The Book Blogger Hop was originally created by Jennifer @ Crazy-For-Books in March 2010 and ended on December 31, 2012. With Jennifer’s permission, Billy @ Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer relaunched the hop on February 15, 2013. Each week the hop will start on a Friday and end the following Thursday. There will be a weekly prompt featuring a book related question. The hop’s purpose is to give bloggers a chance to follow other blogs, learn about new books, befriend other bloggers, and receive new followers to their own blog.
If you were in a book, would you rather be the main character or in the background?
(submitted by Julie @ JadeSky)
All the world’s a stage,
And all the men and women merely players;
They have their exits and their entrances,
And one man in his time plays many parts,
– William Shakespeare’s comedy As You Like It, spoken by Jaques in Act II Scene VII Line 139
I think background characters are more fun because anything is possible if you are in the background. The main character’s path is set, good or bad, but the background characters – who is really paying attention to what they are up to? They have a world of possibilities at their fingertips. No one is directing their life, their goals, or their decisions. They can be anyone and do anything. I like the thought of having options and of being able to blend in or stand out at will. For these reasons, I choose to be in the background.
Which would you rather be – a main character or in the background?
21 responses to “Are You The Main Character Or In The Background? #BookBloggerHop #coffeeramblings”
Since I mostly read fantasy, I think, even though it would be incredibly scary, I’d rather be the main character. Background characters have a bad habit of meeting bad ends and I think I’d really like to live, haha. Fun question!
Haha – red shirts!!! I didn’t think about that 🤔 I definitely don’t want to be expendable.
I think I would rather be in the background, less attention on me then 😂
Blending in has its perks ❤️
I’d definitely be a background character, just getting on with my life without the author making me do stuff I don’t want to do! 😂
Exactly! I like the potential ❤️
I love your answer. I want to steal it and use it as my own.
I have no idea how to answer the question. If I was a MC, I would either be evil or in peril. Neither sounds fun. But if I was a background character, I’d be easily expendable. (Think of the poor redshirts in Star Trek.) I think I’d want to choose my character on a per-book basis.
Another response reminded me of the red shirt potential too😳 I don’t want to be expendable. But I also want the freedom to move. Such a conundrum!
Wow, this takes some thought for me because it would depend on the plot and setting for me I think. I’m not a person who likes to be in the limelight though, so maybe leaning more toward background? 😆 Thought-provoking for sure! Hope all is well, Tessa.
All is wonderful. Hope all is well with you too 🤗. In real life I always end up the MC when I want to be in the background, so I think that’s why the background is so appealing to me. Being the MC never seems to work out that well 🤣
Like Staci, I definitely don’t want to be a red shirt in Star Trek. I also think it would have to depend on the story. Then I think about how it’s the supporting characters that usually wind up dead. Tough choice.
Poor support characters. Maybe that’s how I always end up as the reluctant MC in real life – it’s all about surviving. ❤️
I also will be in the background. Main Character has lot of problems and difficulties and I get that enough in real life. In book world, I would love to sit back and watch the show and be helpful to main character whenever required.
Right? Me too ❤️
What a great question! My first instinct was to say in the background because that’s my nature. However, if I peel away that fear that sends me to the sidelines, my heart would like to have something great destined for my character by design. I love how you described the possibilities for the secondary characters, though, and that’s appealing.
How’s that for a wishy-washy answer😏
Their are the pro’s to both and cons. It’s definitely a hard choice. ❤️
Agreed. I’d rather be the one on the side who sets one of the protagonists straight!
Exactly!
So much stress being the main character! Sometimes you have the weight of the world. Side character for me too!
Right? I totally agree 😊
Oh, great answer – I love it!