I fall in love with fictional characters.  I always have.  I don't remember ever not knowing how to read or loving to read.  My mom took my brother and me to the library every Saturday.  Our favorite book was One Morning In Maine, by Robert McCloskey. 

The father in the story takes the kids to dig clams on the beach.  The father is tall and skinny and wears glasses.  I like men who are tall and skinny and wear glasses.  But, there's probably no connection.  I also fell in love with Peter Pan.  When Wendy left with him, I wanted to be Wendy. 

As I grew up, the teen years;  I skipped over Nancy Drew and started reading things like Peyton Place by Grace Metallious and Valley of the Dolls by Jacqueline Sussan.  I got through the trashy novel period and read "good" books.  My favorite novel of all time is To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee.  As an English teacher, it is also my favorite novel to teach.  I love Atticus Finch, I reallly do.  I believe with all my heart that he is 'the perfect man.'  It doesn't hurt that when I reread it, I envision him looking like the actor Gregory Peck who portrays him in the also excellent movie.  Gregory Peck is a beautiful man.

But, I also love Rhett Butler;  Gone with the Wind is also a favorite novel, I read it every couple of years.  Again, it doesn't hurt that I envision Rhett, as the 'oh so charming,' Clark Gable. 

I love Humphrey Bogart in the old movie Sabrina with Audrey Hepburn, even more than I love William Holden, the younger brother,  who also makes my heart do flip-flops. 

But, this is not about actors and movies.  It is about fictional characters from great books.  But, before I stop, I must mention Sam Shepard in Baby Boom, with Diane Keaton, Harry Connick Jr. in Hope Floats, Colin Firth in Bridgett Jones' Diary, Tom Hanks in You've Got Mail, Jude Law in Cold Mountain, and Matthew McFayden in the Kiera Knightley version of Pride and Prejudice.  Matthew McFayden is tall, and straight (beautiful posture), and perfect and georgous and that is how Mr. Darcy should look.  I think Jane Austen would be pleased with the casting choice. 

Are all women in love with Mr. Darcy,or is it  just me? 

With Colin Firth, Jude Law, and Matthew McFayden, a lot of appeal is the English accent.  Hugh Laurie  (House) and Simon Baker (The Mentalist) are also English, but use an American accent for American television.  I wish they wouldn't. 

Again, I digress. 

This all came to me the other night when I woke at 2:00 AM and turned on the television to find that PBS was showing the Masterpiece Theatre production of Wuthering Heights,"  without commercial interruption."  So, of course, I watched it, instead of going back to sleep.  Heathcliff and Cathy are beautiful and passionate and exciting,  but neither of them has any "redeeming qualities."  Their selfishness  is amazing.  I have read Twilight, the vampire saga, by Stephenie Meyer.  My teenaged daughters are reading the series too.  Edward Cullen, the vampire hero, makes an observation about Heathcliff and Cathy to Bella Swan, the novel's heroine.  Bella reads Wuthering Heights over and over, which concerns Edward, who encourages her to broaden her scope; expand her reading horizons.  He says that Heathcliff and Cathy have "no redeeming qualities," to which Bella replies that their redeeming quality is their love for each other.  But, I am with Edward on this one.  In fact, I find myself rather attracted to Edward.  Edward is 17 forever, but he's been around for 100 years.  He is handsome, charming, brave, strong, intelligent, well-read, and plays piano and composes.  I may love him. He survives on animal blood, not human blood.  He is a great protector of Bella and he is very romantic.  I have seen the movie Twilight  and I'm looking forward to the sequel this month.  

These books have their moments, but  I will stick with the old classics.  Bella is no Scarlett O'Hara, Melanie Wilkes, Elizabeth Bennet, or Scout Finch.  Those are great literary heroines.  I also love Angie Morrow in Seventeenth Summer by Maureen Daly; another novel that I read over and over again.  I know why she loves Jack Duluth and I know why she leaves in the end.  But, it still breaks my heart, EVERY TIME!

Anyway, I should probably try to get over this fictional character thing.... but, I just can't -- no matter how much I try...

 I have found that 'boys in books are just better.'  My daughters know it too.

We'll keep the fantasy.

kf

11-7-09

(Blog update from previous blog)