partner the fucking guard, isolating you from everyone else in the world. Chuck always gets the sense that no one likes him and everyone is making fun of him. But obviously the disorder existed long before there was a name for it, and Doyle didn't have to know what the disorder was called in order to have known somebody with those quirks, and written them into his fictional detective. Way to go, my dude. 14 Cartoon Characters That Actually Suffer From Mental Disorders - Ranker No, Glinda is by no means good. Delighted to welcomeAngela AckermanofWriters Helping Writers&One Stop For Writers,writing coach, speaker, &co-author of manybestselling resources,including one of my all-time favourite fiction writing book series,which if youve been in your writers garret for the last few years, are soinvaluable, youll wonder how you ever managed without. He began as a gifted professional musician who suddenly finds himself homeless when he's plagued by the onset of schizophrenia. Anyway, heres my take: her eventual descent into madness was no shocker. No list of fiction's toxic families would be complete without the Wormwoods. Plus, she was portrayed as a strong and independent woman, but literally ruined people's lives just because she's infatuated with Fitz. I think Ruth Harris said it best when she said: Rules killgood fiction. You may enjoy this offering from her blog by Anne R. Allen: 6 Reasons Show Dont Tell Can be Terrible Advice for New Writers I also love using dialogue as a way to initially create a scene. This seductive behavior, the incapacity to maintain enduring relationships and her persistent manipulation are all signs of a disorder that even Civil War-era doctors could have picked up on. Ariel, there is a certain reality show we want to put you in touch with . We're going to avoid the obvious fact that Belle's relationship with the Beast who is imprisoning her shows all the signs of Stockholm syndrome (and in fact we've already detailed that here). The latter is obviously a horrible human being, but at least she was self-aware. Even when he and Robin were together he lied to her under the guise of good intentions and romantic gestures. In fact, someone with the disorder is more likely to find stronger intimacy with animals than people, so it's little surprise that Belle develops a relationship with a beast instead of a man. Mediocre? Silver Linings Playbookreally kicks off uponhis release, when he loses his wife and access to his child and moves back in with his parents. Or, as the Yale Child Study Center puts it, Asperger's sufferers show "a narrow range of capacities for memorizing lists or trivial information, calendar calculation, visual-spatial skills such as drawing, or musical skills involving a perfect pitch or playing a piece of music after hearing it only once. So maybe Glinda won the title of "good" by default, simply because anyone left who would question her goodness ends up fertilizing those bitchy apple trees who throw things at tourists. Rebecca marks a change in that. And most telling is that Holmes' talents are coupled with an inability to interact socially with anyone but Watson. I'm still grossed out when I think about how he and Aria got married rather than him ending up in prison for literally preying on teenage girls. 20 Problematic Fictional Characters from Famous Movies & TV Shows Alice has manic mood swings, and tumultuous relationships, which lead the people around her to view her as selfish. Then sign up for our writers workshop! Finding inspiration, offering, and encouraging it through creative, and healing practices, ancient wisdom, and modern techniques, to fuel your writing, art, and life. Then The Dude arrived and ensured that it wasnt just another caucasian, Gary. Follow the BuzzFeed Community on. But Belle didn't need to be kidnapped to develop a mental disorder; she comes firing out of the gates with one already fully developed: schizoid personality disorder. (3) Your character must make a choice. that goes, You either die a hero or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain. The same could apply to some fictional characters who were supposed to be the good guys, but actually might not be. Now, lets move on to Disney characters who totally gave the wrong message to many young children. Cartoons have always included characters suffering from psychological problems, like how, Want more pop-culture disorders? The film focused on Riley (Kaitlyn Dias), a happy-go-lucky 11-year-old who becomes depressed when her parents move the family to San Francisco. Living in an era when women weren't considered their most attractive unless their mouths were shut, Scarlett was portrayed as a hard-workin', hard-drinkin', hard-screwin' Southern belle who wouldn't take shit from anyone. Ron Weasley is the Ross Gellar of Hogwarts. Are there any other problematic fictional characters that you believe should be on this list? Personally, Im a fan of both the musical and the movie adaptation. Want more pop-culture disorders? Autism has a spectrum spanning the most high-functioning and the most severe alterations to behavior, and the further along the spectrum, the greater the chance of sensationalism. This is why we bond with family members, form friendships, and search for that special someone. At one point, she even asks out loud, "Have I gone mad?" But yes, Ferris seems like the cool and fun-loving rebel, but later on, you realise that he was plain selfish. He always felt massively