Top Ten Tuesday

Woohoo, another Tuesday rolls around, and as we all know, that just means an opportunity to write another list! I found this week's really hard, mainly because, when I'm reading a book, I tend to be focused on the main characters and their struggles and issues and whatnot, and the minor characters tend to fade into the background somewhat, meaning that when I look back on the book, I can barely remember them! That being said, I did eventually manage to come up with 10, although they may not be so much my favourites as the one's I could think of. But I like them just the same! So, without any further ado, here are my

Top Ten Favourite Minor Characters

1. Mammy from Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell- I'm going to be honest- I'm definitely thinking of the Mammy from the film rather than the book, but since the film is pretty faithful to the book, I guess that's ok. I just love this woman so much- could any of the other characters really do anything without her? I think the answer is clearly a resounding no. Let's just ignore the whole slavery thing (just like Mitchell did) and pretend that she is servant to these people out of choice rather than because they own her, because, realistically, I'm not sure anyone could ever really own Mammy...

2. Roux from Chocolat by Joanne Harris- Yes, in the film he is Johnny Depp. Does one need a better reason than this to like him? How about, because he's an extremely attractive gypsy and a total free spirit who I would definitely not mind hanging around with every so often...

3. Karenin's Lawyer from Anna Karenina- You probably know this character better than I do, since I can hardly remember him now, only that, upon his appearance in the novel, I was really amused and I remember liking him a lot. Yeah, I know that's not a very good reason to have him on this list... Shut up!

4. Amy Gardner from The West Wing- Played by Mary Louise Parker, who I just love so much, Amy is my absolute role model- she makes things happen, gets the government to look at their agendas and policy in regards to women, and is basically the woman I would most like to be when I grow up. If only she was real... *sigh*

5. Bob from Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk- I love Bob! He's so so sweet, and I just want to cuddle him and tell him that he's going to be ok. Until he joins a cult and everything just goes crazy, that is...

6. Laurie's Grandfather from Little Women by Louisa May Alcott- But how nice is Laurie's grandfather? I mean, seriously, he's so utterly lovely to Beth, who is essentially my favourite sister, and you can tell that he's faced a lot of pain in his life and yet he keeps on going, and keeps being able to give so much to others, both financally and emotionally. What a gent!

7. Miss Maudie from To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee- Miss Maudie is Scout's main guide of how to be a lady, and what a lady she is! Outwardly conforming to the way society expects her to be, but remaining utterly true to herself internally, she plays the entire town at its own game and always wins, because she always gets to be herself. Another completely amazing role model, in the shape of a relatively small character.

8. Doctor Urbino from Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez- I didn't really like Love in the Time of Cholera very much, but I did like the good doctor's character quite a bit- sort of adorable and fun to be around. It is perhaps, then, his death in the opening parts of the novel that at least partially made me dislike it so, since he was set up and then just torn down as a character. I mean, Marquez, really?!

9. The patients in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest that aren't McMurphy or the Chief- Because, really, how could I choose between them? Each damaged in his own way, but also just so special and fragile that you can't help but love and care and worry about them being stuck in the asylum with a sadistic nurse that I just want to DIE.

10. Lee from East of Eden by John Steinbeck- I'm not sure if Lee even counts as a minor character, because he seems to be so completely influential and such an integral part of the book that he is always the character I leave the book having the strongest impression of and possibly even loving the most. That being said though, the film makes it pretty clear that, in the end he is a minor character, since he can easily be removed from the story without anything actually being lost. Philosophical touchstone he may be, but indispensible (except to me) he is not.

So that's my top ten, how about you? I have to say, I found it easier to think about film characters rather than book ones, hence why there are quite a few books that were films on my list... don't judge me!