Critical Statement Response

‘Characters in literature are more important than the plot.’ Use one of the text you have read to
explain wether you agree or disagree with this statement.

Many novels have characters that make or break the plot but novels that are specifically based on
characters have the bigger role. But a unique viewpoint in literature is Philip Pullman’s Sally Lockhart
series as having a whole book series based on a singular character is more than enough of a
viewpoint in literature about how characters are more important than the plot. Sally herself exudes
quite the particular persona where as most readers, if not all, have become lured and hooked right
in from the first page. And of course, we can’t go without introducing one of the best selling novels
of all time, Harry Potter, which also just gives you an idea of how dominant characters are over a
story.

Right from the start, Matthew Lockhart, the father of Sally, creates intrigue as being presumed dead
as his ship, the schooner Lavinia sank while on a shipping trip talking to a Dutch agent named
Hendrick vanEeden. This leaves questions for the reader to ponder. What does he look like? How
does he walk? All things a character does that a plot can’t tell. First impressions count and what
better way to introduce as through personality. Unfortunately, as we haven’t gotten the chance to
meet Matthew, his personality remains a mystery however, hints can be revealed by other
characters such as Sally or Samuel Selby who now is owner of Lockhart & Selby, the shipping
company with travels spanning the world.

Sally Lockhart, as you now may know, is not a very ordinary 16 year-old. Being described as “alone,
and uncommonly pretty…” which at the time was rare to say the least, but then again, this is merely
yet another way of how Pullman can construct such a character far from status quo to be so likeable
and relatable in somewhat closeness to the norm of our everyday lives. Books are known to be an
escape from reality so having a character so far from the real world really helps the reader immerse
themselves into a place away from home. Meeting people as memorable as Sally, who in this
instance, can have a long lasting impact on the reader. Speaking of unforgettable people, plenty of
you take part in World Book Day, so why not to dress up as someone particular, someone
unparalleled to perhaps, creating a name for yourself and seeing how noticeable you are as a
character and not portraying them through the plot of the story. Since getting to know, what seems
like strangers, happens through their identity rather than their actions within the plot.

Characters, alongside their temperament, also have habits or small actable trademarks that you can
distinguish from others or notice from a crowd. For example, Sally as a teenager in the Victorian
time, “had unusually dark brown eyes for one so fair.” Pullman may have wanted her to stand out, to
add one little quirky characteristic just for one to be more alluring and therefore more developed as
a character. With Sally looking young and slightly vulnerable, in some sticky situations “she pretend
to be weak and frightened, and dabbed at her eyes iron a lacy handkerchief, she could run aside all
names of questions.” Well developed characters are what the audience can connect with on a more
personal day-to-day level.

Although actions can be based on plot, actions between characters are normally more compelling
and engaging such as arguments, debates and the like, conflict so to say. And without this distinct
conflict between two or more characters, the whole novel becomes rather bland and turns rather
into an uneventful collection of events rather than exciting tales worth telling. With characters that
are mature in their charisma, they can bring the story off the page and alive in our mental image,
just showing how vital characters are and that they are ultimately more important than the plot.