Anti-Heroes of Novels and Films

Welcome back to the home of the Unoriginal Thinker. This post is a continuation of a discussion of anti-heroic characters. If you had stumbled upon this post and had not had a chance to read the first one, I'd highly recommend going back to my prior post for some context to the discussion. Although I had given some explanation of the general appeal of the anti-hero lead, I never gave any relevant examples of these types of characters. Listed below are my top five anti-heroes of literature and film:

Carrie White:

Carrie White, the original killer prom queen, was the supernaturally gifted protagonist of Stephen King's debut novel Carrie,1974. Carrie as an unconventional leading character provides an opportunity for readers to examine the devastating impact of physical and psychological abuse. The creation of this particular anti-heroine is largely dependent on the emphasis on trauma. The repeated imagery surrounding the abuse Carrie is subjected to by both her school bullies and mother allows an audience to identify with the marginalised figure. She is largely portrayed as a victim within the narrative and as a result, it is hard to completely dislike her character. In reference to Linda Holland-Toll's phrase, Carrie is both a source of fear as well as great sympathy as she is both the victim and monster of the story. Since Carrie occupies both roles as the likeable protagonist and the antagonist, she can still find popularity amongst her audience. Her trauma is moving to experience as it helps to explain her impending psychotic break. Once Carrie had been able to access a deep power within her, it is not surprising to her audience that she lacks any sense of remorse or pity for those who had tormented her; "[i]t was time to teach them a lesson. Time to show them a thing or two" (King 138).

Rochelle Zimmermann- The Craft

As the only woman of colour within the trio of witches in Fleming's 1996 classic The Craft, Rochelle is a standalone figure. Like the rest of her friends Bonnie and Nancy, Rochelle is eventually influenced by her newfound sense of power to become self-serving and manipulate the balance of power for her own use. It is hard for an audience to condemn this behaviour, considering Rochelle's attempts to use her powers to end the torment she receives. Rochelle's race is significant in not only how she is to be portrayed to the audience but in her interactions with other characters. The audience is able to empathize with Rochelle for the uncomfortable conversation surrounding identity and race. The portrayal of racism was largely addressed through snide remarks surrounding Rochelle's hair by her classmate Laura Lizzie."Oh God, look there's a pubic hair on my brush/ That's just one of Rochelle's little nappy hairs". Rochelle as an anti-heroine is capable of and even forgiven for mistaking avenging herself with seeking revenge. It is important to note though that like many anti-heroic leads Rochelle is able to see her own flaws; she is confronted with her own behaviour and is even remorseful of her actions. Rochelle in fact is seen to get very little satisfaction out of Laura's sudden case of alopecia and is even regretful that she continued the cycle of bullying. By demonstrating remorse and being able to look at one's own flaws, Rochelle is able to hold a sense of likeability with the audience.

Mr. Rochester- Jane Eyre

Mr. Rochester can be seen to be an unconventional love interest for Jane Eyre. He is a morally corrupted man who proves himself countless times within the text to willingly do the wrong thing and is motivated by his own self-interests. A prime example of such behavior is his scandalous attempt to marry Jane Eyre, despite being married to his secret wife, Bertha. Once more, the anti-hero lead is seen to find themselves operating with little regard to not only social norms but by a warped sense of morality. The marital situation is revealed to be far more complicated than expected, but this does not exempt Mr. Rochester from criticism. He betrayed Jane Eyre's trust and loyalty in his attempts to make her his supposed wife in a sham marriage. This ill-advised decision though does not present Mr. Rochester as a villain but as a man who was desperately in love and attempting to keep a hold of the woman he truly loved.

Lisbeth Salander- The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

As the protagonist of a trilogy, Lisbeth Salander is an unconventional representation of a hero. Salander is a character that exemplifies a strong sense of self as well as an understanding of right and wrong. The viewpoint she holds is powerful within the novel, as she is often able to identify miscarries of justice and abuses of power but this can be overshadowed by her own behaviour. In comparison to other characters within the novel, Salander can be seen to be very much guided by her moral compass, but her beliefs and opinions often motivate her to take her own version of justice. As an anti-heroine, Salander is able to defend herself and capable of violent even gruesome acts to avenge herself. It is hard not to empathise with her given the way she is countlessly manipulated and coerced by men with power over her but the comfortability in which she enacts revenge is far from the image of a heroine.

Deadpool

It is hard to discuss the archetypes of figures such as heroes, villains, and anti-heroes without looking at comic books for sources of inspiration. Deadpool is charming, quick-witted and most importantly, operates with a weak moral compass. There is no sense of righteousness or moral authority attached to the character of Deadpool. In contrast to traditional heroes, Deadpool does not live to serve society nor feel compelled to act on behalf of others. Instead, his most heroic moments are seen to largely be self-serving. This is not a mere conclusion made by the audience but is confirmed by the character himself. Deadpool shows a great sense of self-awareness and repeatedly reaffirms that he is not the hero that the audience wishes to see. He clearly sees his own actions and behaviour to be beneficial for himself and not the greater good; "I didn't ask to be super, and I'm no hero. But when you find out your worst enemy is after your best girl, the time has come to be a fucking superhero."

The examples I have given vary greatly, but hopefully, that helps to reestablish my previous points about anti-heroes. Unlike their heroic or villainous counterparts, anti-heroes are able to represent themselves in a variety of ways. Like their audience, they are not restricted by a severe set of moral codes nor coded behaviour and are able to be both self-motivated but also have a sense of right or wrong.

In my next post, I will be taking a break from my study and commentary on anti-heroes. Instead, I will be looking at a very different trope that is popular in both literature and film: The Final Girl.

Stay tuned.

Secondary Reading:

Holland-Toll, Linda J. As American as Mom, Baseball, and Apple Pie: Constructing Community in Contemporary American Horror Fiction. Popular Press, 2001.

King, Stephen. Carrie. Anchor, 2011.

Playlist:

A couple of songs to listen to while you read:

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6rvEDi15vpQHCgdXVhA5fm?si=vetCbzmnS-ivRL6aWpeEMA