2008 Woodie Awards
On the literary road: University English and film professors pick favorite characters from classic literature and movies
Lisa McGunigal
Issue date: 2/20/08 Section: Special Features
02/20/08 - Several English and film professors recently shared their favorite characters from novels as well as films. The results spanned from Achilles of the "Iliad" to Jane Fonda's character of Bree Daniels in the 1971 movie "Klute."
David Rutschman, an English professor, said he likes a lot of Greek heroes because their greatest trait has the ability to be their downfall, as with the case of Achilles' anger.
"The exact same trait that can be our greatest strength can be our greatest weakness," said Rutschman.
Film professor Harold Hamilton said that in terms of favorite characters, readers most often choose personalities that match their own, or are the complete opposite.
"People I like to read about are not necessarily people I like," he said.
"Suttree" by Cormac McCarthy is Hamilton's favorite book and is also named after the main character, Cornelius Suttree. Hamilton likes the original, versatile and surprising aspects of Suttree.
Another film professor, Keith Wagner, referenced the character Raymond Rambert from Albert Camus' "The Plague."
John Leo said he has three favorite characters from literature. The first is the sexual character of Candy from Terry Southern's "Candy," a satirical twist on Voltaire's philosophical "Candide."
"It's bawdy, racy, funny. It will send crocodiles up your wazoo," he said,
The book was initially banned in 1958 due to its sexual situations.
"Candy herself is just wonderful," Leo added.
Another favorite character of Leo's is millionaire Guy Grand from another Southern novel, "The Magic Christian."
"With Guy Grand, he goes from one episode to another and is always able to buy himself out," Leo said.
As for Guy's catchphrase, Leo said he often says, "Well, it cost me a lot of money to get out of that one."
Guy embarks on many different adventures with his money from a sexual experience with a hunchback to buying a cosmetics company and tampering with the shampoo it sells.
David Rutschman, an English professor, said he likes a lot of Greek heroes because their greatest trait has the ability to be their downfall, as with the case of Achilles' anger.
"The exact same trait that can be our greatest strength can be our greatest weakness," said Rutschman.
Film professor Harold Hamilton said that in terms of favorite characters, readers most often choose personalities that match their own, or are the complete opposite.
"People I like to read about are not necessarily people I like," he said.
"Suttree" by Cormac McCarthy is Hamilton's favorite book and is also named after the main character, Cornelius Suttree. Hamilton likes the original, versatile and surprising aspects of Suttree.
Another film professor, Keith Wagner, referenced the character Raymond Rambert from Albert Camus' "The Plague."
John Leo said he has three favorite characters from literature. The first is the sexual character of Candy from Terry Southern's "Candy," a satirical twist on Voltaire's philosophical "Candide."
"It's bawdy, racy, funny. It will send crocodiles up your wazoo," he said,
The book was initially banned in 1958 due to its sexual situations.
"Candy herself is just wonderful," Leo added.
Another favorite character of Leo's is millionaire Guy Grand from another Southern novel, "The Magic Christian."
"With Guy Grand, he goes from one episode to another and is always able to buy himself out," Leo said.
As for Guy's catchphrase, Leo said he often says, "Well, it cost me a lot of money to get out of that one."
Guy embarks on many different adventures with his money from a sexual experience with a hunchback to buying a cosmetics company and tampering with the shampoo it sells.