inferior to Mufasa, which led to his thirst for superiority. He plays Melvin Udall, a best-selling author diagnosed with OCD, who performs obsessive rituals to combat his intrusively anxious thoughts. She burns her way through three marriages over the course of a few years, sticking with each man only until he wears out his usefulness. Alice's delusions build a magical world that shows her schizophrenic perceptions. content enquiries. Take him through the process of dilemma, choice, action and consequence: (1) Something that matters must be at stake. And to think that this is someone who had all the privilege and connections to set her up for success. Because of course we have to trust some people, dont we? Not cool. Attachment as told by your favourite fictional characters This is the reason no one else will lodge with you. The courts recognized the actas an episode of bipolar mania, not as a crime of passion, and his long road to recovery begins. And sure, you might say that he eventually redeemed himself in the end. : I made it a point not to include living characters from movies with potential sequels and currently running TV shows! These tortured creatures were Munchkins once. Lisa was a sociopath, characterized bya charismatic and manipulative nature she used to elicit close bonds from the patients around her. War does that to people.". We are comfortable showing our true self (beliefs, emotions, dreams, ideas, weakness, and strengths) without fear of judgement. How Reading Fiction Can Shape Our Real Lives - Greater Good The short story "A Perfect Day for Bananafish" also deals with the suicidal thoughts of a man trying to live a normal life after traumatic events, and the story "For Esme" parallels his own traumatic experiences in the military (it was published only five years after Salinger was hospitalized in Germany for his nervous breakdown). Give important characters a backstory. Trust Issues - Kindle edition by James, Danielle. Literature & Fiction Andy Serkis is not an animal! The Diagnosis: Antisocial personality disorder (APD), What Is APD? It's tough to pin down the exact personality traits of Sherlock Holmes, since his story has been recycled in so many incarnations. Trust Issues - Ellywinkle In addition, her friendships with anthropomorphized teacups and footstools are stronger than any she's ever had with a human (outside of her father). Vulnerability In Fiction: Teaching Jaded Characters How To Trust By When she didn't get her way, Lisa's seductive personality turned incredibly abusive, showing a sociopath's lack of remorse even whenshe drove a fellow patient to suicide. Shows like, But its weird to think that your favorite silly, zany cartoon characters can suffer from those same afflictions. Maybe they simply need help and cant bring themselves to ask. 20 Movie Characters Who Accurately Portray Mental Illness, 10 TV Characters Who Accurately Portray Mental Illness, Angelina Jolie's Best Movies Of The Decade (According To IMDB), 10 Best Movies Based on Young Adult Novels, 10 Jamie Foxx Characters Ranked From Heroic To Most Villainous, Nicholsonwon the Academy Award for Best Actor, 10 Forgotten Keanu Reeves Roles You Need To Go Back & Watch, terrifying psychological thriller trappings of, 10 Best Movies About Tortured Geniuses, Ranked, Luke Skywalker Used The Dark Side In The Sequel Era, Star Wars Canon Is Still Missing The Best Ever Sith Lord, Warner Bros Just Destroyed The Rings Of Power. Rose from Titanic. Are there any other problematic fictional characters that you believe should be on this list? In reality, it was a primitive way to diagnose the thousands of mental breakdowns following conflict that we now call PTSD. Benny (Aidan Quinn) and his sister Joon (Mary Stuart Masterson) live a fairly uneventful life until she stops taking her medication and her schizophrenia becomes unmanageable. Most notable among them are a quick temper, a willingness to show a little skin to get what she wants and a cutthroat determination, regardless of who gets hurt. Through therapy and reassessment, she's able to take her mental health seriously. Bella Swan might have gotten a lot of flack for being utterly bland (hey, not her fault she was written that way), but at least she wasnt a centuries-old vampire who went for a literal 17-year-old. Ever wonder why Lucy kept pulling that football away fromCharlie Brown? However, she has some downright unsavory characteristics as well. Phoenix accurately and painfully shows the indignities suffered by Arthur for daring to exist with his conditions in aworld that refuses to accommodate them. Oh, and remember how he tried to restrict her friend group, just because he didnt get along with or approve of them? Conflict creates tension and is used to move a story forward by forcing characters to make decisions. Elizabeth Bennett from Pride and Prejudice. But Ariel has another glaring, deep-seated issue that should be addressed. The Diagnosis: Avoidant personality disorder (APD), What Is APD? "I find it hard to trust other people . PTSD causes that kind of persistent emotional numbing, which would explain his distance from the experience. Fiction is a reflection of the real world, especially when it comes to our characters. She showed every sign of being a manipulative and emotionally abusive person and never once had a positive play in the storyline. