*The actual programme said “sex tricksters”, and thus this is how I shall forever refer to it.
Third panel of day one: and one I don’t feel I need to introduce. It was essentially “These people (see title); Why do we love them?”
Panellists were: James Barclay, Joanne Harris, Kim Larkin-Smith, David Tallerman, Francis Hardinge, and Libby McGuigan.
My Notes
– People are generally sympathetic, particularly to people in a ‘system’ who have tried to escape it.
– They meet reader’s need for escapism, and often represent freedom.
– These characters, even though they may not follow a moral code of the law, they have a moral code, which they follow and have reasons for believing in.
– We like to see a balance, so when the character fights against injustices, it feels “less wrong.”
– There are specific ideals now focusing on how romantic highwaymen/pirates can be.
– The victimised (i.e. those impacted negatively) are often not mentioned in great detail, detracting from the audience who may have noticed how harmful the character’s behaviour may be.
– As soon as something becomes a cartoon, it’s not scary anymore.
~
Next up, a panel on females who don’t become love interests.