Every once in a while, a long time after everyone else, I get around to something and Have Thoughts on it.
This time it was *Dune*, which I decided to give a try since it's considered iconic and I do like some science fiction and it seemed better than making myself sit through any of *Star Trek*. (OK, so I really only like *obscure* science fiction. *Babylon 5* forever!)
Perhaps it is just now being the mother of teenage boys, but I feel like the teenage-boy-protagonist-will-save-the-world thing is way overdone. With apologies to Deux and Dash, who are quite decent human beings, really, here are the responses you would *actually* get if you asked a teenage boy to save the world:
- "Does the world really have to be saved? Couldn't we just skip it this time?"
- "I saved the world *last* week. It's Andromeda's turn to save the world."
- "Mmmppphh."
- "I have to finish fighting this boss first."
- "Oh right, I forgot. Save the world. Will do."
- "I would, but I'm leaving right now. Maybe when I get back."
Finally, in exasperation, one would lay into them with a store of accumulated righteous indignation, only to have them say, "I already did it!"
Repeat weekly, which is how often world-ending scenarios come up in science fiction anyway.
However, it's not just the having of a teen hero. After all, the Codex Alera books have a teenage hero saving the world, and they're delightful. Mostly, I think it's just that Paul is such a thoroughly dislikable person. Cold, detached, unrealistically competent, followed by unreasonably adoring fans and worst of all, he's boring. I would not want to be his mother. Whereas I would be quite proud to be Tavi's mother. He's warm, curious, funny, he makes mistakes and has to deal with them, and just all round feels like an actual human being.
I think the clincher for me is when Paul is proposing to the Emperor's daughter and his common-law tribal wife is like, "Oh, Paul, you don't have to worry about me, I won't get in the way of your galactic ambitions." Even though *their child was just killed by the Emperor's forces*. Kitai would have throat-punched Tavi if he had even thought about something like that. And he would have known he deserved it.
Then again, maybe I'm just too old for this, and I will go back to cheering on Thursday Next and Precious Ramotswe.
4 comments:
So true about teen boys. And I love mine and think they are the best ever.
The worst thing about Dune - the books- is that here's not one drop of humour in its many, many pages, and there the film just follows the book. Paul is, at least according to me, more likeable and more human in the book. I am going to watch rhe sequel if ever it comes. I have teenage boys as well and the answers hit the nail- especilly the one with finishing this boss first :D
You had me baffled with Kitai and Tavi. I had to look them up in the interwebs before realizing that they were not part of the Dune universe.
Thanks for posting, its always worth reading
If Movie-Paul is even less likeable than book-Paul I am not watching the movie.
Frank Herbert had a knack for unlikeable characters, I think. The missing humour not bearing the smallest part of the blame.
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