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. In It's Kind of a Funny Story,Craig is a depressed teenager whodevelops suicidal ideationand does the only thing he can think of in a particularly dark moment checks himself into a mental health clinic to get access to some medication. Hermione Granger from Harry Potter Series. It then makes you wonder how these crowd faves have gotten away with it for so long; but hey, lets chalk it up to not knowing any better back then. So if Love and Belonging drives us, it must motivate our characters as well (especially in Romances!) In other words, would these be people we would actually like if we met them IRL? She also seesa disturbing cat who can smile and is tortured by the Queen of Hearts, who maliciously intends to chop off Alice's head. 5 Inspirational Fictional Characters from Books. Lets be real IRL, this wouldve been an absolute disaster. Fictional Characters Help Us Understand Others. (Looking at you, Don Draper, Anakin Skywalker, and Cersei Lannister.). So if Love and Belonging drives us, it must motivate our characters as well (especially in Romances!). They show no guilt or remorse for their behavior.". Fearing she will lose the part to a rival dancer,Nina undergoes a grueling training regiment, the result of which incites a terrifying metamorphosis. Somehow, we must help them move past their pain. Required fields are marked *. You've earned your first teardrop tattoo.". Holmes' hyper-keen observational skills, social mannerisms and overall personality have fueled Asperger's rumors everywhere from Holmes fan forums to Asperger's support forums. It isnt necessarily a negativesometimes, we crave it. When readers read fiction, they know they are encountering human-constructed characters, settings, and situations. OK, she's just a kid. Grow Reader Empathy By Showing A Protagonists Vulnerable Side, Vulnerability: The Key To Compelling Romantic Relationships, The Path To Vulnerability Leads To Deeper Relationships. Glinda then takes the dead woman's slippers -- the only keepsake by which the Wicked Witch might remember her sister -- and forces Dorothy to wear them. Doing No Harm: A Look at Writing Suicide and Self-Harm in Fiction What Is Major Depressive Disorder? Eventually, however, after Sam and Joon run away to start a sweeping romance, they realize that the stability Benny provided was necessary, and Joon's mental illness needs treatment, not just hopes and dreams. It certainly changes the tone of the happy ending. Jack Nicholson's character inAs Good as It Gets(for whichNicholsonwon the Academy Award for Best Actor),who wears gloves in public and won't step on cracks in the sidewalk,is so much more than an eccentric New Yorker. What Is Schizophrenia? I get so bored, I could scream." Oh, and who could forget the fact he couldn't handle his toddler son playing with a Barbie, or when he tried it on with his own cousin or when he was rampantly homophobic in the male-nanny debacle? Shuri from Black Panther. Scar from The Lion King grew up in the shadow of his older brother,Mufasa. Yet I still cant wrap my head around how her actions could be justified. Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, images, photos, graphics, etc. With degrees in anthropology and archaeology, she plans to continue pretending to be Lara Croft as long as she can. This necessary suspension of disbeliefof having to entertain the possibility of other realitiesmeans readers of fiction aren't merely learning to understand the world as it is, but, also, how to imagine a different one. If so, wed love to hear your own hot takes on our, On a different note, weve also previously written about, movies and TV shows whose characters arent such lost causes, . In one of the most critically acclaimed performances of her career, Natalie Portman portrays Nina Sayers, a star ballerina in the midst of heavy competition for the lead role in the popular ballet Swan Lake. As the turn of the century neared, the White Russian was just another bad, outdated cocktail from the 1970s. Angela Ackerman is a writing coach, international speaker, and co-author of several bestselling resources including, The Emotion Thesaurus, The Positive Trait Thesaurus and The Negative Trait Thesaurus. As soon as the "Wicked" Witch of the West begins mourning her dead sister, Glinda immediately starts taunting her. Joy has usually been the predominant emotion inRiley'slife, but the move gives a voice to Sadness, who soon commandeers her personality. Symptoms include hallucinations and delusions. I dont know about you, but I think if this were someone who wasnt as cute as Ryan Gosling, it would definitely be deemed as downright manipulative. It then makes you wonder how these crowd faves have gotten away with it for so long; but hey, lets chalk it up to not knowing any better back then. Belle from The Beauty and The Beast. Bigot - One who is strongly partial to one's own group, religion, race, or politics and is intolerant of those who differ. She's the most selfish character in the series. She seemed oblivious to the fact that he only wanted her as a submissive despite him telling her countless times. my all-time favourite fiction writing book series. This is because people with avoidant personality disorder have a low threshold for criticism and often imagine themselves to be inferior to others.". She gad no regard for her staff's feelings, was willing to screw them over to benefit herself and even used her friends' past trauma against them. In real life, we seek connection with others because we need to feel like we belong, that it is safe