Jessewave's Blog

[erastes]

My post this week for Jessewave's blog is TOO GOOD TO BE STU and discusses the Gary Stu.

Do come along and share your thoughts!

Comments

[emeraldsedai.livejournal.com]

Great post! I'm trying to post a comment there, but it doesn't look like it's working, so I'm pasting it here too:

I'm guessing that there's some connection between the Perfect Hero tendency and the tendency ingrained in many girls from early on not to create conflict. Many of us (perhaps over a certain age--I'd like to think girls are raised to be more empowered these days) have to force ourselves to create conflict in our storytelling.

And, given the way beauty is commoditized in our culture, even a physical "blemish" of some sort feels like a conflict, a difficulty to overcome.

I couldn't agree more that a flawed and human hero, who not only sees less than perfection in the mirror, but actually has something to LEARN in life (preferably from the events and other characters in the story) is a good thing. But I can sure see where the tendency comes from to fantasize a hero who has no problems at all.