Quote:
Originally Posted by plain and simple
How so? Relating to characters isn't my number one objective but it sure adds to the enjoyment of a novel.
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I think some people are using the words
identify and
relate interchangeably while others are not. Cida talked about not
identifying with characters - which to my mind is different than
relating to them which is the word you used.
To me, to
identify with a character means that the character is in some way a reflection of you or perhaps characteristic that you wish you had or admire.
To
relate to a character, for me, is what happens when a writer depicts a character so beautifully you can see what makes him or her tick. Which to me also means that I can almost see, hear and touch what the characters are doing. Which has nothing to do with whether they are admirable.
I do get
attached to certain characters, as CarolinaWoman wrote, meaning I find them likable, like real people. But that doesn't mean their lives resemble mine, or that they act in situations the way I would act. It only means that I can see their POV, thanks to the skill of the writer.
I believe the original question was whether one
identifies with the characters. Of course only the OP can answer what he meant by that but the above is what
I thought he meant by that.