Character Tropes I Enjoy
As a book lover, there are plenty of tropes I’ve seen over and over again. I’ve always been a fan of a story with great well-developed characters. But I notice there are tons of character tropes that I enjoy a lot and can make me quickly love a character. Here are some of my favorite character tropes in fiction, in both books and other forms of entertainment.
Morally-Grey/Anti-hero Characters
Morally grey or Anti-hero characters are very interesting to me. They could be unpredictable, be doing bad things for a good cause, not care about anyone’s wellbeing except themselves, or just not have a strict moral compass. Which makes reading about them intriguing. Since no one in real life is perfectly black or white morality-wise, morally grey characters are more realistic and/or relatable. I like the unpredictableness of Morally grey characters because they always keep me guessing on what they’re going to do and if they should be trusted or not. So if I know a character is an Anti-hero, I’m more likely to want to read the story.
Examples:
The Funny Lovable Idiot Character
The funny sidekick or Himbo-type character is always a fun character in a book or series. It may be because of their sarcasm, snarkiness, or just them being an idiot. Also, these characters tend to be helpful in lighting up the mood in a particularly dark scene or story. They could be naive sweet optimists or the type of character that uses humor to cope with trauma. But either way, if a character brings a smile to my face or makes me laugh almost every time they are in a scene it’s very hard for me not to like them.
Examples:
Character Duos with Opposite Personalities
I love dynamics between characters especially if they are very different people but still care about and respect each other. Doesn’t matter what type of relationship (romantic relationship, friends, siblings). I love character duos with a fire/ice-like or a jock/nerd aesthetic or anything very different. I love when they work together, live together, or just hang out and have fun together. Their scenes may be full witty banter and bickering but these characters always support each other in the end.
Examples:
Characters with Trauma/Mental Illnesses
Any character that struggles with mental illnesses or has gone through a lot of trauma and is trying to cope with it even if they aren’t doing well at it definitely has a soft spot in my heart. All I want to do is hug those characters and protect them at all costs!
Examples:
Sweet Cinnamon Roll Character that secretly can Kick Butt
I love the trope with a sweet cinnamon roll character that everyone underestimates and/or looks harmless but turns out they have a tough side, can kick butt, or is just awesome in some way. These characters could be the type only kicks butt when someone they care about is threatened/hurt, have some skill/talent/power they could use in less-than-kind ways, or only show their tough side when they loose control of their feelings. It can be a bit overdone at times but I love this trope when done well.
Examples:
Tough scary Character that's secretly Soft and Sensitive Inside
The opposite of the last trope is also a favorite of mine where a very tough scary looking character is actually a sweet softie inside. Character’s that are misunderstood, have a reputation or aren’t seen past cold intimidating exterior have a special place in my heart.
Examples:
Nerdy Socially Anxious Characters
Very introverted or socially awkward characters are always very interesting for me to read. Probably cause I enjoy torturing myself with scenes that gives me second-hand embarrassment. But I too am very introverted and feel uncomfortable in social situations so I usually relate a lot to these characters.
Examples:
So these are some of my favorite character tropes! Any character tropes you think I forgot about? What are your favorite character tropes? Let me know in the comments bel
