Amazing and/or Underappreciated Characters

 

 I have been working on this post for a LONG time!  I sometimes feel sad that some characters (in movies and books) don't get the love and recognition that they deserve.  Many of the best characters ever are minor ones.  All of the attention is focused on the conflict between the protagonist and the antagonist.  I wanted to take a moment just to give a salute to some of my favoirte minor characters.  I added a few more well known characters too if I liked them enough.  I tried not to give away too much about the plot lines.  But sometimes it was unavoidable (like with Severus Snape).  I made sure to put a warning about spoilers on those ones though.

• HAYMITCH  ("The Hunger Games" series, by Suzanne Collins)

 

 

I love Haymitch Abernathy.  Though, explaining his character to people who've never read the book can be awkward.  This is how it normally goes:  "You should really read The Hunger Games!  It's a great book!  My favorite character is definitely Haymitch.  Who is he?  Well to start off, he's a drunk...what?  Why have you just looked at me like I've lost my marbles and/or snorted with laughter?  I'm serious!  He's a great character!"  Haymitch is the only living District 12 victor of the Hunger Games.  He's middle-aged, usually looks unkempt, and yes...he's a drunk.  But in his defense, his life has sucked.  He was a tribute in the 50th Hunger Games (the second Quarter Quell) where there were twice as many tributes as normal.  He had an ally in the arena; a girl called Maysilee Donner from District 12.  He had to watch her die.  He found a way to use a force field at the edge of the arena (put there to keep the tributes from escaping) as a weapon.  As can be expected, the Game Makers didn't take to kindly to this.  He ended up winning the Games and going home.  However, within two weeks of his victory his mother, younger brother, and girlfriend had been killed as punishment for making the Capital look bad.  After that he turned to alcohol.  But every year he was forced to mentor the District 12 tributes as they went to their deaths.  He is very sarcastic and cynical.  Yet this is why he's such an amazing character.  He provides the dark humor for the story.  When he meets Katniss and Peeta he begins to wake up a bit and start to fight back again.  Eventually, he becomes almost a father figure to the two of them.  Despite his drinking problem, his cleverness saves all of their lives many times.

• MINERVA MCGONAGALL  ("Harry Potter" series, by J.K. Rowling)

 

I've always had a soft spot for the smart but very stern teachers (both in real life and in books).  Professor McGonagall is very strict but has a heart of gold.  She teaches one of the most dangerous and difficult subjects at Hogwarts (Transfiguration), is an animagus (she can transform at will into a tabby cat), is the Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts, and is the Head of Gryfindor House.  She is very loyal to Hogwarts, Dumbledore, Gryfindor House, and Harry.  Though she disciplines the main characters in the first book and continues to be very severe as the books go on, we soon see a different side of her.  When Dolores Unbridge comes to Hogwarts and tries to take control of the school, McGonagall is one of the few to openly stand up to her.  She encourages Harry when he is discouraged by Umbridge's punishing him for saying that Voldemort was back.  She even goes so far as to let him go unpunished and offers him a biscuit.  In The Deathly Hallows book (and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 movie), we again see this softer side of her.  Though still talented and strict she displays her own sense of humor and motherly protectiveness for the students of Hogwarts.  It is implied that she becomes Headmistress after the Battle of Hogwarts.

• SEVERUS SNAPE  ("Harry Potter" series, by J.K. Rowling)

