Chicken Littles/Pessimistic/Self-Deprecating characters?
January 1, 2005 7:09 PM Subscribe
Need help making an analogy. Can anyone think of pessimistic, self-berating characters from books, TV, etc. - especially ones that know they aren't that great or brilliant to begin with but announce it to the world anyway (unlike, say, Marvin the Paranoid Android)?
Well, I'm not that smart but...
...um. No, I can't. Sorry.
posted by five fresh fish at 7:17 PM on January 1, 2005
...um. No, I can't. Sorry.
posted by five fresh fish at 7:17 PM on January 1, 2005
George Costanza from Seinfeld?
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 7:25 PM on January 1, 2005 [1 favorite]
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 7:25 PM on January 1, 2005 [1 favorite]
I'm assuming you want it well-known enough to make the analogy seem effortless -- in which case, if one isn't coming readily to mind, it might not resonate.
The first character that came to mind was Rhoda Morganstern. But Costanza is probably your best choice for most people.
posted by mrkinla at 7:29 PM on January 1, 2005
The first character that came to mind was Rhoda Morganstern. But Costanza is probably your best choice for most people.
posted by mrkinla at 7:29 PM on January 1, 2005
Thomas Covenant, perhaps?
posted by dirtynumbangelboy at 7:38 PM on January 1, 2005
posted by dirtynumbangelboy at 7:38 PM on January 1, 2005
Some characters from Shakespearean tragedies recognize that they are in tragic situations, and use soliloquies bemoan their shortcomings. E.g., Hamlet, lamenting his tendency to spend too much time in thought, and not enough time taking action:
Thus conscience does make cowards of us all;
And thus the native hue of resolution
Is sicklied o'er with the pale cast of thought,
And enterprises of great pith and moment
With this regard their currents turn awry,
And lose the name of action.
I'm not sure if "like a soliloquizing Shakespearean tragic hero" is a useful description, though.
posted by CrunchyFrog at 7:42 PM on January 1, 2005
Thus conscience does make cowards of us all;
And thus the native hue of resolution
Is sicklied o'er with the pale cast of thought,
And enterprises of great pith and moment
With this regard their currents turn awry,
And lose the name of action.
I'm not sure if "like a soliloquizing Shakespearean tragic hero" is a useful description, though.
posted by CrunchyFrog at 7:42 PM on January 1, 2005
Heh, good point. Works about as well as "like an incondign, mordant leper."
posted by dirtynumbangelboy at 7:50 PM on January 1, 2005
posted by dirtynumbangelboy at 7:50 PM on January 1, 2005
Any Woody Allen character.
How about Mr. Micawber from "David Copperfield"?
posted by inksyndicate at 7:55 PM on January 1, 2005
How about Mr. Micawber from "David Copperfield"?
posted by inksyndicate at 7:55 PM on January 1, 2005
Shelley Levene of Glengarry Glen Ross, Gil of The Simpsons
posted by The White Hat at 8:04 PM on January 1, 2005
posted by The White Hat at 8:04 PM on January 1, 2005
Fry from Futurama
posted by nathan_teske at 8:10 PM on January 1, 2005
posted by nathan_teske at 8:10 PM on January 1, 2005
Your question is phrased so tentatively it's unclear what you're looking for -- maybe you won't know yourself until the example presents itself, though.
Rodney Dangerfield
Woody Allen and his various personae, of course, but really -- almost any Jewish comedian.
Opus
Dilbert -- or perhaps Wally?
posted by dhartung at 8:24 PM on January 1, 2005
Rodney Dangerfield
Woody Allen and his various personae, of course, but really -- almost any Jewish comedian.
Opus
Dilbert -- or perhaps Wally?
posted by dhartung at 8:24 PM on January 1, 2005
Response by poster: After some consultation, have determined perhaps "loser" is a better definition. The most dead-end, pitiful, unfunny, unredeemedly painfully terminal example of loserhood conceivable?
It's for a music review. Emo. Bad emo.
posted by casarkos at 8:44 PM on January 1, 2005
It's for a music review. Emo. Bad emo.
posted by casarkos at 8:44 PM on January 1, 2005
I second Eeyore. But if the donkey won't do, how about Puddleglum?
posted by Clay201 at 9:58 PM on January 1, 2005
posted by Clay201 at 9:58 PM on January 1, 2005
Paris Hilton. Except she's rich, so never mind, I guess. Maybe there's a second-rate porn actress you could reference. There's always room for one of those in a scathing music review.
posted by Buzz at 10:34 PM on January 1, 2005
posted by Buzz at 10:34 PM on January 1, 2005
The White Hat, I don't recall Shelly Levene being pessimistic or self-berating. Are you sure you don't mean George Aaronow?
posted by You Should See the Other Guy at 10:40 PM on January 1, 2005
posted by You Should See the Other Guy at 10:40 PM on January 1, 2005
What about someone like Courtney Love? She hates herself completely, and is willing to take out billboards across the planet so everyone knows it.
Or something about, uh, The Average Teenage Livejournal Subscriber? (No dis, just throwing ideas out.)
posted by chicobangs at 10:52 PM on January 1, 2005
Or something about, uh, The Average Teenage Livejournal Subscriber? (No dis, just throwing ideas out.)
posted by chicobangs at 10:52 PM on January 1, 2005
Costanza (Ditto)
Drew Carey
Rodney Dangerfield (Ditto)
Rosanna Rosannadanna
Charlie Brown
Letterman
Richard Lewis
posted by HyperBlue at 10:58 PM on January 1, 2005
Drew Carey
Rodney Dangerfield (Ditto)
Rosanna Rosannadanna
Charlie Brown
Letterman
Richard Lewis
posted by HyperBlue at 10:58 PM on January 1, 2005
Larry David in Curb Your Enthusiasm. He's fully aware that he fails in all of his schemes, and isn't scared to admit it.
posted by wackybrit at 3:58 AM on January 2, 2005
posted by wackybrit at 3:58 AM on January 2, 2005
Dr. Zoidberg from Futurama never hesitates to gush about the time he found an empty pizza box in the dumpster that still had some cheese melted to the cardboard. "And one time, pepperoni! What a day it was!" Most of his thoughts are self-berating in some capacity, although in his case he's proud of the little accomplishments in his pitiful life.
posted by Servo5678 at 5:27 AM on January 2, 2005
posted by Servo5678 at 5:27 AM on January 2, 2005
The White Hat, I don't recall Shelly Levene being pessimistic or self-berating. Are you sure you don't mean George Aaronow?
You are right, my apologies.
posted by The White Hat at 8:01 AM on January 2, 2005
You are right, my apologies.
posted by The White Hat at 8:01 AM on January 2, 2005
It's obvious to readers that Don Quixote and Ignatius J. Reilly ("Confederacy of Dunces") aren't great, but the characters have a harder time realizing it.
posted by Frank Grimes at 8:37 AM on January 2, 2005
posted by Frank Grimes at 8:37 AM on January 2, 2005
Roast Beef from Achewood.
Whatever that elf was in Harry Potter.
Various Chris Farley characters.
How sad that that's all I can come up with.
posted by Hildago at 11:10 AM on January 2, 2005
Whatever that elf was in Harry Potter.
Various Chris Farley characters.
How sad that that's all I can come up with.
posted by Hildago at 11:10 AM on January 2, 2005
Eeyore and Puddleglum immediately came to mind, but Michael Moorcock's Elric of Melniboné is certainly another of these.
posted by ikkyu2 at 6:08 PM on January 2, 2005
posted by ikkyu2 at 6:08 PM on January 2, 2005
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Kwantsar at 7:12 PM on January 1, 2005