Ironman, Batman, Tarzan, Mickey Mouse, James Bond, Harry Potter
are not merely names but are "cultural heuristics," with
the power to transport, amaze, horrify, and inspire. All of us, on
a daily basis, delve into their stories and associate with them on
a personal level, even get inspired by them sometimes. Characters
may be described as the very essence of work and are irreplaceable
to such an extent that the work loses its plot and all that remains
is the mere "idea". A classic example of this may be that
of Captain America from Marvel's Avengers or the character of
Salman Khan in Dabbang, which are literally the Superheroes of
Copyright!
Fictional characters or the "works of fiction" as one
may call them; have the ability to attach themselves to the lives
of readers in a manner that engages them both emotionally and
mentally, perhaps as a result of narrative techniques that invite
readers into the inner lives of characters. In the words of Suzanne
Keen, "even