Severus Snape is a more well-known character than some on this list, but I love him for the complexity of his character.  (NOTE:  MAJOR SPOILERS!!!  DON'T READ IF YOU HAVEN'T READ THE HALF BLOOD PRINCE AND  THE DEATHLY HALLOWS OR SEEN THE MOVIES!!!)  As a child, Snape's parents were constantly fighting.  He lived in a poor part of town and the local kids teased him for his clothes and physical appearance.  He developed a friendship with Lily Evans, a young witch who would one day grow up to be Harry's father.  They went to Hogwarts together and Lily often defended Severus from other students who picked on him (mainly the young James Potter and Sirius Black).  As they get older however, Severus starts falling into some bad company and habits.  He plans on joining the Death Eaters once he graduates, along with Lucius Malfoy and some other Slytherins.  Lily has noticed and it has put a strain on their friendship.  But the last straw takes place one day by the lake.  James and Sirius are bullying Severus as usual and Lily comes to his defense.  In his humiliation and fury, Severus yells that he doesn't need help from Mudbloods like her.  Later that night he tries to apologize.  However, Lily has had enough.  she says that Severus has chosen his side (Voldemort's) and she has chosen hers.  Later, Lily marries James Potter and gives birth to Harry.  Severus' loathing for James only grows.  Then comes the day when he overhears the prophecy about the one who will defeat the Dark Lord.  He rushes to tell Voldemort, but is devestated when he realizes that the boy in the prophecy was none other than Lily's son (those who have actually read the books know that Harry was actually one of two possible candidates, but Voldemort chose to go after Harry).  Knowing that there is a large chance that Voldemort will kill Lily as well as Harry, he begs the Dark Lord to spare her.  He knows that he can't depend on Voldemort's word though.  So he turns traitor and warns Dumbledore.  In exchange for keeping Lily safe he agrees to turn double agent.  But as we know, the Potters are betrayed and Voldemort was not in a merciful mood.  In the movie, Severus actually goes to the Potter's house after Voldemort's attack, climbs over James' corpse and sobs over the body of Lily as baby Harry cries from the crib.  From then on, Severus worked for Dumbledore.  To make sure that Lily didn't die in vain, he makes it his job to keep her son safe when he comes to Hogwarts.  However, the fact that he looks like his father, the man whom Severus still hates with every fiber of his being, makes him hate the boy he's sworn to protect.  When Voldemort returns, he goes back to his job as a triple agent.  Then Dumbledore is mortally cursed by one of Voldemort's horcruxes.  Severus manages to contain the curse to his hand, but he knows Dumbledore has less than a year to live.  To his surprise, the headmaster tells him that he will have to kill him when the time is right so that Voldemort will trust him completely.  He then gives Severus some information to pass on to Harry when the time was right.  Harry had to die, or Voldemort couldn't be destroyed.  Severus is furious.  All of these years he'd been protecting Harry for Lily.  And now he had to die.  After Dumbledore dies and Snape becomes headmaster he continues to help Harry.  He uses his doe shaped patronus (which is supposed to represent Lily) to lead Harry to the sword of Gryfindor.  When rumors arise that Harry is close, he tries to find him to pass on the information that Dumbledore gave him.  However, McGonagall (still believing that Snape is a Death Eater) chases him from the grounds before he has a chance.  Later, Voldemort kills him in order to be the master of the Elder Wand.  As he's dying, Harry comes to him and attempts to stop the bleeding, even though he still believes Severus to be evil.  Seizing his last chance, Severus gives him all of his memories (from the first time he met Lily to Dumbledore's words, to the doe patronus).  As he dies, he takes one last look at Harry's (Lily's) eyes.  Despite his cruelty and evil appearance, in the end he is the one who proves the main theme of the series most:  Love is the most powerful magic of all.

• MR. AND MRS. BENNETT  (Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

Mr. and Mrs. Bennett are the parents of the five Bennett girls in Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice.  Mrs. Bennett is one of the most annoying and obnoxious characters ever.  Her biggest goal in life is to get all of her daughters married well.  She has no sense of decorum and is extremely loud.  She is giggly and never knows when to be quiet.  Unfortunately, two of her daughters take after her in many ways (Kitty and Lydia) which leads to all sorts of trouble.  Mr. Bennett is a great character.  He is witty and sarcastic (often at his wife's expense).  He has many faults and openly talks of his brainless and silly wife and daughters.  However he really does want to be a good father.  Lizzy is his favorite daughter. 

