This seductive behavior, the incapacity to maintain enduring relationships and her persistent manipulation are all signs of a disorder that even Civil War-era doctors could have picked up on. What curse was placed on the O'Brien family that would give them a son with a webbed foot? This would have been perfectly fine if not for the fact that these two dude-bros literally kissed an unconscious woman. If anything, many would say hes the most entertaining one in the show until you realise just how gross his actions are. Representation is as important in fiction as it is in nonfiction, and it's good to see complex issues like depression, anxiety, and trauma increasingly being treated not only with . ", The first thing to keep in mind is that the character isn't just portrayed as being really smart -- he is obsessed with certain subjects and totally excludes all others. One of the most enigmatic patients she encountered was Lisa Rowe, played with volatile intensity by Angelina Jolie. A fast-talking caffeine-dependent wordsmith, Marcy has never been one to shy away from sharing a good story or two. Getty "Holmes, stop looking through my stuff for clues. People have common worries and fears. She starts out as a straight-A do-gooder with so much potential only to throw it all away! But okay, where do we even begin with this particular Disney princess? Fiction is a reflection of the real world, especially when it comes to our characters. Learn how your comment data is processed. Aside from the usual cognitive behavioral therapy, they examine the romantic relationships in their lives to try to find areas of their unhappiness that they can alter. No solutions to the Grapes' problems are easy or applicable, and the movie handles the stigma about mental illness and obesity with raw integrity by acknowledging the necessity of strong familial bonds. On a different note, weve also previously written about movies and TV shows whose characters arent such lost causes. Who invites three men (none of whom she has ever met) to her wedding, just because one of them could be her biological dad? Yep, the 00s were clearly the heyday of the cold and brooding bro kinda fictional characters. Angela Ackerman is a writing coach, international speaker, and co-author of several bestselling resources including, The Emotion Thesaurus, The Positive Trait Thesaurus and The Negative Trait Thesaurus. The character is not alien to us in any profound sense. Build in several smaller moments.@AngelaAckerman #writetip, 6 Reasons Show Dont Tell Can be Terrible Advice for New Writers, Great Writing Links You Don't Want To Miss - WRITERS HELPING WRITERS, When Things Go Wrong15 Tools Inspired by Eastern Wisdom to Find Stillness in a Storm Part II. The strongest, most compelling characters are those who are authentic, true-to-life. But while were all for character development, none of his misdeeds was ever really addressed. In fact, The Catcher in the Rye wasn't Salinger's only attempt to write about the disorder. The opening scene in the film depicts Ariel raiding a sunken boat for useless bullshit. Scar from The Lion King grew up in the shadow of his older brother,Mufasa. Its predatory no matter how you look at it. A key symptom includes, "Avoiding work, social, or school activities for fear of criticism or rejection. Fictional characters with BPD are also often villainized instead of presented as people learning to exist with their illness. At first, he might seem like that really funny and cool guy that youd love to be friends with. I felt like jumping out the window."). Personally, Im a fan of both the musical and the movie adaptation. She's the most selfish character in the series. In the beginning of the film, while the men's conversation changes from her to the war, she says, "War, war, war. As much as were all for flawed yet complex characters, there just arent enough reasons to excuse Rorys terrible behaviour. And the fact that she did this after reading private entries from her moms diary and never bothered giving anyone a heads up! Barney Stinson, How I Met Your Mother CBS He was a sex-obsessed womaniser who treated women like objects, tricking and misleading them into sleeping with. At the end of the day, I still believe in possible character development and redemption, no matter how long overdue. that goes, You either die a hero or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain. The same could apply to some fictional characters who were supposed to be the good guys, but actually might not be. She showed every sign of being a manipulative and emotionally abusive person and never once had a positive play in the storyline. Many characters have vulnerability issues, and if yours is one of them, you might findVulnerability In Fiction: Teaching Jaded Characters How To Trust helpful to [], [] library like no other, andWRITERS HELPING WRITERS, with her guest post:Vulnerability In Fiction: Teaching Jaded Characters How To Trust. He plays Melvin Udall, a best-selling author diagnosed with OCD, who performs obsessive rituals to combat his intrusively anxious thoughts. Once she settles into her