What’s a book with a character that’s clearly a self-insert, but it’s actually good?
Maybe “clearly” is too foward, I was thinking of Tom Bombadil, he could be, and i that’s what’s interesting. I don’t think all self-inserts have to be bland characters. Do you have a favourite use of self-inserts?
Albert Angelo by B.S. Jonson. Specifically during the part where he explains the inspiration behind aspects of the book.
TopBob_ on
Moby Dick lol
markdavo on
In terms of favourite characters the first ones that come to mind are:
* Samwell Tarly in ASOIAF
* Bill in Stephen King’s IT
* Hermione Granger in Harry Potter
These are obviously all fantasy/horror books but there are loads of other examples in literary fiction where an author tells a semi-fictionalised version of their own life. **Shuggie Bain** or **On the Road** come to mind.
dem676 on
Michael Crichton does that in a lot of his books. He is Ian Malcolm in *Jurassic Park (*Very good)*;* he is John Kenner in *State of Fear. (Less good)*
emmylouanne on
Patrick Melrose in Edward St Aubyn’s series. Esther Greenwood in The Bell Jar.
SweetHermitress on
Dante’s Divine Comedy outright has the author being taken to the various realms.
12BumblingSnowmen on
A decent chunk of Stephen King’s are vehicles to express his insecurities, so they’re interesting. *Misery* is probably the best example of this.
ChillBlossom on
I felt that 11/22/63 was the most blatant Stephen King self-insert, but the story is alright so I didn’t mind too much. But it was very easy to picture him sitting behind his keyboard, happily daydreaming about being a writer and English teacher in a rural town 60 years ago, a simpler time…. and also dancing with hot lady teacher 🙂 I was more annoyed by the Derry /It insert…
Forever_Man on
One can argue that most of the protagonists in Kafka’s novels are self inserts.
stella3books on
The protagonist in Octavia Butler’s widely-praised “Parables” duology is an amped-up version of Butler’s own strengths, goals, and philosophies. Her short story “The Book of Martha” about a writer talking to god, also has a lot of self-insert elements about Butler’s views on her role as a writer.
11 Comments
Albert Angelo by B.S. Jonson. Specifically during the part where he explains the inspiration behind aspects of the book.
Moby Dick lol
In terms of favourite characters the first ones that come to mind are:
* Samwell Tarly in ASOIAF
* Bill in Stephen King’s IT
* Hermione Granger in Harry Potter
These are obviously all fantasy/horror books but there are loads of other examples in literary fiction where an author tells a semi-fictionalised version of their own life. **Shuggie Bain** or **On the Road** come to mind.
Michael Crichton does that in a lot of his books. He is Ian Malcolm in *Jurassic Park (*Very good)*;* he is John Kenner in *State of Fear. (Less good)*
Patrick Melrose in Edward St Aubyn’s series. Esther Greenwood in The Bell Jar.
Dante’s Divine Comedy outright has the author being taken to the various realms.
A decent chunk of Stephen King’s are vehicles to express his insecurities, so they’re interesting. *Misery* is probably the best example of this.
I felt that 11/22/63 was the most blatant Stephen King self-insert, but the story is alright so I didn’t mind too much. But it was very easy to picture him sitting behind his keyboard, happily daydreaming about being a writer and English teacher in a rural town 60 years ago, a simpler time…. and also dancing with hot lady teacher 🙂 I was more annoyed by the Derry /It insert…
One can argue that most of the protagonists in Kafka’s novels are self inserts.
The protagonist in Octavia Butler’s widely-praised “Parables” duology is an amped-up version of Butler’s own strengths, goals, and philosophies. Her short story “The Book of Martha” about a writer talking to god, also has a lot of self-insert elements about Butler’s views on her role as a writer.
Phillip Roth in the Zuckerman books.