• PUDDLEGLUM  (The Silver Chair, by C.S. Lewis)

Puddleglum is a Marshwiggle from the Northern Marshes in Narnia.  Marshwiggles are extremely pessimistic and the rest of them tell Puddleglum that he is too happy and doesn't take life seriously enough.  It's hard to imagine, since Puddleglum is constantly called a "wet-blanket" by the other main characters.  He has a gloomy voice and is always predicting bad luck.  Yet despite all of this, he is as brave as a lion and (NOTE: SMALL SPOILER) saves the day at the end of the book.  Lewis even gives him the most important line in the book.  It embodies what is arguably the most important theme in the book.  "Suppose we have only dreamed, or made up, all of those things—trees and grass and sun and moon and stars and Aslan himself. Suppose we have. Then all I can say is that, in that case, the made-up things seem a good deal more important than the real ones."(Caughey 2005, pp. 47).  He's really rather sweet, and the children are sad to have to say good-bye to him in the end.

• MERRY AND PIPPIN  ("The Lord of the Rings" series, by J.R.R Tolkien)

Merry (aka Meriadoc Brandybuck) and Pippin (aka Peregrin Took) are the comedic relief of "The Lord of the Rings" series.  Their friendship is incredible and they have some of the best lines in the movies.  Pippin is a little thoughtless for a while, but both of them mature as the adventure continues.  Their innocence is a nice distraction from the constant battles.  They are incredibly brave.  In the last battle they are the first out of a whole army of elves and humans to follow Aragorn in the charge.

• CLARK DAVIS  (the "Love Comes Softly" series, by Janette Oke)

In the books, Clark Davis is the head of the whole Davis clan.  He is a spiritual leader to the whole community.  His faith, courage, and selflessness has influenced dozens of people.  He is a wonderful father/grandfather.  (NOTE: SMALL SPOILER) Even when a tragic accident leads to the amputation of one of his legs (this doesn't happen in the movies), he still manages to use the experience to help others.  He is the best and most Godly man that I've ever read about.  It really warms the heart.  I wish there were more people like him in the world.

• MENDENBAR  (the "Enchanted Forest" series, by Patricia C. Wrede)

 

Mendanbar is the young King of the Enchanted Forest.  He is an intelligent young man who does not particularly enjoy being king or "being 'Your Majestied' every third word". He is tall with black hair.  He's rather more practical than the royals from the rest of the kingdoms.  Like Cimorene, he finds them silly and ridiculous.  Being King of the Enchanted Forest gives him a unique and fascinating power.  He can see/sense magic and manipulate it.  In the forest this usually involves moving the threads of magic that invisibly criss-cross the forest.  He's funny and down-to-earth. 

• FAITHFUL  ("The Song of the Lioness" series, by Tamora Pierce)

 

 

Faithful enters the series in the second book of The Song of the Lioness series by Tamora Pierce.  The Mother Godess sends him to Alanna to take care of her as her destiny becomes more and more dangerous.  It quickly becomes clear that the cat has magical powers.  First of all, he has bright purple eyes, the same unique trait attributed to Alanna herself.  Also, to Alanna his mews sound like real words.  This is how they communicate.  He can also have others understand him, but only when he wants them to.  He uses his magical powers to do things such as put people to sleep, protect himself from magical attacks, sense danger, etc.  He has a rather sarcastic and sometimes black sense of humor.  (Are you seeing a trend in some of the traits in this list of characters?)

• NUMAIR SALMALIN  ("The Immortals" series, by Tamora Pierce)

Numair (he was called Aram Draper in his youth) is the most powerful mage in Tortall and one of the only black-robed mages in the world.  He's also Daine's teacher, friend, and eventually her husband.  Even though he is a great mage, he is also pretty young.  He is funny and kind, with an asortment of talents you'd expect more from a Gypsy.  He juggles, lights fires, jokes, mends tack, rides terribly, protects refugees from the rain, and can turn into a black eagle.  For being so powerful and important, he's really quite sweet.

