His family's support has always kept him able to go through life without ever facing his mental illness, but after a severe manic episode hospitalizes him, he's forced to have a wake-up call. She had to talk about herself all the time even when her friends were telling her big news like pregnancy, miscarriage or cancer, she somehow made the situation about herself. She's clearly not throwing anything away: This teenager has already collected a landfill worth of human trash in her few short years and socked it all away where no one else can get at it. As soon as the "Wicked" Witch of the West begins mourning her dead sister, Glinda immediately starts taunting her. Bigot - One who is strongly partial to one's own group, religion, race, or politics and is intolerant of those who differ. In addition, her friendships with anthropomorphized teacups and footstools are stronger than any she's ever had with a human (outside of her father). People have common worries and fears. I get so bored, I could scream." Who doesnt love Charlie Brown from Peanuts? One of the great things about Charlie Brown is that he does not necessarily let his psychological issues ruin his life. But behind this mask of ultraconfidence lies a fragile self-esteem that's vulnerable to the slightest criticism.". Once she settles into her new environment, she comes out of her shell thanks to a doctor (Keanu Reeves) with non-traditional and inclusive methods of approaching her mental illness. Required fields are marked *. Eventually, Benny invites Sam (Johnny Depp) into their household at his sister's request and watches her flourish interacting with the eccentric artist. Through therapy and reassessment, she's able to take her mental health seriously. Build in several smaller moments.@AngelaAckerman #writetip, 6 Reasons Show Dont Tell Can be Terrible Advice for New Writers, Great Writing Links You Don't Want To Miss - WRITERS HELPING WRITERS, When Things Go Wrong15 Tools Inspired by Eastern Wisdom to Find Stillness in a Storm Part II. But there are some key characteristics in the original Arthur Conan Doyle version that tend to crop up again and again, and they all indicate a severe case of Asperger's. Unfortunately, she never grew out of this bratty mindset even in season 6, when she impulsively skipped a Broadway performance for an audition in Los Angeles. Vulnerability is really all about laying ourselves bare. Here are some of the best responses. She's the most selfish character in the series. They feel, think, and behave like real people. Throughout her journey, Alice seestalking animals anda hookah-smoking caterpillar. Sheimagines adrink that makes you shrink in size. At one point, she even asks out loud, "Have I gone mad?" He always felt massively inferior to Mufasa, which led to his thirst for superiority. His crushingly omnipresent sadness threatens to derail every social victory he attains for himself and will consume him if he doesn't find ways to maintain equilibrium despite innumerable triggers. Or how she basically used the unassuming Cady as a pawn? forum to moderate!". War does that to people.". US residents can opt out of "sales" of personal data. The seclusion of the castle along with the nonhuman inhabitants and a relationship with a beast who isn't a sexual threat is like a dream for anyone with schizoid personality disorder. He was self-centred and constantly hurting people who were close to him. Fictional Characters Help Us Understand Others. As discussed above, relatively effortless empathy with a fictional character imbues us with the perception that we are similar to the character in question. Ayers is befriended by Steve (Robert Downey Jr.), a columnist who's searching for the story that will get his life back on track. Whether it's because she keeps it so well hidden from the other merpeople or because some problems are just too big for a crab and a fish to tackle, no one in the film ever addresses the fact that Ariel is a pathological hoarder. Why she ever wanted him back I'll never know. He's the most-portrayed fictional character in the world, running the gamut from Basil Rathbone playing a jolly English gentleman who fights Nazis to Robert Downey Jr.'s Victorian Rain Man/MMA fighter. Remember when she outed Damien to Cady literally a few seconds after introducing themselves? But Belle didn't need to be kidnapped to develop a mental disorder; she comes firing out of the gates with one already fully developed: schizoid personality disorder. Of course they get together at the end, because nothing says genuine romance like forcing someone to admit they're a virgin against their will and then taunting them about it. She gad no regard for her staff's feelings, was willing to screw them over to benefit herself and even used her friends' past trauma against them. She needs the constant affirmation from her mirror. Even when he and Robin were together he lied to her under the guise of good intentions and romantic gestures. He is fun-loving, good-hearted, and a natural leader in his peer group, but cocky about his gifts. So why is it that the thing we fear is also the key to what we want most, this need that drives us to form trusting and caring relationships where we can be ourselves? The same is true for mental disorders in movies. They feel, think, and behave like real people. Which makes it all the more sad when characters gradually turn their backs on her and her crazy hurricane of bullshit. It's amazing he didn't have multiple rape charges against