Good characters and bad characters

[jumbojohnny]

Yes, Shades of Grey as a previous poster put it, that's where it's at, but it's not where I want to be re my characters. I prefer imperfections to not so much put them in really in the grey, but just more honest and realistic; ie, a terrible temper but with a heart of gold; greedy at the dinner table and eating out but is nonetheless very generous, and perhaps someone guided rather involuntarily by their nether regions but is still without malice. I do not like these secret service / FBI / undercover cop stories whether in print or on film where they are so deeply immersed in the bad side of things that they seem to become actually bad; there's loads of these now but I can't read or watch them. Almost forgot, equally on the supposed bad side of the fence, nowt wrong with having someone paradoxically kind and generous, but just can't help helping himself / herself to a few mill' off the back of a security van outside the bank. Old fashioned in a way I suppose, but I know loads feel the same way.

[Benjamin A.]

If the character warrents shades of grey, then that's how it should be. In real life, some people are helplessly evil, righteous beyond belief, and everything in between. I think the point raised about asking why the character is good or evil is what determines the validity of this idea. If he's evil because of madness or black-hearted greed, it would be quite reasonable that he has no redeeming qualities. If he's evil because of some trauma, then it might be more normal that redeeming qualities are shown.

I love a completely evil villain, if it fits. I also love one I can relate with, once again, if it fits. It's all about how the character has been created, and how the author has allowed me to perceive said character. If he's been baby-eating evil the whole time, and then all the sudden you want to introduce a lighter side, it doesn't work for me. My main villains in my current series are completely evil, but I rationalize it by making them heartless in their quest for domination. Those below the head of the group aren't so black and white though, because they all have various reasons for their actions. Some are still fully evil, while others are product of their circumstances. I find it less about the level of good and evil, and more about building their personalities. The amount of good/evil that each exudes is based on that for me.