• NEAL  (the "Protector of the Small" series, by Tamora Pierce)

 

Neal (his full name is Nealan) of Queenscove is a friend of Kel's.  He is in the same year as her while they are training as pages, even though he is five years older than she.  He started out in the university where he was trained as a healer.  He often thinks he was mad to have made the switch.  He's extremely loyal to Kel and is the first to join her with her war on the hazing custom.  He is extremely sarcastic and rather moody, unlike Kel.  In many ways he's her opposite.  She says sometimes that he has no sense of when to keep his mouth shut.  His mouth is what gets him in trouble quite often.  It was him who first called Wyldon "the Stump" because of his unyielding traditional and old-fashioned ideas. 

• TOBE  (Lady Knight, by Tamora Pierce)

 

 

 

Tobias (aka Tobe) Boon is a nine-year old indentured servant that Kel buys from his abusive master.  She has Neal heal the boy's wounds and buys him new clothes.  Neal complains that she can't stop herself from picking up strays (past examples being her testy horse Peachblossom, her maid Lalasa, and a baby griffin).  Tobe is an amusing character.  At first he thinks Kel is drunk, crazy, high, or all three.  He soon realizes that Kel is serious about taking care of him though.  Neal tells him that she needs someone to look after her because she often forgets to do so when she's taking care of others.  Tobe comes to agree with Neal.  He is extremely loyal to Kel, and does everything he can to take care of her when she neglects to.  The one thing he won't do is leave her.  He follows her around like a puppy sometimes, afraid that she'll disappear on him.  He has a wild magic gift with horses, a stubborn streak to rival Kel's, and can be rather blunt at times.  

• KEL  (the "Protector of the Small" series, by Tamora Pierce)

I probably should have put Kel before the other characters from the "Protector of the Small" series since she's the protagonist.  I wasn't planning on putting main characters on this list.  However, she's such an unusual protagonist that I just had to include her. 
Kel (aka Keladry of Mindelan) is the first girl to attempt to complete training as a knight since Alanna the Lioness disguised herself as a boy for 8 years in order to become a knight of Tortall.  She lived for six years in the Yamani Isles (which are very like the Japanese Isles) where they are taught to hide their emotions.  She is very good at keeping her face blank (her enemies even call her the "Yamani Lump") and she knows when to keep her mouth shut.  This training comes in handy as she is looked down on and treated differently every where she turns because she is a girl.  She soon gains respect though.  She starts a war on the custom of hazing the younger pages.  She takes in stray animals and humans when they need help.  She has a sense of humor, though she doesn't show it much until she gets to know a person really well.  She can be rather motherly at times.  She makes sure Neal (who is 5 years older than her) eats his vegetables, checks the boys' uniforms before they have to serve at a banquet, and teaches the younger pages tips for staff work.

• SORREL  (Dragon Rider, by Cornelia Funke)

 

 

Sorrel is a Forest Brownie and a close friend to Firedrake the silver dragon.  She has a quick temper and is never happy without someone to quarrel with.  She is always complaining about one thing or another.  As a Brownie, she cares a great deal about food.  Much of her attention each day goes toward foraging for, and eating mushrooms.  She is suspicious and sarcastic.  When irritated she uses a lot of strange fungi names as swear words.  Underneath all of the bristles though she is really loyal and a great friend.   

• TWIGLEG  (Dragon Rider, by Cornelia Funke)

Twigleg is a homunculus (a small man created by an alchemist) that was created to serve the golden dragon Nettlebrand.  Having polished his cruel master's golden armor for hundreds of years, when he is sent to spy on Firedrake, Sorrel, and Ben, he is surprised by the kindness they show him (except for Sorrel who is suspicious of him).  (NOTE: SMALL SPOILER) He eventually turns double agent to help his new friends.  He's rather timid for most of the book but develops his courage as time goes on.  He knows hundreds of languages from spending centuries reading in his master's library.  He argues with Sorrel all of the time and is devoted to Ben.