him. (Looking at you, Don Draper, Anakin Skywalker, and Cersei Lannister.). That need to demean people in the presence of others is a primary symptom of sadistic personality disorder, and Glinda's unwavering enjoyment throughout the ordeal is a testament to her sickness. Before you skip down to the comments to submit your passionate defense of Holmes' mental state, we're not the only ones who think he shows up on the autism spectrum. If anything, many would say hes the most entertaining one in the show until you realise just how gross his actions are. Holden is intensely contemptuous of the insincerity of the world and people around him (the "phonies"), yet still strives to find his place in a society he ultimately despises. His struggles are both real, relatable, and inspiringbecauseof his mental illness, not in spite of it. schoolworkhelper If Catcher had been written today, Holden would be nursing a Pabst in this picture. And Ariel's compulsion does interfere with her normal life -- she lets down her father by hunting for trash instead of going to a concert she promised to attend. People with antisocial personality disorder tend to antagonize, manipulate or treat others harshly or with callous indifference. We hold major institutions accountable and expose wrongdoing. . Ever wonder why Lucy kept pulling that football away fromCharlie Brown? Holden has had to deal with both a brother dying of leukemia and seeing a classmate commit suicide while wearing his borrowed sweater. "I don't know what this is, but my teenage rebellion sense is tingling!". If so, wed love to hear your own hot takes on our Facebook page! Do you have an idea in mind that would make a great article? Now watch Scarlett collapse into a puddle of melodrama when she is rejected by a man: It's worth watching just to see him give her a handful of soil in the middle of her crying fit. When readers read fiction, they know they are encountering human-constructed characters, settings, and situations. . Believe it or not, lots of the, People are used to seeing mental disorders on TV. But yes, Ferris seems like the cool and fun-loving rebel, but later on, you realise that he was plain selfish. According to the Mayo Clinic, APD "is a mental condition in which a person consistently shows no regard for right and wrong and ignores the rights and feelings of others. Lets be real IRL, this wouldve been an absolute disaster. She starts out as a straight-A do-gooder with so much potential only to throw it all away! What no one in the book acknowledges, though, is that Holden isn't acting like your standard-issue Hughesian teen, but actually exhibits classic symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. RELATED:10 Best Movies Based on Young Adult Novels. This is the reason no one else will lodge with you. With degrees in anthropology and archaeology, she plans to continue pretending to be Lara Croft as long as she can. We are comfortable showing our true self (beliefs, emotions, dreams, ideas, weakness, and strengths) without fear of judgement. Anxious Attachment Colloquially called 'bunny boiler' or 'clingy'. Instead he concentrates on the visual of seeing the blood and teeth everywhere, or the look on James' face. After all, everyone was 17 once, and likely tried really hard to articulate all the things they felt about stuff. The stigma is lifting, and with its absence, genuine depictions are showcased. Cartoons have always included characters suffering from psychological problems, like how Winnie the Pooh represents mental illnesses. Somehow, we must help them move past their pain. Jane Eyre. As the turn of the century neared, the White Russian was just another bad, outdated cocktail from the 1970s. Discover unique things to do, places to eat, and sights to see in the best destinations around the world with Bring Me! Hence, the dangerous message it sends: consent doesnt matter if youre rich and handsome. "In a few hundred years there's going to be an entire subculture based around this.". In the following infographic, the team at Withdrawal.net looks at 31 of the most prominent fictional characters who are remembered for their addictions that resulted in some major consequences. Fiction is a reflection of the real world, especially when it comes to our characters. Joon Pearl Benny & Joon Benny (Aidan Quinn) and his sister Joon (Mary Stuart Masterson) live a fairly uneventful life until she stops taking her medication and her schizophrenia becomes unmanageable. So if Love and Belonging drives us, it must motivate our characters as well (especially in Romances!). Carrie Mathison (Homeland) Carrie Mathison lives with bipolar disorder while being a top notch agent for the CIA. The Diagnosis: Narcissistic personality disorder (NPD), What Is NPD? The opening scene in the film depicts Ariel raiding a sunken boat for useless bullshit. These characters show the realities of living with them in sensitive and illuminating portrayals. She showed every sign of being a manipulative and emotionally abusive person and never once had a positive play in the storyline. 