mark wrote on how to vote: I have seen many top, best,
favorite, what have you movie lists chosen by critics. The
voter will say he or she is choosing those that have been the
most influential, others will say they are listing those that
were important historically, others will say they are
choosing those that are the best artistically, and others
will say they are just voting for their favorites. The
definition of best or top characters is always going to be
subjective. How could the NPR list include Leopold Bloom,
Holly Golightly, Scarlett, O'Hara, The Cat in the Hat, Dr
Zhivago, Big Brother, Proust's Marcel and Winnie the Pooh and
Sam Spade on the same list?
If you want to choose those characters that appear only in
what are considered the classics of the genre, vote for
those. If like Jim Doherty, you feel you should choose those
characters that are most important historically, vote for
those. If you feel that like Cassie you care most about
characters that are developed in depth, vote for those. If
like Mark Sullivan you want to come up with an ideosyncratic
list, do it. If you want to vote for your favorite
characters, do it. Remember that hard boiled has developed
from the pulps and popular fiction, not what is called great
literature. It's up to you to define best.
**********************************************************
well said, mark. simple and effective.
miker
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