Attachment to characters

[PrncRny]

So my wife is doing her first read-through of the WoT after some convincing from me. She's enjoying it. :) Though, after following her through several different book series, i've noticed that she has a tendency to get VERY attached to characters. When she read Mistborn, she bawled like a baby when she though Elend had died at the end of Well of Ascension. And then again at the end of hte series. She's just past Elaida's overthrow and stilling of Siuan in tSR and again, much crying.

This woman, she's adorable. And she's going to have a freakin HEART ATTACK when Moiraine disappears in the next book. Because i'm not going to tell her what happens. SHe's going to have to read on like the rest of us did.

 

Which brings me to my question. How attached does everyone get to characters in the series they read? :) Stories?

[Mrs. Cindy Gill]

in these books, i was mostly attached to moirane and asmodean. it's been a difficult decade.

[Never]

I'm not a violent man, but the day I meat someone who talks shit about Moiraine..

[Leyrann]

I don't really become very attached to characters, but I almost cry when reading that story Moir tells about Manetheren...

[Leyrann]

Can't this thread be closed?

 

Double post, and such things...

[JeffWeissberg]

i'm pretty sure aMoL will be one big tear fest for me. the "attachment" goes beyond single characters or even the story at this point. it's just something about wot that resonates unlike any other book/series.

 

best tear-jerker of the series: "My name is Nynaeve ti al'Meara Mandragoran. The message I want sent is this..."

[FarShainMael]

I have difficulty getting attached to characters anyway, but although that scene isn't a tear-jerker for me, it makes the hair on the back of my neck go straight up just thinking about it!

[randsc]

I don't get attached to individual characters, for the most part. I am attached to the various farmers and other commoners who are now converging on Merilor. I am attached to the Borderlanders, as a group. I am attached to the Aiel, but that attachment is based in large part on their culture and world-view; If they turn into Tinkers, I'm not attached to them at all.

 

That Nynaeve scene was great, and has now been wasted, because the Ride of the Malkieri ended up being written so poorly.

[EpitomyofShyness]

I get pretty darn attached to characters. I bawled like a baby when Moiraine 'died'.

 

And then felt like I'd been cheated when she wasn't dead... *mutters about plot shielded main characters*

[Never]

Rand! Man, they put him in a box.

Moiraine. May the light illumine and protect you. You will do well. Goosebumps.

Nynaeve. That whole line about Lan loving the person that makes her happy, and hating him because it's not Lan.. that's kind of how I feel about Lan!

 

But Rand most of all.

 

 

Then you have characters like Egwene, Faile, Sevanna, Byar, Fain.. characters that I feel a deep, personal resentment towards. My friends know that if I say I hate something almost as much as I hate Egwene, it's serious :p

 

 

Ehm, after posting I realize I should probably clarify, I don't want to be the guy who brings up Egwene hate-posts all around. It's just.. I have a deep attachment to her, the same way I have towards Manchester United or the Norwegian Labour Party.

[Luckers]

Can't this thread be closed?

 

Double post, and such things...

 

I can do you one better, and merge them.

[KaptainKaos]

I didn't realize until the events actually happened but I got attached to Rand having both hands and Mat having both eyes even though many knew Rand would take some more bodily harm and Mat would lose an eye before it was all over. Ha, some of the other characters should be losing body parts to show their devotion to the causes of the Light rather than the ones that have already gone through the most adversity.

[Alric]

As long as I like what I read, I get attached to characters to a great degree. I like some more than others, but I always dread that one of the good guys will die. I can't help it.

 

In the Wheel of Time, when someone says that they think it would be good for the books or for the story that some important characters die, I'm just thinking "No!". I have known and loved these people for so long that I hate to just think about the possibility.

 

I got especially attached to Siuan the first time I read the books. Her development is very well written and RJ had made sure that even the mentioning of stilling made me shiver. Combined with Elaida's treason, and everything that was at stake, that moment was like a kick to my stomach. After that I always rooted for her and always looked forward to reading about her. I just finished tSR in my second readthrough, and the whole book was painful to read just because I dreaded that moment that would eventually come.

 

This time I've read New Spring, and I understand and like Moiraine a lot more than on my first readthrough. It was equally painful knowing her fate in tFoH on my second readthrough, and it was made even worse by the fact that she knows it herself, and we can see how it burdens her. Poor girl.

[Sleeper]

I tend to get very attached to characters. Probably the biggest example recently actually wasn't in the WoT, but in Dr. Who. I've been going through the seasons on Netflix, and the scene where Rose says goodbye to the Dr. broke my heart.

 

In WoT, I tend to really feel for Rand, Min, Nynaeve, Perrin, Mat, and oddly enough, Asmodean. I hated it when Asmo died.

[Dewairah]

Same i hated it when asmo died.

 

I think RJ said he was evil... but i was really hoping that rand was about to turn him back to the light.

 

I think at heart he was a flawed person who probably did horrible things in the AoL ... but he seemed like he was a great candidate for the whole "no one can walk so long in the shadow that they cannot return to the light" etc

[cancan4ever]

i cried when perrin learned of his families death, cried when he married faile, moiraines death, nyneave breaking her block, cried WITH elayne when she was reunited with mat in caemlyn (no i was not and am not pregnant lol), lan raising the golden crane etc etc etc lol. hell i tear up just thinking that its going to be over soon, teared up reading the ToM sneek peeks lol....maybe im just a wuss haha. and on a serious note i bawled like a baby when i learned of RJs death. but on the other hand im not very emotional in real life so its probably some sort of misplaced....and there went whats left of my mind....anyway you guys know what i mean even if i cant think of the words lol.

