Wednesday, December 9, 2009

There’s a Smurf in Your Book!

Don’t ask me why I thought of this, but the Smurfs have been on my mind lately. I loved The Smurfs as a kid, and I started to think about how you can probably find a Smurf in most books. Let’s have a look, shall we?



Papa Smurf = The Old Wise One. This is the character who has all the answers, whose main purpose is to dispense information, usually after the hero has gone through hell and back. He/She has lived a long time and usually speaks slowly and in riddles that the hero will only understand after they see the light, or walk down a certain path, or reach the top of some mountain.



Smurfette = The Pretty Girl. You can find these girls in all books. They’re usually the source of envy, hate, or fear. Some Smurfettes don’t know they’re Smurfettes. They think they’re plain and dumpy and geeky, but there’s always a boy who sees the true Smurfette in them and it’s only through the eyes of this boy that they finally become one with their inner Smurfette.


Brainy Smurf = The Know-it-all. This is the character who thinks he/she knows it all! While they usually know a lot, they can be proven wrong at times, because as we all know sometimes it ain’t all about the brains. These characters make others feel stupid either intentionally or simply by knowing things that no one their age would probably want to know. Most times, someone in the book wants to punch this character in their know-it-all mouth, but this Brainy Smurf will more than likely figure out some vital information that’ll help the hero save the day.



Grouchy Smurf = The Meany. This is the character with an attitude. He/She hates everything and everyone and usually has a snarky comment at the ready. Grouchy Smurfs usually provide the hero with someone to strive to be better than, a bully, a jerk-jock, or a thug. Or Grouchy Smurf can be on the hero’s side, but they just don’t give a damn about the quest, the problem or whatever the conflict may be at the moment. Personally, I think a good Grouchy Smurf can be a great character. I like a bit of snark.

Vanity Smurf = The Pretty Boy. This is the character whose beauty and all around perfection defies the laws of physics and gravity. He can make the sun rise and set with just a smile. He can render girls incapable of thought and speech with just a single glance. He can make the opposite sex float on air and just plain lose their minds. Where would most books be without a good Vanity Smurf? Now, he may not stare in the mirror and cloud himself with perfume like Vanity, but the girls falling at his feet pretty much serve the same purpose. After all, who needs a mirror when there’s another character there to describe your perfection on every page?




And last but not least…Gargamel. = The Villain. Where would books be without a good villain? This is the character whose sole purpose is to create conflict for the hero. They usually have a diabolical plan, a deep-seeded hatred, or they’re simply mortal enemies because that’s just the way it’s always been. Gargamels spend every waking moment thinking of ways to ruin the life of the hero. They’ll destroy the entire world if it means they win and the hero loses. We need the villain however they are presented. I love a good Gargamel as long as he/she has three dimensions.

So, as there are practically 100 of these little blue creatures, tell me, what other Smurfs have you seen in books?





12 comments:

Frankie Diane Mallis said...

Hi Karen, cute post!!! Thanks for following my blog. I totally remembered your query from Daphne's site. Yours was one I really wanted to read:-)

V. S said...

Awesome post! Thanks for following my blog, I am following yours now as well.

p.s-i love the smurfs.

Stephanie said...

My 6-1/2 year old daughter has discovered all the old cartoons I used to watch as a kid...Smurfs, Scoobie Doo, Snorks, etc....so so cool to see her enjoying them!!

Sherrie Petersen said...

I've never had any smurftastic experiences -- never watched the show, never read a book of them. But it sounds like the characters are pretty universal.

You have a prize to pick up at my blog and I have not heard from you. Did you comment and run? :)

Amna said...

I absolutely loved the smurfs!

Great post :)

Linda Kage said...

Oh, wow! You're right about the Smurf characteristics. How neat. But now you've made me want to watch that show again...it's been so long.

Karen Denise said...

Thanks Frankie! I hope you get a chance to read my novel one day at a store near you-lol. Thanks for follow me too!

Thanks for following me too V.S., and who doesn't love the Smurfs, although I used to get on my sister's nerves putting Smurf in front of every work!

Snorks? I think I remember them, Stephanie. Do they have a snorkle like head or something? lol

Sherrie, I went over and commented. I don't know how I missed that. Thank you so much! I'll be emailing soon.

Thanks Amna, the Smurfs rock...well, they're a little twisted now that I'm an adult, but it still makes me laugh.

Does the show still come on, Linda? I think I could find them on You Tube, but I haven't seen it on TV in my area. I'll have to ask my friends with kids-lol.

Tere Kirkland said...

Smurfy, post, Karen. I smurf the Snorks, too, they were the smurfiest! Well, the smurfiest next to actual Smurfs, that it.

Smurf ya later!

kah said...

Thanks, Karen. Now I have the smurf song stuck in my head. "La, la, la, la, la, laaa, la, la, la, la, la." Cute post!

Karen Denise said...

Love it, Tere...I used to torture my sister speaking like that...but it's my duty as baby sister to annoy her.

Karen, I forgot about the song-lol...now I definitely have to look it up on You Tube tonight!

BK Mattingly said...

Ah, I love this post! I can definitely pick out some smurfs in my WIP :)

Amanda Borenstadt said...

LOL
Too funny. Yes, my stories are teaming with smurfs!