new environment, she comes out of her shell thanks to a doctor (Keanu Reeves) with non-traditional and inclusive methods of approaching her mental illness. It's one of the best examinations of the role emotions play inhuman behavioral development in movies. You know, just in case this piece has got you jaded or something. In fact, she's likely suffering from sadistic personality disorder. So maybe Glinda won the title of "good" by default, simply because anyone left who would question her goodness ends up fertilizing those bitchy apple trees who throw things at tourists. Cam spends the 18 months of her master's program coming to terms with his bipolar diagnosis and raising their two daughters. For instance, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders suggests that sufferers are amused by the emotional turmoil of others. Which begs the question: what was the point, really? Or would they be someone wed rather not be in the same room with? The worst example is Frank Kennedy, her sister's fiance, whom she tricks into marriage only because she needs him to pay the taxes on her plantation. and her bank account, but shes also a terrible friend. His family's support has always kept him able to go through life without ever facing his mental illness, but after a severe manic episode hospitalizes him, he's forced to have a wake-up call. Not gonna lie, he was arguably the best-looking male love interest in the show. After spending her teenage years being herded through multiple recovery programs for her eating disorder, Ellen (Lily Collins) doesn't see much point in trying to escape her anorexia, especially since every time she begins a new therapy she ends up weighing less than she did before she started. Oh, and to top it all off, he straight up ghosted her after all that. These characters show the realities of living with them in sensitive and illuminating portrayals. 20 Movie Characters Who Accurately Portray Mental Illness, 10 TV Characters Who Accurately Portray Mental Illness, Angelina Jolie's Best Movies Of The Decade (According To IMDB), 10 Best Movies Based on Young Adult Novels, 10 Jamie Foxx Characters Ranked From Heroic To Most Villainous, Nicholsonwon the Academy Award for Best Actor, 10 Forgotten Keanu Reeves Roles You Need To Go Back & Watch, terrifying psychological thriller trappings of, 10 Best Movies About Tortured Geniuses, Ranked, Luke Skywalker Used The Dark Side In The Sequel Era, Star Wars Canon Is Still Missing The Best Ever Sith Lord, Warner Bros Just Destroyed The Rings Of Power. Characters Who Didn't Live Happily Ever After, Cartoon Characters You Never Realized Suffer From Mental Disorders. Hence, the dangerous message it sends: consent doesnt matter if youre rich and handsome. Holden is intensely contemptuous of the insincerity of the world and people around him (the "phonies"), yet still strives to find his place in a society he ultimately despises. He embarks on long-winded monologues about very specific topics, oblivious to the listener's lack of interest. It's hard to be normal when the town constantly follows you down the road, singing. ", "This box is where I keep my toenail clippings and hairballs.". Benny devoteshimselfto supporting her in those times so that she can live an isolated life far away from the jarring pace of the world. Cartoons have always included characters suffering from psychological problems, like how Winnie the Pooh represents mental illnesses. Personally, I feel that having a set of guidelines for fiction writers is long overdue - while the instances of suicides and self-harm are fictional, the emotions they elicit (and the potential impact on readers feeling these emotions) aren't. While we can argue issues of censorship/political correctness/not being an arsehole until the cows . This coming-of-age comedy-drama features many of the tropes of teenage films (partying, first love, big exams), but through the lens of a boy dealing with mental illness. 5. No wonder were so guarded with our feelings, careful about our personal information, and choosy about who we trust. In any case, show another character do the right thing and help (or protect), rather than take advantage as the character has been conditioned to believe will be the result. When readers read fiction, they know they are encountering human-constructed characters, settings, and situations. While some of these symptoms could just as easily stem from depression, it's important to also point out that J.D. This is supposed to show that her heart is so pure that she's able to look past appearances and love someone for who he is on the inside. Phoenix accurately and painfully shows the indignities suffered by Arthur for daring to exist with his conditions in aworld that refuses to accommodate them. As we have pointed out before, her actions in The Wizard of Oz involve dropping a house on her rival, blaming it on a teenage child and then encouraging that teenager to assassinate the dead woman's last living relative. To be honest, we skimmed this bit back in high school. You can! . From there, things just get worse. She could have evolved into a