So picking up where we left off. In Part I we talked about some characters from good literature and film and what men can learn from them, as well as the traits that define those characters and make them stand out in our minds. You’ll notice that I didn’t include some obvious ones like say Conan or Tarzan, I figured I’ve written and recommend them enough that it wasn’t needed here. Speaking of which if you haven’t picked up any of the Robert E. Howard Conan books or the Edgar Rice Burrough Tarzan books you’re doing yourself a disservice.
Both are good and worth reading. But with that being said let’s get back to the task at hand. Which is breaking down more masculine characters from film and fiction and finding out what makes them compelling, what traits make them worth emulating, and what you as a man can learn from them. Let me also say that in no way, shape, or form am I saying that this is the end all be all about a character. With each one I am highlighting something, articles, essays, even small books could be written about each individual character and what all you can learn from them.
Much like with my book reviews I don’t aim to give an exhaustive treatment, instead I look to highlight things that I think you’ll find of interest, nothing more and nothing less. Feel free to suggest your own characters or aspects of the characters listed that I missed below. I’m thinking about doing a third one of these sometimes, so we’ll see how it goes. Alright let’s break down some more masculine characters from film and literature and see what you can learn from them.
Obi-Wan Kenobi – Star Wars
I say the fist Star Wars movies as a kid, the originals. Like most the world I liked them a lot. They struck a deep chord in me, that most humans have. Lucas did some hard work on mythic structure and bringing that to the big screen that was impressive. Truth be told I never liked Luke much. He was kind of a whiny crybaby, though I wouldn’t have described it that way back then. I liked Han Solo, the confident star captain. Plus I liked the Indiana Jones movies and couldn’t separate the characters in my mind.
But one character that intrigued me and that I liked when watching the prequels was Obi-Wan Kenobi. Kenobi takes on the “mentor” mythical role in the series. In the first he’s the wizened old man, in the fourth he’s a young apprentice. One thing I liked about Obi-Wan was the balance he represented and embodied. He was more “human” than some of the other characters. He was wise and also a good swordsman, he cared and fought, and lost. He strove against things he probably knew deep down were inevitable and did what he had to do when the time called for it.
Whether it was strike down one he loved or be struck down himself so that others may live. He puts what needs to be done above her personal qualms and still fails, but keeps going. Keeps fighting and keeps trying, until the end. Interesting character and lots to learn from him. Whether it’s striving to be better, keep going after failures, or guiding those who come after you.
King Theoden – Lord Of The Rings
Alright so another Lord of the Rings character, but I think this one is important. When I first read/watched the Lord of the Rings my favorite character was Aragorn and I wrote a whole piece on him in the first part of the series. But after watching it again and learning more about character development, not to mention life in general found Theoden to be a better and better character. Again I’m not an expert in lore of any series, ever. But I’ll do my best to provide a quick breakdown.
Theoden is a king who when the protagonists of the series meet him is under a spell of sorts and has a poisonous advisor in his ear, misleading him. He’s broken of the spell and the advisor kicked out when he realizes what has been happening to his kingdom, to some extent. It’s under attack and on the verge of ruin. A great army is marching for him. So he leads his people to a keep where he fights that army. Later in the series he is asked to aid a neighboring kingdom, who is under assault by a great army. A kingdom of man.
A kingdom that didn’t come to their aid (bigger point made of this in movie) but he and his men ride out to aid them, and get one of the best scenes of the movie. Theoden falls in the battle, but has exemplified some things over his arc. One realizing mistakes and working to right them. Two doing what needs to be done despite sense of pride and fear for own life. There’s a lot more but those are some of the things that stood out to me.
Allan Quatermain – King Solomon’s Mines
This was one of my favorite books as a kid and recommended reading for everyone, like Call of the Wild it was one of those books that stuck with me throughout life. Allan Quatermain is the protagonist he’s a great hunter and an adventurer. I have no doubt he was at least in part inspiration for Indiana Jones. He lives in Africa and adapted to the more rugged life there. In King Solomon’s Mines he’s tasked with finding an Englishman’s brother lost in Africa.
So they set out and naturally cross lots of dangers from the continent, the locals, and other things. Quartermain in many respects is like a “modern” day barbarian. He lives in the outskirts of society, he’s a man of nature, he knows how to survive in the harsh reality of life. Africa represented the barbarian lands to the people of that time and having a protagonist set there reinforces the “barbarian” ethos. Quartermain has a map that might lead to the fables riches of King Solomon’s Mines that the group decides to venture for.
A good adventure tale but more than that as well. Quartermain embodies what many men hope to become. At home in rough terrain, overcoming challenges as they’re faced. Using brain and brawn to shape the world around them. Not that he’s perfect, no good character is. But there are certainly traits that stood out to me as a kid and still do today. Give it a read, you won’t regret it.
Literature & Masculinity
Awhile ago I wrote an article calling to masculine story tellers. So much of good fiction is lost today because of a combination of factors. It could be women controlling most spending power, publishers closing down, becoming more politically correct, but good masculine fiction is getting rarer and rarer to find. What passes as “masculine” fiction anymore, like much of the “Grimdark” canon is anything but. And this is a shame. There is much men can learn from literature and film, and the characters portrayed within. Study, learn, and be transformed by the characters in story. You’ll be the better for it.
If anything I said here interests you I’d highly recommend you check out The Ultimate Alpha Collection which is a compilation of 16 of my books for the price of 5. It covers everything from being a man to making money to getting the right mindset to getting girls to fighting and more and is a resource no man should be without. Pick up your copy today!
-Charles Sledge
