Re-reading an old book is like catching up with an old friend. You take a while to start talking, but once you do, you start feeling very comfortable and cozy. You switch off the tv, put your feet up and relax. Picking up Watership Down on Friday instead of returning to The Tin Drum was a great idea.
Started thinking about great leaders in fiction when I was midway through the book. Hazel from Watership Down is up there on the list, without doubt. Who else ? Don Corleone is perhaps more of a great manager than a leader. John Galt ? Dumbledore ? How about Atticus Finch, even though he didn't really lead many people ? Gabbar Singh could also be on the list.
Hmm.
Bhuvan (Lagaan)?
ReplyDeleteSherlock Holmes? Tom Sawyer?
Bhuvan, of course ! Holmes I'm not very sure about, but Tom Sawyer could also be a good leader.
ReplyDeletebtw, its a relief to see Tweedledum and dee back on your userpic. Golllum was getting on my nerves ;-)
Holmes : pretty good at getting people to follow orders. People look up to him. Also commands respect from all quarters, and is quite ok with handling frayed tempers. Natural leader? :-)
ReplyDeleteGollum: Yeah, he gets on my nerves sometimes too, that green skinny little brat!!!
but but but... what about Milo Minderbinder?
ReplyDeleteand Ralph from Lord of the Flies.
I bet if we merged all these ppl's qualities together - we might get someone who came close to being.. almost God.
Hey, those were interesting suggestions ! Never thought of Milo. I need to dig up my copy of Lord of the Flies to remember exactly who Ralph was, but I do vaguely remember...
ReplyDeleteRalph was ..the one who was friends with Piggy - who always wanted to start up smoke so they could be rescued.
ReplyDeletei think Milo was a most excellent businessman. selling chocolate-flavored cotton - who woulda thought!?
duh. brain on vacation again. who's milo minderbinder? :-(
ReplyDeleteMilo was the chef-turned-entrepreneur in Catch22 :)
ReplyDeleteDo you mean modern fiction? There are plenty in the classics, such as Aeneas or Hannibal or Perseus or Nimrod. And that's only skimming the surface of Greek mythology.
ReplyDeleteOh yes, I guess I did mean modern fiction. Classic literature would have leaders by the dozen, I expect.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of classics, Asterix would also be one great leader...
Re-reading a book might be more like 'one-way' chatting to an old friend, since the book hasn't changed, only your perspective has.
ReplyDeleteWilliam.
ReplyDeleteOf course ! Thanks
ReplyDeleteArchie's Veronica is actually not a bad leader.
ReplyDeleteDumbledore, sure. Along with Lupin. And Mr. Weasley. I think the Order worked only because of so many leaders. Or am I confusing responsible adults with leaders? However, the strongest leader in the whole series had to be the single-handed Voldemort.
And that will obviously bring up - Darth Vader. And a distant and unlikely second, Han Solo.
Wonderful call on Ralph. And Don Corleone was an *awesome* HR guy.
Just realized, the literature I've been reading lately is of the non-strong-spined characters variety, and their fatal flaws rendering the books utterly wow. *shrug*
Was Vader a great leader, though? I'd have thought Palpatine was the actual leader, with Vader by his side.
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