11 Inspiring Fictional Female Characters. I wouldnt be surprised. Oo yes, completely agree, Kathy. Scott's battle with depression, anxiety, and ADD are shown realistically in his issues around impulse control, executive dysfunction, and various neurosis. As well as helping us understand ourselves better, reading books might also help us understand and empathize with other people, by guiding us to see things from their points of view. In one of the Holmes stories, A Study in Scarlet, he doesn't know that the Earth revolves around the sun (because, he says, the information doesn't have any effect on his everyday life). Characters with a hard exterior may try to act tough, but when they see someone going through a situation that triggers emotional memories of their own past wounds, they cant help but empathise. This seductive behavior, the incapacity to maintain enduring relationships and her persistent manipulation are all signs of a disorder that even Civil War-era doctors could have picked up on. RELATED:Angelina Jolie's Best Movies Of The Decade (According To IMDB). Though BPD is portrayed using humor in the movie, it accurately works to falsify the burgeoning myth that people with her condition are doomed to be self-destructive and self-involved. You can create an infograpic and you could be on the front page of Cracked.com tomorrow! Anyway, back to the matter of problematic fictional characters ever noticed that the true loves kiss was a recurring theme in early Disney movies? He also carries the constant fear of being rejected. When shy Lars Lindstrom (a very against type Ryan Gosling) finally gets a girlfriend his family is overjoyed until they find out it's a lifesize plastic blow-up doll. The public was gripped by the life of the Nobel Prize winner, who suddenly came to the horrific realization that many of the locations, events, and people that characterized his life never actually existed. What curse was placed on the O'Brien family that would give them a son with a webbed foot? Because while we know our characters have this deep need to belong, we also know they are deeply damaged. Seriously, if we had a dollar for every time she whined about her talents being wasted and how her star shines too bright wed have enough to buy COVID-19 vaccines for even the most remote parts of the globe! Yes, I definitely did just lump these two in the same item. Some symptoms are "feeling sad or having a depressed mood, loss of interest or pleasure in activities once enjoyed,loss of energy or increased fatigue, and feeling worthless or guilty. Note the radically different facial expressions. It can also trigger thoughts of suicide, which Holden fully acknowledges throughout the novel ("What I really felt like, though, was committing suicide. We have to let someone get close enough to see the real, authentic us. Yikes, that doesnt sound good does it? A key symptom includes, "Avoiding work, social, or school activities for fear of criticism or rejection. Filed Under: Filed Under: Create, Storytelling, The Boat, Write, Writing 6 Comments. The worst example is Frank Kennedy, her sister's fiance, whom she tricks into marriage only because she needs him to pay the taxes on her plantation. We want to expose ourselves, for our deepest core to be seen. Not only was Edward a creepy stalker (pre-dating Bella), but he was also clingy with zero boundaries (once they were together). While some of these symptoms could just as easily stem from depression, it's important to also point out that J.D. And while those traits would win her a lot of competitive reality shows, they are also the definite symptoms of antisocial and histrionic personality disorders. Dont think that Elsa had some serious depression? I appreciated that the characters, while based on fictional characters, were still familiar. The Evil Queen from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is the quintessential example of NPD. She impulsively purchases a talk show, where she's able to share her opinions with the world, while her borderline personality disorder creeps back into her life. Interesting word, though: trust. Build in several smaller moments that lead up to bigger ones and the willingness to enter a vulnerable state to trust will seem authentic to readers. Honestly, it was quite disappointing to watch her make one questionable decision after another on the Netflix spin-off; from acting all entitled with her dream job, to having an affair with her engaged ex-boyfriend. He bullies Dwight, treats Karen like shit and messes with Pam for half of season three to punish her for turning him down at the end of season two. Vulnerability is a two sided coin that often lands on its edge. No list of fiction's toxic families would be complete without the Wormwoods. She also struggles with extreme guilt for the lack of control over her powers. The Diagnosis: Antisocial personality disorder (APD), What Is APD? Hermione Granger from Harry Potter Series. What Is Major Depressive Disorder? In any case, show another character do the right thing and help (or protect), rather than take advantage as the character has been conditioned to believe will be the result. And, of course, lets not forget about her constantly stealing roles from Sharpay someone who basically dedicated her entire life to theatre! Salinger himself likely suffered from PTSD. The worst example was him leading both Peyton and Brooke on, and making them both believe that he loved them. The North would probably have run for their lives if she showed up like this. Perhaps they are being mistreated in some way. Matilda by Roald Dahl. After spending her teenage years being herded through multiple recovery programs for her eating disorder, Ellen (Lily Collins) doesn't see much point in trying to escape her anorexia, especially since every time she begins a new therapy she ends up weighing less than she did before she started. Vulnerability is