Jerk with a Heart of Gold/Literature: Difference between revisions
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Examples of [[{{TOPLEVELPAGE}}]] in [[{{SUBPAGENAME}}]] include: |
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* [[Sherlock Holmes]], making this [[Older Than Radio]]. |
* [[Sherlock Holmes]], making this [[Older Than Radio]]. |
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* Commander Sam Vimes, of the ''[[Discworld]]'' City Watch, is reputed as a hard-faced, hardheaded, cynical, foul-tempered, arrogant thug. Yet even the most dangerous mob boss in the city respects him as a straight-arrow, unbribeable (and though this is helped by his being the wealthiest man in the city, he was giving half his pay before that to the widows and orphans of the Watch), almost painfully-upright man who ''always'' does the right thing and never lets the Watch overstep its authority. He is, in fact, one of the most powerful authorities in the city, who hates and distrusts authority -- as the Patrician says, "practically Zen". |
* Commander Sam Vimes, of the ''[[Discworld]]'' City Watch, is reputed as a hard-faced, hardheaded, cynical, foul-tempered, arrogant thug. Yet even the most dangerous mob boss in the city respects him as a straight-arrow, unbribeable (and though this is helped by his being the wealthiest man in the city, he was giving half his pay before that to the widows and orphans of the Watch), almost painfully-upright man who ''always'' does the right thing and never lets the Watch overstep its authority. He is, in fact, one of the most powerful authorities in the city, who hates and distrusts authority -- as the Patrician says, "practically Zen". |
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** [[Invoked Trope|Invoked]] and demolished with regards to Albert, Death's manservant. "And it's no good thinking you can appeal to my better nature under this here crusty exterior, 'cos my interior's pretty damn crusty as well." {{spoiler|He ''was'' the head of Unseen University at its most cutthroat, after all.}} |
** [[Invoked Trope|Invoked]] and demolished with regards to Albert, Death's manservant. "And it's no good thinking you can appeal to my better nature under this here crusty exterior, 'cos my interior's pretty damn crusty as well." {{spoiler|He ''was'' the head of Unseen University at its most cutthroat, after all.}} |
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** Despite her intimidating demeanor, Granny Weatherwax is a good witch, albeit with much reluctance. She's hard and sharp as flint, but that's because she likes to test people; as Tiffany Aching notes in ''[[ |
** Despite her intimidating demeanor, Granny Weatherwax is a good witch, albeit with much reluctance. She's hard and sharp as flint, but that's because she likes to test people; as Tiffany Aching notes in ''[[A Hat Full of Sky]]'', witches do their hardest work on "the edge" (between life and death, right and wrong, and so on), and "the edge is no place for people to break." |
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*** In ''[[ |
*** In ''[[Wintersmith]]'', Granny makes very, very sure that Tiffany is out of sight before she takes in the kitten Tiffany left on her doorstep. She has a reputation to maintain. |
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** Moist von Lipwig fits this to a degree (though he is more of a reformed [[Gentleman Thief]]), in that all his plans are self-serving, but he usually manages to do a ton of good deeds along the way. In ''[[ |
** Moist von Lipwig fits this to a degree (though he is more of a reformed [[Gentleman Thief]]), in that all his plans are self-serving, but he usually manages to do a ton of good deeds along the way. In ''[[Making Money]]'', he reflect: "Am I really a bastard or am I just really good at thinking like one?" |
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* There are many, many world-weary, cynical characters in Boris Strugatsky's ''The Powerless Ones of this World''. While one of them is a genuine [[Jerkass]], the others, despite having grown to be nasty old men that had explicitly given up on trying to achieve anything good or worthwhile with their superpowers, do at least come through to [[Big Damn Heroes|rescue]] the main character Vadim (a fellow pupil of [[Trickster Mentor|"the Sensei"]]) from a tight spot. |
* There are many, many world-weary, cynical characters in Boris Strugatsky's ''The Powerless Ones of this World''. While one of them is a genuine [[Jerkass]], the others, despite having grown to be nasty old men that had explicitly given up on trying to achieve anything good or worthwhile with their superpowers, do at least come through to [[Big Damn Heroes|rescue]] the main character Vadim (a fellow pupil of [[Trickster Mentor|"the Sensei"]]) from a tight spot. |
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* Zaphod in ''[[The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy]]'' -- literally. He's a jerk, and he has the Heart of Gold. |
* Zaphod in ''[[The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy]]'' -- literally. He's a jerk, and he has the Heart of Gold. |
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* Marcia Overstrand in ''[[Septimus Heap]]''. While most of the time she is an annoying bossy complainer, she cares deeply about Jenna and Septimus when they're in trouble. |
* Marcia Overstrand in ''[[Septimus Heap]]''. While most of the time she is an annoying bossy complainer, she cares deeply about Jenna and Septimus when they're in trouble. |
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* Nathan Hillary in ''[[Kill Time or Die Trying]]'' is arguably this. His behaviour seem to be the result of an effort to keep things interesting rather than genuine malice. |
* Nathan Hillary in ''[[Kill Time or Die Trying]]'' is arguably this. His behaviour seem to be the result of an effort to keep things interesting rather than genuine malice. |
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* Both [[Idiot Hero|Matteo]] and [[The Stoic|Asher]] in ''[[Someone Else's |
* Both [[Idiot Hero|Matteo]] and [[The Stoic|Asher]] in ''[[Someone Else's War]]''. |
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[[Category:{{TOPLEVELPAGE}}]] |
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