Personally, I usually see the character as the author depicts him/her and view them this way throughout the novel whenever their name is mentioned. This becomes a problem, however, when I see a movie first (or movie preview as with "The Time Traveler's Wife"), then I usually can't get those characters' faces and mannerisms out of my head. I however, don't have glasses or contacts, and I dream in full color. So, I wonder if our imaginations have anything to do with our sight, or vice versa. It seemed to be a pattern that, at least in our Lit. Theory class, if a person does not have dreams in color or they are blurred, that person is more apt to see characters only as their names or in less details than those who are closer to 20/20 vision. This presents an interesting experiment!! Help me out here....how do you "see" characters when you are reading?
Now that my classes are winding down and all papers/exams will be due next week, I am making my summer reading list and here's what I've got so far:
(I'm currently reading "The Piano Teacher"by Janice Y.K. Lee - mostly while I bike at our gym)
"Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet" by Jamie Ford and "Unfinished Desires" by Gail Godwin
"The Postmistress" by Sarah Blake and "Dreamers of the Day" by Maria Doria Russell
"Imperfect Birds" by Anne Lamott and "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle" by Barbara Kingsolver
"The Tortoise and the Hare" by Elizabeth Jenkins and Fifth Avenue, 5 A.M.: Audrey Hepburn, Breakfast at Tiffany's, and the Dawn of the Modern Woman, by Sam Wasson
Let the summer reading begin!! : )
Hiii! Its Ella Marie! Your post definitely piqued my interest, so I thought I'd comment! I've never really given a second chance to how I "see" characters, so my apologies if this gets ramble-y :)
ReplyDeleteI'm usually in the camp of imagining a person I know -- for example, my unfailingly sweet best friend Elin always stood in as Jane Bennet, donning a corset and hoop skirt; my endearing, kleptomaniac exboyfriend Young served as Augie March, with dirt smudged across his cheeks and a newsboy cap. I guess I associate fictional characters to their analogs in my own everyday life based on their similar identities, letting their personalities be physical indicators as opposed to their actual given physical descriptions.
Sometimes, though, I attach myself to one detail. Teeth or a thick gut or red cheeks, I don't know. The best example I can think of is ..tritely.. Hermione -- when I "saw" her, it was all the hair: bushy, knotted, with random paper scraps, overwhelming. I think that must be why I was never upset with any casting decisions when they eventually made the HP movies -- well, at least, until they started relaxing Hermione's hair. And letting Harry's eyes be blue. And then I rampaged. Haha :)
Oh, and I have great vision and often dream in normal color, sight, and detail.
Don't know if this helped any way, but it was cool to think about! Happy summer reading :)
I really want to read Anne Lamott in the near future (Donald Miller has been favorably compared to her & I don't know of any of my friends having read her). Let me know how that is!
ReplyDeleteTo your question abt 'seeing characters' - that's a fascinating thought. I'm nearly blind w/o contacts (apparently in the 20/1000 range) and can only see impressions & colors. I believe that my dreams are sort of impressionistic (meaning that I really couldn't say whether color is present or not b/c so much information rapidly changes in my dreams).
When it comes to 'seeing characters' in story, color is a part, but it's not a very important part of the story. I attempt to zoom in with the author's view, but my senses in taking in a room are dulled. Ultimately I won't remember what colors the character's eyes or hair are - much as I'll fail to remember such characteristics in a friend. What I am left with is an impression of character - something I'd recognize were I to find it, but something I'd fail to describe without returning to the pages or the scene.
Interesting thought - thanks
Ella Marie and Josiah -
ReplyDeleteThanks for your input and participation in my little "experiment." It was interesting to read both of your comments on how you "see" characters.
E-I thoroughly enjoyed your descriptions of your personal friends standing in as Jane Bennet and Augie March. I, too, can become attached to a certain detail about a character, but it's usually a certain mannerism or tick that I tend to focus on.
J-I'm VERY excited to read Anne Lamott! I read a small blurb about her personal life and found it fascinating; she's definitely a different, refreshing breed of Christian. I want to read her more autobiographical books, but I think I will start with this one.
I've still not read Donald Miller, but as you might suspect, my dear theologian husband has given me "Blue Like Jazz." Lindsey Jacobs actually suggested it to me too, but I've yet to read it. I shall put it on my list.
By the way, random question concerning Tolkein - have you seen the old animated version of the Lord of the Rings? Scott and I were watching the new Sherlock Holmes and it was on the previews. Just wondering...
Jade,
ReplyDeletewell let me know how A.L. is. Your husband seems to have good taste - we'll definitely have to meet up at some point. I really enjoy Miller but haven't found many authors I would consider similar (and let's be honest I rarely pick up current lit much less current Christian lit).
I have not seen the animated LOTR...I knew that there was an animated Hobbit but never watched it. I do recall (largely with horror) the BBC Narniad - actually I'm still trying to get the Fuller Inklings to watch them for a movie night. The animated LWW I rather liked growing up. Who made it (e.g. how can I find the animated LOTR?)
I enjoyed much of this Sherlock Holmes - it was a little excessively sensational but I like watching really eccentric characters. Anyway - thanks for the post