to be ourselves with certain individuals. His crushingly omnipresent sadness threatens to derail every social victory he attains for himself and will consume him if he doesn't find ways to maintain equilibrium despite innumerable triggers. He spends most of the film in the "manic" portion of bipolar disorder, without much of the depressive state, but whatviewers do see is very genuine; a man who can't see why no one is reacting to life the way he is. Psychologists would recognize that desire to be at the center of attention at all times -- the disorder means a person's self-esteem "depends on the approval of others and does not arise from a true feeling of self-worth." She ends up befriending and falling in love with a beast before she knows he's secretly a human prince under a spell. She was not some girl we pity for being bullied she literally destroyed the lives of everyone around her. Here we examine how attachment relates to different ways of engaging with fictional characters, including two forms of character engagement previously unstudied in this context and considering important controls. It can also trigger thoughts of suicide, which Holden fully acknowledges throughout the novel ("What I really felt like, though, was committing suicide. Holden consistently, almost compulsively, refers to seeing the face of his dead classmate, James Castle, yet he never seems to have any emotional reaction to the event. Even more important, many will feel compelled to act, either to intervene, to support, or to commiserate. At first, he might seem like that really funny and cool guy that youd love to be friends with. are the property of their respective owners. And, of course, lets not forget about her constantly stealing roles from Sharpay someone who basically dedicated her entire life to theatre! You can create an infograpic and you could be on the front page of Cracked.com tomorrow! Even ifJokerdidn't tangentially connect its main character to the DC Universe, itsinvestigation ofwhat might lead tothe origins of a "psychopathic clown" would be thought-provoking in the context of a callous society. Remember that time when she got mad at Charlotte for not lending her rent money? Who doesnt love Charlie Brown from Peanuts? He must act. Belle is pursued throughout the film by Gaston, who wants to marry her, and while her staunch refusal to entertain any of his advances only because he is handsome seems admirable, she is more likely exemplifying the quintessential behavior of someone who has no interest in sex at all. Do you have an idea in mind that would make a great article? You cant have love without vulnerability. ", "Care for a 70th rendition of 'Baa Baa Black Sheep,' my dear Watson?". She collects everything she can find, despite having no idea what any of it does. The loneliness, negative thoughts, and perpetual isolation will be immediately recognizable for anyone with a mental illness, as will the words, "The worst part of having a mental illness is that people expect you to behave as if you don't. RELATED:Angelina Jolie's Best Movies Of The Decade (According To IMDB). All the characters we used to love but now, we realise theyre kinda awful Be part of Asia's most authentic travel community. People with antisocial personality disorder tend to antagonize, manipulate or treat others harshly or with callous indifference. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading Trust Issues. In fact, many teenagers who watched it would say that he and Aria Montgomery were such an adorable couple. Personally, I feel that having a set of guidelines for fiction writers is long overdue - while the instances of suicides and self-harm are fictional, the emotions they elicit (and the potential impact on readers feeling these emotions) aren't. While we can argue issues of censorship/political correctness/not being an arsehole until the cows . Gone With the Wind's Scarlett O'Hara is one of the most iconic heroines in American film. She starts out as a straight-A do-gooder with so much potential only to throw it all away! The 80s was obviously the era of mean and inconsiderate teenage guys starring in high school-set movies. In the following infographic, the team at Withdrawal.net looks at 31 of the most prominent fictional characters who are remembered for their addictions that resulted in some major consequences. Once she settles into her new environment, she comes out of her shell thanks to a doctor (Keanu Reeves) with non-traditional and inclusive methods of approaching her mental illness. Though BPD is portrayed using humor in the movie, it accurately works to falsify the burgeoning myth that people with her condition are doomed to be self-destructive and self-involved. His entire personality thrives because of rape culture. She was selfish, rude and manipulative, constantly messed with other peoples relationships and refused to support Marshall when he got the opportunity of a lifetime. The strongest, most compelling characters are those who are authentic, true-to-life. She literally needs constant praise, or as Rhett Butler puts it, she "needs to be kissed often." According to WebMD, APD"is characterized by feelings of extreme social inhibition, inadequacy, and sensitivity to negative criticism and rejection." Throughout The Wizard of Oz, Glinda never gives any reason for murdering the witches other than that they're ugly and different and therefore -- according to good ole-fashioned Dust Bowl logic -- completely evil.