Wednesday, December 1, 2010

10 Characters you'd want to be BFF with!

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish. This meme was created because we are particularly fond of lists here at The Broke and the Bookish. We'd love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!


I fall in love with my book characters all the time, but even more often I become firm friends with them. When you spend 300 pages going through their ups and downs, hearing the thoughts they're too afraid to share out loud and sometimes spanning whole years with them it isn't hard to imagine why! With this considered though it's hard to pick just 10 characters I want to be friends with, I can't guarantee I'll manage it too well (expect a few post-scripts and honorable mentions!) and it certainly will NOT be in any particular order!

1. Harry, Ron and Hermione from Harry Potter.  
I couldn't possibly pick just one, not because I love them all so much (though I do) but because I always wanted to be in a best friends group like they're in. They depend on one another so much so that they're literally three parts of a single being, they're the personification of  the saying 'together we stand strong, divided we fall'. They fight and argue and bicker, sometimes over the most stupid of things but their friendship always overcomes whatever the hurdle. They're willing to risk their lives for one another, and they literally do so in every single book in the series. I always imagined myself as the fourth member of that gang, not on the periphery like Neville or Ginny but a friend that adds something to the group dynamic and is indispensable and that they are willing to risk their lives for over and over. 

2. Claudia Kishi from The Baby-sitter's Club.
I always loved Claudia, she was creative and different, she loved junk food and she never seemed to cross over to bitch quite as easily as some of the other girls (*cough* Kristy and Stacy). I always wished I could be as adventurous as she was with her outfits, even now I can't get close to her outrageous mixing and matching.

 3. Christopher Chant from Diana Wynne Jones' Crestomanci series. 
In the Lives of Christopher Chant we're introduced to a boy who refuses to conform or abide by the stuffy rules imposed on him. He's adventurous, spontaneous, honourable and quick-thinking and a whole lot  of fun. And then he becomes an adult in a commanding role but he retains that mischievous streak and dresses in eccentric outfits and seems mad to many people. Actually he reminds of a young Dumbledore, perhaps that's why I've always remembered him so fondly. 

4. Francis from The Dangerous Lives of Alter Boys.  
Francis is a 13 year old boy suffering in the way only 13 year olds can suffer. He deals with sexual awakening, love, loss, strict parents, religious teachers and overzealous friends all while battling a hernia and his own crippling self doubt. He's extremely humble and humorous and realistic. I felt his indignation, his hurt, his joy, his doubt as he felt them. On top of all of that he's an artist, and considering how few boys I knew who had (or were willing to admit to) any artistic talent, he always seemed rare and interesting and wonderful to me. 

5. Paul Kemp from The Rum Diary. 
He isn't the best man in the world but neither is he the worst. Ultimately he's honest in who he is and what he wants and when I first read this book at 16 that is exactly what I needed from a male friend. Someone who wasn't afraid to be a bit of an asshole when the situation called for it but was interesting and amusing and adventurous enough to make up for any nasty behaviour.  

6. Judy from Seven Little Australians. 
She was such a spunk! For anyone who hasn't read this basically she was the Australian version of Jo from Little Women. She loved her family with a fierceness unparalleled by any other character I've encountered, and while she may have appeared irresponsible, disobedient and unruly to her father she was simply living her life in the way kids should live. She enjoyed the basic pleasures in life, family, the outdoors, laughter, and the beauty that comes from spontaneity. I, along with any one who encountered her in the novel and real life, fell in love with her loving personality. 

7. Bod from The Graveyard Book. 
Bottom line I'd love to be friends with Bod so that he could introduce me to the Graveyard world! Just think about the adventures you'd have with him, especially considering his inability to accept the rules imposed on him. Hmmm, this seems a common theme in all my literary friends, none of them follow the rules!!

8. Charlie Bucket from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
I could list everyone of Roald Dahl's protagonists here, not to mention all his villains in the Top 10 list from 2 weeks ago! Charlie however always held a special place in my heart. Perhaps it is because of the film, which I loved greatly, but I always saw Charlie as one of the most genuine, heartwarming characters. I can be a little cynical at times but Charlie was always impervious to my cynicism. Plus he now owns a chocolate factory!

9. Dr Who. 
I've never actually read the Doctor Who books but I adore the TV show and I couldn't resist including him here (because technically I can!) because I always, always, always wanted to be his sidekick. Apart from the fact that he could take me through time and space on wonderful adventures, he's a wonderful character who was always quirky and eccentric, adventurous, caring, and lovable regardless of what incarnation you're familiar with (I personally love Tennant more than any other). 

10. Gatsby from The Great Gatsby. 
He's a bit of a mystery, I'd love to take the time to get beneath that and get to know the true him. 

Honourable mentions: Dumbledore (when I am also old and grey and want a friend to eat sweets and drink tea with), Fred and George Weasley (Can you say third wheel though?), The Mad Hatter (for the teaparties and fantastic hats!), Matilda (such a precocious young gal!), Merry and Pippen (a bit like Fred and George I think!) and Jo from Little Women (I couldn't add both Jo and Judy could I, so I decided to show a little patriotism!).

11 comments:

  1. Charlie would be a good friend and chocolate supplier.

    I'd like to be friends with most of the Harry Potter characters, too. Dumbledore would be a nice mentor to have around, and Fred and George would be entertaining.

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  2. Oh no, I forgot all about The Baby-Sitters Club! I used to adore those books! Claudia was the best one.

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  3. Thanks for coming by my blog. :)

    Your list is great. Unfortunately, I only recognize Harry/Ron/Hermione, Charlie Bucket, and Gatsby. But, I've only ever read Harry Potter from your list. I do have many of the others on my TBR list, though. I'm excited to meet the characters and see if they have as much of an impact on me as they did you.

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  4. I hope they do as well Jenni! Read Diana Wynne Jones' Crestomanci series! Not enough people know about it and it is simply wonderful!

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  5. I didn't even consider the professors! McGonnagol would make an interesting friend.

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  6. Your comment on Fred and George made me laugh. I came over here from Linus's Blanket because of what you said about not liking how Laurie ends up with Amy. I wrote a post about that years ago: http://necromancyneverpays.blogspot.com/2008/02/literary-detection.html

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  7. Great picks! I think Hermione, Ron, and Harry are always a good pick and Fred and George would be great fun. You'd always be laughing, it'd be like you're at a continuous comedy show.

    And Bod is a fantastic character. I never think of that book with lists like this, I always forget, but the characters are all so well done.

    I have to check out Seven Little Australians, I've never heard of it before.

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  8. Yes, Charley Bucket. Great choice.

    http://readerbuzz.blogspot.com/2010/11/top-ten-characters-i-wish-i-could-bffs.html

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  9. Oh! First one I've seen who's gone with Claudia! :D Love BSC. Too bad it completely slipped my mind and I didn't include any of them on my list :(

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  10. Yay, a new follower!! I'll try and make the blog worth reading!

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