• DICKON  (The Secret Garden, by Frances Hodgson Burnett)

Dickon Sowerby is a simple moor boy that lives near Misselthwaite Manor in Yorkshire, England.  His sister is Martha, and she waits on the protagonist of the book (Mary Lennox).  He's grown up on the moor.  He has an almost magical gift with the animals that live there.  He knows all about growing things and nature.  It is him that Mary turns to when she needs help bringing the Secret Garden back to life.  He is also the only one (besides Ben Weatherstaff, who joins them later) that knows about Collin's recovery until his father comes home and they surprise everyone.  Dickon is very innocent and embodies the simple life where man lives in harmony with nature.

• PEEVES  (the "Harry Potter" series, by J.K. Rowling)
 

 
Peeves the poltergeist is in every single one of the books, but in none of the movies.  He is the embodiment of disorder and mischief.  He spends his days causing chaos and terrorizing students and teachers alike (though he seems to particularly enjoy driving Filch mad since the caretaker is the one who has to clean up the majority of Peeves' messes).  Some of his pranks include loosening the carpets on the stairs so people will trip, dropping wastepaper baskets on people's heads,  singing rude Christmas carols from inside suits of armor, stuffing chewing gum onto locks, grabbing people's noses, throwing water balloons at people, and much much more.  As the books go on however, Peeves displays a loyalty to Hogwarts that is rather helpful.  When Professor Umbridge tries to take over the school he goes on a rampage of destruction at the request of the Weasley twins to infuriate her.  In the battle of Hogwarts he actually joins the fight by dropping Snargaluff pods at the Death Eaters.  After the battle is all over he can be heard singing his own victory song which includes the line "old Voldy's gone moldy".  Who can hate him after that?  He can be a great nuisance, but he's a part of what makes Hogwarts, Hogwarts.  
 
 
• MARILLA  (the "Anne of Green Gables" series, by Lucy Maud Montgomery)

      
Marilla Cuthbert is a spinster living with her brother on a farm (Green Gables) in Avonlea, Canada.  When she was young she had a quarrel with her sweetheart and refused to forgive him when he asked.  Her stubborness punished her to a life of spinsterhood.  Once she and her brother were getting on in years they decided to adopt a young orphan boy to help with the chores.  Well if you know the story you'll know how the mix up happened, and how the orphan girl, Anne Shirley, came to live with the Cuthberts.  Marilla wanted to send her back at first.  But the girl's imagination and stubborness (which perhaps reminded Marilla of herself (the stubborness, not the imagination)) soon grew on Marilla, and she let Anne stay.  Though Marilla has never raised a child before she is determined to do it right.  She is very strict and conservative in her parenting methods.  Anne gets into so many scrapes that Marilla sometimes doesn't know what to do with her.  Despite this however, the two of them develop a close bond that is truly touching.  I played Marilla in a play version of "Anne of Green Gables" last year.  I will say that it was my favorite part ever to play!  She has so many different layers.  On the surface she's stern and strict and old fashioned.  Unlike a lot of people, I find those character traits admirable.  Underneath all of that, she has her own sense of humor and a warmth for those she loves.  Underneath that is a sadness for things that might have been, and a weariness that only Anne seems to lift.

• MATTHEW  (the "Anne of Green Gables" series, by Lucy Maud Montgomery)

Matthew Cutbert is Marilla's bachelor, elder brother.  He's worked on the family farm (Green Gables) all of his life.  He is the opposite of his sister in many ways.  He's extremely shy (especially around women) and a bit of a loner.  When Anne once asked him if he'd ever gone courting he says he hadn't.  When pressed he admitted he hadn't because he'd have had to talk to the girl.  Unlike Marilla, he takes to Anne right away.  Being a quiet man himself, he doesn't mind the girl's chatter one bit.  Anne loves him dearly and shows it openly.  He often says how proud he is of his little girl.  He's very sweet and loves to surprise Anne with gifts that Marilla might say were unnecessary or that would spoil her (including a dress with "puffed sleeves").  Matthew is one of those literary characters that one can't simply help but love. 

