Joseph Jarrett

People forget that the ideas writers come up with all stem from a different source. Every character a writer creates is a culmination of parts and pieces from characters the writer idolized before. But this is not a post about a fictional character and who I developed them from. This is about me and the characters I see myself in.

            I feel that I can easily resonate with music, movies, writing, and other forms of art. It shouldn’t come as a surprise, especially considering I wrote an entire chapter in Mishaps & Mistakes about songs I feel deep in my bones. I’m stepping away from the music for this post, and I am diving into the realm of written characters. Here we go!

Kip Grady – Heated Rivalry

            This one should be semi-obvious. Kip is a college student who works an underpaying job but dreams of a career in the artistic realm. Kip is me, and I am Kip. Except I don’t have a hot hockey player boyfriend, and I do not have a six-pack. Outside of those, we get each other. I also see my closest girlfriends in his best friend, Elena. Kip is family-oriented, wants to live and love out loud, and believes in pursuing the things that make you happy. I adore Kip and everything he stands for because I genuinely feel that he and I have the same mindset, even if I don’t like blueberry smoothies all that much.

Galinda “Glinda” Upland – Wicked

            Glinda is for the girls and gays who fake a smile even when they’re dying inside. Glinda is for the girls and gays who overthink every choice they face. Glinda is for the girls and gays who choose to still believe in love despite having their hearts broken again and again. Glinda never got her happy ending and was never truly seen by anyone after Elphaba and Fiyero were gone. The pain and anxiety she exudes are so relatable and so tangible. I cried throughout the entire second half of the play and for most of the Wicked: For Good movie because I know what it’s like to have your entire world destroyed like that. But Glinda rises above everything continually. She’s fearless through and through, and I think she can teach us all something about being brave.

Prince Henry Fox – Red, White, and Royal Blue

            This poor boy. The emotional turmoil he suffered thinking that no one would ever love him the way he wanted to be. The way he prioritized his family above himself, his commitment to his people over himself. I admire Henry for being as strong as he was for so long. I believe that he would resonate with the song “You’re Losing Me” by Taylor Swift, much like I do, for the same two lines that I hear most. The first being “I’m getting tired even for a phoenix, always rising from the ashes.” You cannot tell me that both Henry and I have found a way to pull ourselves off the ground despite everything thrown at us. The other line is “I wouldn’t marry me either, a pathological people pleaser, who only wanted you to see her.” Henry and I definitely share the people-pleasing trait. We both feel the need to sacrifice our wants and needs to ensure others have found theirs first. Truthfully, a lot of young gay men probably understand this sensation. It’s a tricky one, but we always find our way through.

Amy March – Little Women

            Oh, Amy. When I tell you I sobbed in the movie theatre for the 2019 edition of this movie, I mean that I had monsoon levels of water pouring from my eyes. Amy and I have both been victimized by men by being their second choice. I don’t think I have ever experienced being someone’s first choice. Instead, I’ve gotten so used to being a steppingstone for everyone. While I’m head over heels for them, they’re distracted by someone else and eventually leave. Amy experienced the same her entire life. Her perseverance despite this is beautiful, almost artistic. I just hope I find the strength to put those people aside and continue towards greatness like she did.

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            And there you have it. Now, do not think this is a finite list. I could probably write an entire thesis on characters I relate to. That’s the beautiful thing about art. It is meant to inspire and resonate within our souls. Who does that for you?