Reading is imagination at play. Readers enthrall themselves into the world an author devices across pages. Oftentimes, readers converge into a fandom that is connected through the shared love they have for said book. Then, the author decides to create a film adaptation to bring their story to an even wider audience; however, this film adaptation may take on an identity separate from its source material. Readers feel attacked, believing that their favorite characters are being impersonated. Have they forgotten the book and everything surrounding it is completely fictional? No, they just don’t want to remember.
This occurrence can be explained with the concept of parasocial relationships. A parasocial relationship is commonly described as a bond an individual has with those they do not know in their personal life. Parasocial relationships have always existed, but have become more apparent because of social media, where readers primarily interact within their fandom as content is readily available. Online fan art, theories, discussions, and fan fiction can be found for readers to consume, further cultivating their fixation on a particular character. The readers themselves define the relationship as having a “comfort character”. This term alludes to an innocent relationship; a reader finds this character comforting because they can empathize and relate to them. A popular comfort character for many is Harry Potter. Harry’s desire to escape his abusive homelife is one that resonates with countless young children. Even adults are still hoping for their letter to Hogwarts for a chance to escape a monotonous lifestyle.
A good author should want their readers to be able to empathize with their characters, as it makes their books more enjoyable and the success lines their pockets. Additionally, a parasocial relationship is not always toxic; it only becomes toxic when it begins to consume an individual’s life. A parasocial relationship forms from repeated exposure that content consumption and social media use would provide. It’s difficult to believe that a parasocial relationship with a fictional character could ever be toxic, but many have derived their personality from their favorite character. Experts will say that this isn’t only unconventional but unhealthy. Oftentimes, these individuals already have mental health issues, and a parasocial relationship exacerbates it by providing what is missing from their life.
One symptom of a toxic parasocial relationship is arguing online. In recent years, fans have made their disapproval of film adaptations of books known via TikTok and Youtube. Instead of strictly criticizing the quality of the film and directorial choices, the actors themselves were placed on the chopping block. When the cast of Percy Jackson and The Olympians was released, the discourse was immediate. The majority of the cast did not look exactly like the description of their character which was the source of the controversy. However, Leah Sava Jeffries, who was casted to portray Annabeth Chase, seemed to be the main target for the abuse. Annabeth Chase is described to have blonde hair and gray blue eyes And yet, Rick Riordan, the author himself, chose Jeffries because he believed she portrayed the character most faithfully. Some readers disagreed, arguing that Annabeth’s appearance was essential to her character and that their opinions superseded Riordan's creative license.
In context, Annabeth’s appearance fits the current Eurocentric beauty standards that literature overuses to depict the perfect female protagonist. Additionally, an important piece of Annabeth’s character is being underestimated because of how she looks. Annabeth’s conflict is that others only see her as a beautiful girl instead of acknowledging her bravery and intelligence. All those that identify with Annabeth now feel invalidated by the casting choice, but ironically, they are also underestimating Jeffries because of her appearance. It’s not up for debate, Leah Jeffries is beautiful but it is no secret that women of color have long been underestimated because of their appearance. It would be obtuse to not acknowledge the role that racism (which is repeatedly excused in literature) has in the outrage. Jeffries has spoken out about the online harassment and holds no ill will against the internet trolls. In fact, Jeffries sets out to prove that she can craft her own individual portrayal of Annabeth Chase, a portrayal that validates a new demographic of fans. Nevertheless, the trolls that are taking the time to type and send the abuse to the underage actress are clearly displaying the harmful nature of parasocial relationships.
It is important to note once more that parasocial relationships are not strictly harmful. These bonds have fostered community and creativity. Fanfiction is one prime example of the benefits of this kind of bond. Archive of Our Own (AO3) is an award winning site that is a collection of fan created written work. The collection is stated to have made significant contributions to the science fiction and fantasy genres. Research has shown that fanfiction can have the ability to teach and encourage writing. The shared love readers have in a community can provide the inspiration for them to also become writers. The opportunity to also create inclusive storylines in an established written work is irresistible for many as well as uplifting for others. This all is a testament to the author’s talent, to write in a way that is not only read but felt.
Literature is a medium that has withstood the test of time. Millions of readers have found solace in a book. The passion behind a book breathes life into its characters. It’s easy to forget that the characters aren’t real even when they feel like the people we could know. A reader must remember that fiction is only that, fiction. Fiction imitates the real world that should be appreciated equally.
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