Redwall's "Gray" Characters

[Taggerung_of_Redwall]

That doesn't describe him at all. He was a very untraditional chap, and I personally liked him a lot. Regardless, he was clearly a hero, hated the Foxwolf and his hordes, and aided the heroes in numerous ways. No more a gray character than any other beast you could name.

[daskar666]

Not every protagonist has to work toward an identical goal you know. Egbert was one of my favorite characters in the book because he was working against Urgan while having his own goals.

[Taggerung_of_Redwall]

Not every protagonist has to work toward an identical goal you know. Egbert was one of my favorite characters in the book because he was working against Urgan while having his own goals.

I didn't say a thing along such lines.
Also, a protagonist is not a synonym for a good character, it is exclusively used to describe the main character(s) of a drama or story.

And you are essentially correct with your closing statement, though I have to leave VERY quickly right now...

[daskar666]

I was talking to the previous poster, I was just too lazy to quote.

[sabretache5611]

Does anyone remember the mole called Egbert from "Triss?" He was a real creep. He disdained molespeech, never took a stand against evil or helped those who stood against it, and played both ends against the middle for the sake of gaining an easy living.  Yuck!

You've got it all wrong.  First of all, Egbert was a character in The Bellmaker.  Second of all, he did help Mariel and co. and didn't betray the good guys to the bad guys.  Finally, his molespeech isn't disdained and he could still speak molespeech, but just doesn't.  He certainly did not play both sides against the middle for the sake of gaining an easy living, if he did, he would've just moved out of the castle and not collect any of the valuable books.  Egbert is really just a good hearted, non-violent character and I wouldn't call him 'grey' and certainly not 'yuck' because he did help the good guys, just not by taking up a weapon.

[Taggerung_of_Redwall]

Be was a book guy really. That was a major goal of his, and a good deal of his dislike for the Foxwolf and his hordes came in their malicious and uncaring destruction and neglect of books.

[brocka]

Always ready willing and able to apologize when I am wrong. And wrong I was, about the title and the characteristics too. This experience served many purposes: the first, to cause some posters to think about poor maligned Egbert and make a judgement call on how they rate him. Second, it reminded me to post at some time BEFORE I start nodding off in front of the computer.  Third, it gives me motivation to re-read The Bellmaker next. Thanks for setting me straight, mates.

[Skalrag of Marshank]

I always thought of the foxes as half good and half evil. Like Groddil. I'm sorry, I've always been a fox fan!

[sabretache5611]

Always ready willing and able to apologize when I am wrong. And wrong I was, about the title and the characteristics too. This experience served many purposes: the first, to cause some posters to think about poor maligned Egbert and make a judgement call on how they rate him. Second, it reminded me to post at some time BEFORE I start nodding off in front of the computer.  Third, it gives me motivation to re-read The Bellmaker next. Thanks for setting me straight, mates.

No problem dude, we all make mistakes.  Besides, Bellmaker' is quite a good book.

[Martha Braebuck]

I love foxes somehow and I think they'd be 'good' good characters! I wish he made at least one good fox, I think they're pretty cool.

[Skalrag of Marshank]

Ditto! Well, Groddil from Lord Brocktree is sort of "gray". He never really does anything REALLY bad. I like Skalrag the best.

[Log-a-Log]

Groddil did let Fraul run in front of him and be devoured by crabs

[Taggerung_of_Redwall]

Dah, a post of mine disappeared...
I posted after Skalrag...anyone see it by chance?

[Lutra]

Dah, a post of mine disappeared...
I posted after Skalrag...anyone see it by chance?

I think I saw Basil eat it.  When you see it again, it may not read exactly the same way.


Looks like there's more examples of grayness in Redwall than I was aware of.

[Taggerung_of_Redwall]

No, it was removed or I misposted.
Reposting:


Just because a character is too minor to show any characteristsics isn't an excuse to label them "gray". I'd say if that were the case, it'd be correct to put them in alignment of good or bad along with their species' norm.

And not doing anything "really bad" isn't much. There's a clear line between good and bad, based on species, with a small section of gray characters who except that rule and act as if they were a different species.
Assuming a character gray due to no exclusively bad behavior is pure fanon.