The 10 Most Divisive Characters in Literary History?
Annotation:Post on TheAtlantic.com Identifying 10 literary characters that some people love, some people hate, some people love to hate, etc.
Annotation:Holden Caulfield: “Either you found him a kindred spirit in your youth and continue to sympathize with him — less blindly, more wistfully — as you age; or else you found him a whiner then and you find him a whiner now.” Austin Allen
Annotation:Included because of Paul's amazing monologue about Catcher in the Rye and the influence of Holden Caulfield.
Annotation:Leonardo DiCaprio plays Romeo in Baz Luhrman's 1996 film. Updated setting with Shakespeare's original dialog.
Annotation:Is Scarlett O'Hara truly motivated by love? Or is she a spoiled brat?
Annotation:Is Bella Swan a great romantic heroine, giving up everything for love, or is she a throwback in vampire guise?
Annotation:Heathcliff! The ultimate tragic romantic hero or a cruel and vindictive villain?
Annotation:Tom Hardy plays Heathcliff in this television movie shown on PBS.
Annotation:Emma Bovary, tragic romantic heroine or childish, adulterous drama queen?
Annotation:Emma Bovary, tragic romantic heroine or childish, adulterous drama queen?
Annotation:Our favorite serial killer? While Wall Street psycho Patrick Bateman is unquestionably a villain, the elite lifestyle he details to readers is admired by some.
Annotation:Christian Bale portrays serial killer Patrick Bateman in the film adaptation of Ellis's novel.
Annotation:Does Lily Bart bring about her own downfall? Is she a self-involved party girl, a victim of circumstances, or is the answer more complex?
Annotation:Gillian Anderson portrays the doomed Lily Bart in this film adaptation.
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What do you think? In a March 2012 post on theatlantic.com, these 10 characters were suggested as the most divisive characters in literature, the characters we can't quite make up our minds about. Do you love them or hate them?
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