great, complicated character but instead just made bad decision after bad decision. These uneven obsessions with random topics -- in Holmes' case, things like tobacco ashes and regional soil consistency -- are not signs of an enthusiast; they are symptoms of a disorder. Joy has usually been the predominant emotion inRiley'slife, but the move gives a voice to Sadness, who soon commandeers her personality. He also carries the constant fear of being rejected. Which makes it all the more sad when characters gradually turn their backs on her and her crazy hurricane of bullshit. In real life, we seek connection with others because we need to feel like we belong, that it is safe to be ourselves with certain individuals. Is she going to eat them? The Diagnosis: Avoidant personality disorder (APD), What Is APD? After all, everyone was 17 once, and likely tried really hard to articulate all the things they felt about stuff. And stop by LinkSTORM to earn you degree in Fictional Character Psychology. RELATED:10 Jamie Foxx Characters Ranked From Heroic To Most Villainous. Ellen discovers ways to confront her deep-seated anxieties and embrace self-acceptance. In the following infographic, the team at Withdrawal.net looks at 31 of the most prominent fictional characters who are remembered for their addictions that resulted in some major consequences. The assailant couldnt steal her good mood. But its weird to think that your favorite silly, zany cartoon characters can suffer from those same afflictions. Scott's battle with depression, anxiety, and ADD are shown realistically in his issues around impulse control, executive dysfunction, and various neurosis. But Ariel has another glaring, deep-seated issue that should be addressed. Lisa was a sociopath, characterized bya charismatic and manipulative nature she used to elicit close bonds from the patients around her. "I find it hard to trust other people . Oh boo hoo, you're terrible at baseball. She burns her way through three marriages over the course of a few years, sticking with each man only until he wears out his usefulness. Bonnie suffers from severe depression and punishes herself by becoming morbidly obese, her youngest son contends with autism and ADHD, and her eldest son Gilbert tries to hold his clan together while struggling with his own depression and anxiety. Having lost much of their resources, his wife (Zoe Saldana) attends Columbia University to get a better degree, and with it a better job. Who doesnt love Charlie Brown from Peanuts? #27: MAKE THEM SWEAT. Eventually, Benny invites Sam (Johnny Depp) into their household at his sister's request and watches her flourish interacting with the eccentric artist. His misanthropic personality, which seems exempt from social graces, is comprised of inappropriate emotional responses and forces him to avoid social situations, which is accuratelyindicative of a number of personality disorders, including narcissistic personality disorder. Maggie is married to a loving husband but is unhappy, and Milo has always wondered if his first love is the one who got away. Cinema in general has had a dubious history of portraying mental health in an authentic or even sensitive light. "I don't know what this is, but my teenage rebellion sense is tingling!". I know he has issues, but it doesn't justify him being the shittiest person, emotionally cruel and manipulative at all times. These are tackled through dark comedy and emotionally vulnerable drama by acompelling performance by Davidson, making the portrayal of mental illness particularly effective. His crushingly omnipresent sadness threatens to derail every social victory he attains for himself and will consume him if he doesn't find ways to maintain equilibrium despite innumerable triggers. She seemed oblivious to the fact that he only wanted her as a submissive despite him telling her countless times. We have to let someone get close enough to see the real, authentic us. Honestly, it was quite disappointing to watch her make one questionable decision after another on the Netflix spin-off; from acting all entitled with her dream job, to having an affair with her engaged ex-boyfriend. Ron Weasley is the Ross Gellar of Hogwarts. To obtain this type of protection, a creator must prove that the characters are sufficiently unique and distinctive to merit this protection. Anyway, back to the matter of problematic fictional characters ever noticed that the true loves kiss was a recurring theme in early Disney movies? (5) The character must live with the consequences of his . She's never open-minded enough to consider other people's view points and the show tries to spin it to make her look like the victim. Well, okay then. Rather than ostracize him, his community plays along with his delusion at the behest of his doctor, helping himcome to terms with prior trauma while at the same time becoming more introspective and tolerant as a whole. Joon Pearl Benny & Joon Benny (Aidan Quinn) and his sister Joon (Mary Stuart Masterson) live a fairly uneventful life until she stops taking her medication and her schizophrenia becomes unmanageable.