what allows people to connect on a deep, meaningful level. Ron Weasley is the Ross Gellar of Hogwarts. (3) Your character must make a choice. Even ifJokerdidn't tangentially connect its main character to the DC Universe, itsinvestigation ofwhat might lead tothe origins of a "psychopathic clown" would be thought-provoking in the context of a callous society. Blunt - Characterised by directness in manner or speech; without subtlety or evasion. It may feel as if you are frequently unwelcome in social situations, even when that is not the case. According to The National Institute of Mental Health, ADHD "is a disorder that makes it difficult for a person to pay attention and control impulsive behaviors. Handing your character success on a silver platter is a sure-fire way to cheapen their development. We made them that way. In It's Kind of a Funny Story,Craig is a depressed teenager whodevelops suicidal ideationand does the only thing he can think of in a particularly dark moment checks himself into a mental health clinic to get access to some medication. Oh, and remember how he tried to restrict her friend group, just because he didnt get along with or approve of them? He must act. Pat feels things too intensely, gets too worked up about trivial things, but struggles to succeed because he's perceived as too high-functioning to be broken. diverting attention away from intimacy issues (Edelstein & Gillath, 2008), . A character can also have an internal struggle when they have to act against their morals or grapple with opposing beliefs. You know, just in case this piece has got you jaded or something, We respect your privacy & will not share your email address. You guys, he literally threatened to kill himself if Allie doesnt go on a date with him. The fact that he got into Yale despite barely applying himself in school is seriously one of the worst messages to send to kids. Dahl's classic tale of a precocious child with magical powers, living with vain . Trust Issues - Kindle edition by James, Danielle. So if Love and Belonging drives us, it must motivate our characters as well (especially in Romances!) She ends up befriending and falling in love with a beast before she knows he's secretly a human prince under a spell. Its predatory no matter how you look at it. Give important characters a backstory. Get the best of Cracked sent directly to your inbox! He's the most-portrayed fictional character in the world, running the gamut from Basil Rathbone playing a jolly English gentleman who fights Nazis to Robert Downey Jr.'s Victorian Rain Man/MMA fighter. Wait, are these thing humans as well? are the property of their respective owners. His entire personality thrives because of rape culture. Personally, I feel that having a set of guidelines for fiction writers is long overdue - while the instances of suicides and self-harm are fictional, the emotions they elicit (and the potential impact on readers feeling these emotions) aren't. While we can argue issues of censorship/political correctness/not being an arsehole until the cows . The iconic comedy trio has had a lot of interesting things pop up along the road to stardom. Is she going to eat them? All the characters are problematic as hell, but she's on another level. A lot of fiction gets more depressing when you realize that writers are usually writing about themselves, whether they admit it or not. Shows like, But its weird to think that your favorite silly, zany cartoon characters can suffer from those same afflictions. But okay, where do we even begin with this particular Disney princess? Have your character confide some of these fears or worries through dialogue, and rather than it leading to being rejected, made fun of, or having ones concerns brushed aside, the other person shows support. Personal story time: Miles Teller is one of my all-time celebrity crushes, and yet I still wanted to strangle this character throughout the movie. She collects everything she can find, despite having no idea what any of it does. Put the character struggling with trust in a vulnerable situation. Seriously, she spent most of the time just whining and depending on Troy. Also read: 47 Upcoming Movies We Cant Wait to See in 2021. Belle is pursued throughout the film by Gaston, who wants to marry her, and while her staunch refusal to entertain any of his advances only because he is handsome seems admirable, she is more likely exemplifying the quintessential behavior of someone who has no interest in sex at all. I dont know about you, but I find it hard to sympathise with someone who nearly killed his girlfriend due to drunk driving and leaving her in the middle of the road. As we have pointed out before, her actions in The Wizard of Oz involve dropping a house on her rival, blaming it on a teenage child and then encouraging that teenager to assassinate the dead woman's last living relative. This dude is as misogynistic as they come, and while Robin Scherbatsky was far from the best character, she certainly deserved better. Theres a famous line from the 2008 film The Dark Knight that goes, You either die a hero or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain. The same could apply to some fictional characters who were supposed to be the good guys, but actually might not be. This can come in many different forms, but some of the most common categories are: Prejudice. The Evil Queen absolutely refuses to stand by and play second fiddle in the beauty department to anyone, which shows her extreme lack of self-esteem and obsessive thirst for admiration. The Little Mermaid is the heartwarming tale of a mermaid who cuts a deal with a cephalopod witch doctor to transform her into a mute nudist so she can seduce a man from another species. But this guys record is hard to beat: multiple attempts at forcing himself on women, manipulation, and even trying to sell his girlfriend for a hotel. Or when she sent Aidan to help an injured Miranda? When Milo (Bill Hader)attempts suicide, he reunites with his estranged twin sister Maggie (Kristen Wiig) in the hospital. