Christ-modeling loyalty

So over the next few posts, I am going to take one character element and study it, then list some characters it applies to. This is going to be fun for me because to me, characters are the heart of the story. Once, I voted on an online poll that asked: Which is the most important element in the story? Plot, setting, characters, or writing? I voted for characters of course. One person commented and said (mind you, I'm paraphrasing here, I don't remember exactly what she said): "Think about Seinfeld. The show is about nothing, yet the characters are what make it so popular." I believe this is very true. What say you? What is the most important element in a novel?

So let's kick off the character study! Starting with...

1. Loyalty and rejection.

What is loyalty? I think the true loyalty I see with characters mirrors Christ's loyalty to us, his people. He stuck by us even when we didn't deserve it. In the same way, I can think of at least three characters who are steadfast even when their friend rejects them and pushes them away.




The first character I'm thinking of is Sam from Lord of the Rings. You know the scene. Gollum's just accused Sam of dropping all their lambas (sp?) off the cliff. Frodo is obviously being swayed by Gollum's twisted council and says, "Go home, Sam." And when the tears spill from Sam's eyes, that's when I want to yell at Frodo, "YOU FREAK!!!! WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE???!!!! So Sam goes. But he comes back. He kills the giant spider (yuck) and saves Frodo's life and their quest. Though Frodo pushed his friend away, Sam could see past that and was willing to go against his best friend's will to be loyal. And when they're on the slopes of Mount Doom, and Sam says to Frodo, "I can't carry it for you... but I can carry you!" and he picks Frodo up... this is my favorite movie/tv show scene of all time. I want to cry each time. I want to be that loyal to my own friends. That's the kind of friend I aspire to be.




The second is Much from BBC Robin Hood. In one episode of the first season, it's startling how much Robin and Much are like Frodo and Sam. I don't remember what Robin said, but Much goes, "You know, a smaller man would be insulted. A smaller man would take offense." And Robin says, "You are the smaller man, Much. Go home." (or words to that effect) It's funny, but it's also really sad. Robin rejects Much, his best and most loyal friend, and you can see how much it hurts Much. But Much never sways in his loyalty to his master, remaining right by his side the whole time. As he puts it, "How do I prove my loyalty to you? I'd chop off my own arms for you. Well... I'd chop off one arm, because after that I wouldn't be able to chop off the other."

(this is a pic of Ben Barnes that I think looks like Finn)


The third is Finn from Shannon Hale's Books of Bayern (The Goose Girl, Enna Burning, River Secrets, and Forest Born). Finn is in love with Enna, another main character, but Enna is very stubborn and can be a bit feministic, as I've mentioned. Time and time again Finn jumps into a fray to save her and Enna flatly pushes him away. Finn never gets angry with her, never yells at her. When Enna rejects him he still remains steadfast, always there for her. I think Finn is the kind of person I want to marry. He's what I should be praying for in my future husband.

So there you have it... loyalty. I love each of these characters. As I've said time and time again, they each remain loyal and steadfast when their friend refuses their friendship and help. They're told to go home, to leave, but they hold out. They remain through the tough times, the hardships, and never waver in their loyalties. I think they're true examples of what we, as Christians, should be to our friends--Christian and non-Christian.

It makes me want to be a better friend!

I hope you enjoyed that. Oh, and don't forget to vote on my poll (0n the sidebar) and tell me which blog template/layout you like best!