[francy]

i cried when perrin learned of his families death, cried when he married faile, moiraines death, nyneave breaking her block, cried WITH elayne when she was reunited with mat in caemlyn (no i was not and am not pregnant lol), lan raising the golden crane etc etc etc lol. hell i tear up just thinking that its going to be over soon, teared up reading the ToM sneek peeks lol....maybe im just a wuss haha. and on a serious note i bawled like a baby when i learned of RJs death. but on the other hand im not very emotional in real life so its probably some sort of misplaced....and there went whats left of my mind....anyway you guys know what i mean even if i cant think of the words lol.

 

Huh! Same! I'm not that emotional in real life - but cry like a baby at the slightest thing in this series (and other book series too). Just now I was wiping away tears as Elayne announced to Avi that she wanted to be made her first sister as soon as they found some wise ones to perform the ceremony, because Avi had stayed with her knowing she could have had the ability burned out of her if things went wrong as Elayne was unravelling the gate way.

 

I cry at almost anything happening with these characters - I have been reading them over and over for the last 17 years after all!

 

:-)

[SylvanFox]

i cried when perrin learned of his families death, cried when he married faile, moiraines death, nyneave breaking her block, cried WITH elayne when she was reunited with mat in caemlyn (no i was not and am not pregnant lol), lan raising the golden crane etc etc etc lol. hell i tear up just thinking that its going to be over soon, teared up reading the ToM sneek peeks lol....maybe im just a wuss haha. and on a serious note i bawled like a baby when i learned of RJs death. but on the other hand im not very emotional in real life so its probably some sort of misplaced....and there went whats left of my mind....anyway you guys know what i mean even if i cant think of the words lol.

 

Huh! Same! I'm not that emotional in real life - but cry like a baby at the slightest thing in this series (and other book series too). Just now I was wiping away tears as Elayne announced to Avi that she wanted to be made her first sister as soon as they found some wise ones to perform the ceremony, because Avi had stayed with her knowing she could have had the ability burned out of her if things went wrong as Elayne was unravelling the gate way.

 

I cry at almost anything happening with these characters - I have been reading them over and over for the last 17 years after all!

 

:-)

 

Wow. I thought I was just retiredly sensitive or something. I bawl like hell over books, especially upon finishing.

 

I'm pretty attached to a lot of the WoT characters. I like Mat, and I'm glad we pretty much know he's going to live. I'm also attached to Rand, Min, Moiraine, and, to a lesser extent, the more interesting among the Forsaken. I was a little worried about Moridin killing Graendal, which surprised me. But of course he let her off with... well, I don't think being raped by Shaidar Haran is a slap on the wrist, but I figured this close to the end, we would lose some Forsaken. They might not be the brightest criminals out there, but I kind of like them, especially Graendal, Moridin, and Cyndane.... Come to think of it, I'd probably feel bad for Moggy too, but that's just because she's a wuss.

 

Among the minor characters, I like Siuan a lot. I also like Bayle Domon! He's cool, though a lil less cool since getting with Ms. Shipless. I'm also rather fond of the Sea Folk every since they out-arrogant-ass-holed the AS. That's no small feat.

[Dewairah]

I almost shed a Man Tear , when the asha'man did the rolling ring of earth and fire at dumais wells. 'twas marvellous

[Quazie89]

I don't know if I would like WOT half as good as do now if I wasn't attached to at least some of the characters. My favorites are Mat, Rand, Lan, but I don't know if I would've been able to finish the series if Mat had died earlier on in the books. because he's my number one favorite.

[Dewairah]

You've got a good point Quazie.. i was semi-crushed when moiraine died.

 

I really grew to love her in the fact that she went through hell and highwater for rand and the boys and once rand took callandor she really really wanted what was best for rand and wanted to help him .. to the point where she let him boss her around, just so she could remain close to help advise him. When she was "killed" it was so upsetting.

 

I didnt cry though. It was just hot in here. My eyeballs were sweating

[Alric]

Man Tear ™

 

Now I get it..

 

 

 

[Feral]

I would hate for anything to happen to Lan and Nynaeve. Can't think of anyone else I'm that attached to atm...

[Turin Turambar]

I would hate for anything to happen to Lan and Nynaeve. Can't think of anyone else I'm that attached to atm...

I agree. I just finished rereading New Spring and Lan is definitely the man. Nyn is cool too. I am afraid that they may not have the future we could hope for though.

[FarShainMael]

Man Tear ™

 

Now I get it..

 

Groan!!!

 

Actually when it comes to spine-tingling moments, I just came across this one..

 

She thought of Nynaeve and cracks in a wall. Without trying, without thinking what she was doing,that young woman had put cracks in Lan's walls and seeded the cracks with creepers..

 

He had always said he was wedded with death. Now a new bride had captured his eyes, though he was blind to it. He thought he still stood strong behind his walls, but Nynaeve had laced bridal flowers in his hair.