In life, villains ought to be avoided; in fiction, they are simply unavoidable. Without a villain getting in the hero’s way, there would be no conflict, and a story with no conflict would not be much of a story. Great villains can have a significant effect on the value of their stories, but what makes a great
villain? One example is Felix from the novel Keepers of Light by Christine Barnaby, whose frightening appearance, awful misdeeds, and opposition to the hero make him an ideal villain.
Barnaby’s descriptions of Felix paint him as a horrifying creature. He is massive and physically powerful, and his gray skin and disfigured face make him hideous to behold. This ugliness makes him repulsive, and the fact that he is so large and strong makes him capable of causing a lot of damage, which adds to his scariness. Felix’s eyes are the most terrifying aspect of his appearance, as
described by the main character, Gwendolen: “pure black eyes” that are completely surrounded by “gruesomely scarred flesh” (Barnaby 2). If a the eyes reflect the soul, then Felix’s soul must be dark and …show more content…
In the story’s struggle of good versus evil, good and evil are represented by light and dark. This opposition between forces is repeated between the hero and the villain: Gwendolyn symbolizes light, while Felix personifies dark. The most important quality of all villains is that they work against the hero, and Felix works against Gwendolen constantly as evil trying to overpower good. Motivation is another area in which Felix is the opposite of Gwendolen. Throughout the story, Gwendolen works to defeat the Shadow Army in order to save all the people who depend on her. In contrast, Felix works only to help himself gain power over other people. Gwendolen is completely selfless, while Felix’s actions are motivated by pure selfishness: the mark of a true
villain? One example is Felix from the novel Keepers of Light by Christine Barnaby, whose frightening appearance, awful misdeeds, and opposition to the hero make him an ideal villain.
Barnaby’s descriptions of Felix paint him as a horrifying creature. He is massive and physically powerful, and his gray skin and disfigured face make him hideous to behold. This ugliness makes him repulsive, and the fact that he is so large and strong makes him capable of causing a lot of damage, which adds to his scariness. Felix’s eyes are the most terrifying aspect of his appearance, as
described by the main character, Gwendolen: “pure black eyes” that are completely surrounded by “gruesomely scarred flesh” (Barnaby 2). If a the eyes reflect the soul, then Felix’s soul must be dark and …show more content…
In the story’s struggle of good versus evil, good and evil are represented by light and dark. This opposition between forces is repeated between the hero and the villain: Gwendolyn symbolizes light, while Felix personifies dark. The most important quality of all villains is that they work against the hero, and Felix works against Gwendolen constantly as evil trying to overpower good. Motivation is another area in which Felix is the opposite of Gwendolen. Throughout the story, Gwendolen works to defeat the Shadow Army in order to save all the people who depend on her. In contrast, Felix works only to help himself gain power over other people. Gwendolen is completely selfless, while Felix’s actions are motivated by pure selfishness: the mark of a true