Writing: Unlikeable Characters

I have seen several pieces on relatable characters. Isn't it the writer to make a characters relatable? We all share a humanity. If we imbue our characters, regardless of the character's likeability, with humanity, then the character ought to relatable. Ee might not like Captain Ahab, but we can understand his desire for revenge.  In my story "Colonel Tom" features what I think may be an unlikeable character. This applies to several other stories of mine. It applies to my Death and a Kiss.

Caroline Frost: On the Unlikeable Character Debate, Starting with a Screenplay, Writing About Toxic Relationships, and Her Debut Novel, "Shadows of Pecan Hollow", an interview, says this about the unlikeable character:

"KBD: Yeah. I found it interesting that, while I was reading a few reviews of the book, there were readers who found Kit unlikeable. I happen to really love unlikeable female characters. They are my favorite to read but I was curious if you wanted to comment on why we are so obsessed with needing our characters to even be likable.  

CF: Absolutely. I have so many thoughts. I think it's a gender thing. I think that it's really hard to swallow a female character that completely issues all social norms, and etiquette, grooming, manner, whatever. I think that it can feel threatening. I think on a very fundamental level, it feels really scary for probably men and women.  I understand that people want to see themselves in the main character, but the extent to which someone can identify with a complicated, flawed character, I think is the extent to which they are in touch with their own flaws and accepting of their own flaws. And this is no criticism on anyone. I love criticism. I love to hear how people are experiencing my book differently. I don't want everyone to kiss my ass. But I do think that the more we, as a culture, can embrace the dark side of our personalities - this is me as a therapist coming to play- the more that we can become comfortable with the parts of ourselves I have so many thoughts. I think it's a gender thing. I think that it's really hard to swallow a female character that completely issues all social norms, and etiquette, grooming, manner, whatever. I think that it can feel threatening. I think on a very fundamental level, it feels really scary for probably men and women.  I understand that people want to see themselves in the main character, but the extent to which someone can identify with a complicated, flawed character, I think is the extent to which they are in touch with their own flaws and accepting of their own flaws. And this is no criticism on anyone. I love criticism. I love to hear how people are experiencing my book differently. I don't want everyone to kiss my ass. But I do think that the more we, as a culture, can embrace the dark side of our personalities - this is me as a therapist coming to play- the more that we can become comfortable with the parts of ourselves that are difficult and maybe unpleasant or not nice. Because, guess what, we all have a dark side. We all have the ugliness.  And for most people, what's underneath the ugliness or the darkness is hurt. It's not badness. It's not a value thing. It's just hurt, fear, anger, shame, whatever, but we all have it.

I agree with all that. But then I am an outcast.

sch 3/18/22