• TRUDY  (the movie "Avatar")

Trudy is a pilot on Pandora.  The reason I admire her is that she is the only soldier (besides Jake, but he doesn't count because he's also an avatar) that decides to side with the Navi and Jake.  Grace, Norm, Jake, and Max are all scientist and/or avatars.  They have seen the Navi from the inside so they know it's wrong to hurt them.  Trudy hasn't.  She make the decision to turn traitor on her own.  All of the other marines mindlessly follow their orders to kill the Navi and destroy Home Tree.  She is the only one to walk away from it because she knows it's wrong.  She's also a beast! 

• BERT  ("Mary Poppins")

 

 

Bert is a great guy, and I love how Dick Van Dyke plays him.  He is a man who is homeless and has countless part time jobs, yet he is incredibly happy.  He is content to live simply.  He finds the beauty of being a lowly chimney sweep covered in soot.  That's really one of his gifts.  He sees the beauty and magic in the things most people don't.  Mary Poppins does that too.  He is a child at heart, and yet is a perfect gentleman (not to mention a great singer and dancer).  He also knows Mary so well that he knows just what she's trying to accomplish.  When the children have escaped the bank and run away from their father he explains to them how their father needs their love and help just as much as they need it from him.  Later, once the chimney sweeps have left the house and Mr. Banks has received the call to go to the bank that night (to be fired), Bert doesn't need Mary Poppins to tell him what to say.  It's really him that gets Mr. Banks thinking about how he needs to spend more time with his children before they are all grown up.  I love that scene.  I tried to find it on YouTube so I could put it here, but no luck.  Anyway, if you've seen the movie you know what I mean.  Then after Bert leaves, right on cue, Mary Poppins sends Jane and Michael to apologize to their father and to give him the tuppence that caused the day's trouble.  She didn't need to check.  She knew that Bert would have said the perfect things to start Mr. Banks' mind working. 

 

• CLAIRE  ("Letters to Juliet")

Recently a church friend pointed out that this movie was amazing because it is so pure in a world of dirty romance movies.  I have to agree wholeheartedly.  The girl is engaged and the Charlie,guy who loves her, backs off gracefully so as not to make her choose.  The main love story is about an elderly lady who goes looking for her long lost true love.  That's Claire.  She's the world's best grandma figure.  She's extremely sweet and loving.  She raised her grandson Charlie and their relationship is wonderful.  She acts motherly, like when she makes him look Sophie in the eye and apologize for being insensitive.  And he is protective and worried about her.  Claire is a beautiful person with a purity and sincerity that is lacking in a lot of movie characters these days.



Well, that's enough for now.  I'm sure I'll find more great minor characters later, and I might write about them on different posts.  For right now though, I really need to publish this post.  I started it several weeks ago!


(It's been months since I've made a post, and when I do it's only to add on to this one. Sorry! I'll work on a new one soon!)

• Little Arliss  ("Old Yeller" and "Savage Sam")

 

Little Arliss is a character from Fred Gipson's Old Yeller and Savage Sam.  He embodies the spirit of the world's pesky younger siblings.  He's always getting into mischief and driving his family up the wall.  Yet he retains an innocence that is very refreshing.  In many ways he's the comedic relief of the stories.  I know many people refuse to read Old Yeller because of the ending.  But I find it to be a wonderful book and I think that everyone ought to read it. 

 

(I'm adding on again.  Big surprise.)

 

• Master Shifu (Kung Fu Panda)     

Master Shifu is a wonderful mentor character from the King Fu Panda movies.  He is unusual because he has more layers and a greater character arc than most mentor characters.  In many ways, he changes more than the main character of Po.  Po's big lesson is to be yourself and be the best that you can be and you can do anything.  Shifu has to completely change his way of thinking.  Another thing that is a bit unusual about Shifu is that he is the mentor, and the student.  Master Oogway trained him and is still very much in charge for most of the movie, though Shifu does more of the day to day stuff.  The only other obvious example of this teacher of the teacher that I can think of (thought I'm sure there are more) is Master Qui gon and Obi wan Kenobi.  There are a few others, like Brom and Master Oromis, but you hardly ever see them interact, you just hear about how they taught them long ago.  Master Shifu has great humor, emotion, a great backstory, and yet is a great mentor to Po.