Apr 26 2009
Several problems with persecuted heroes
When a hero runs into an obstacle, there is usually one of two reasons: 1) what he has done and 2) who he is. Persecuted heroes, like the X-Men, face major obstacles because of who they are. Here are a few problems with persecuted heroes.
1. Persecution usually makes stories more grim and less fun. This could be problematic. People usually read fiction because they want to have fun. Is there some other reason people will want to read your work?
2. Being persecuted may compromise the hero’s likability. Even though the persecution is probably beyond his control, being persecuted will probably cast a cloud of angst over him. In particular, the hero will become very unlikable if he comes off whiny or starts moping.