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading Trust Issues. We can simply be ourselves and set aside the mask we show to the world. Our only evidence that Glinda the Good Witch is "good" is that she bears that title, and even then we don't know who bestowed it. Cam spends the 18 months of her master's program coming to terms with his bipolar diagnosis and raising their two daughters. I dont know about you, but I think if this were someone who wasnt as cute as Ryan Gosling, it would definitely be deemed as downright manipulative. Accepting that depression will always be a part of their lives is the only way they are able to healthily move forward. His misanthropic personality, which seems exempt from social graces, is comprised of inappropriate emotional responses and forces him to avoid social situations, which is accuratelyindicative of a number of personality disorders, including narcissistic personality disorder. For instance, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders suggests that sufferers are amused by the emotional turmoil of others. 20 Movie Characters Who Accurately Portray Mental Illness, 10 TV Characters Who Accurately Portray Mental Illness, Angelina Jolie's Best Movies Of The Decade (According To IMDB), 10 Best Movies Based on Young Adult Novels, 10 Jamie Foxx Characters Ranked From Heroic To Most Villainous, Nicholsonwon the Academy Award for Best Actor, 10 Forgotten Keanu Reeves Roles You Need To Go Back & Watch, terrifying psychological thriller trappings of, 10 Best Movies About Tortured Geniuses, Ranked, Luke Skywalker Used The Dark Side In The Sequel Era, Star Wars Canon Is Still Missing The Best Ever Sith Lord, Warner Bros Just Destroyed The Rings Of Power. He is a human being! Grow Reader Empathy By Showing A Protagonists Vulnerable Side, Vulnerability: The Key To Compelling Romantic Relationships, The Path To Vulnerability Leads To Deeper Relationships. Can we talk about how her being the supposed smart girl barely even manifested, save for her wearing a lab coat in the first movie and getting into Stanford in the finale? Nash emerged victorious over the paranoid delusions brought on by his schizophrenia by acknowledging that though they were there, they would not rule his life. From giving up her voice just to be with someone she hasnt met, to trying to trick him so theyd live happily ever after; these are just the tip of the iceberg. He keeps trying to kick that football! So it's not until we see her full empire of secret garbage that we know she has a serious problem. Bella Swan might have gotten a lot of flack for being utterly bland (hey, not her fault she was written that way), but at least she wasnt a centuries-old vampire who went for a literal 17-year-old. Want more pop-culture disorders? Writers note: I made it a point not to include living characters from movies with potential sequels and currently running TV shows! Take him through the process of dilemma, choice, action and consequence: (1) Something that matters must be at stake. Copyright 2023 Inspire Portal. According to the Mayo Clinic, NPD is "a mental disorder in which people have an inflated sense of their own importance, a deep need for admiration, and a lack of empathy for others. Want to be featured in similar posts? From there, things just get worse. In a desperate attempt to save her, her family sends her to a group home, which specializes in mental health for young people. She could have evolved into a great, complicated character but instead just made bad decision after bad decision. In fact, it's probably easier to just think of her as Doc Holiday in a dress. And you know what, we're going to give the main character, Ariel, a pass on all that. "Congratulations, Dorothy. Mental illnesses can manifest in a variety of ways. When it isn't either of those, its "madness" is the perfect fuel for horror films by misconceptions of aggressive psychosis. It instead chronicles his years of professional genius, his downward mental spiral, and his eventual recovery in a tasteful way that isn't romanticized. Here we examine how attachment relates to different ways of engaging with fictional characters, including two forms of character engagement previously unstudied in this context and considering important controls. Angela is also the co-founder of the popular site, Writers Helping Writers, as well as One Stop For Writers, an innovative online library built to help writers elevate their storytelling. He began as a gifted professional musician who suddenly finds himself homeless when he's plagued by the onset of schizophrenia. Theories like Erik Erikson's Stages of Psychosocial Development and Kohlberg's Theory of Moral Development, center on a variety of aspects of development including social, emotional and moral growth. We must convince them that a willingness to being vulnerable by trusting another will lead to something deeper and more meaningful than they ever imagined.