Fanfiction Cliches (and Where to Find Them)

Cliche #12 - Men are Pushovers

Cliche: It appears that in a lot of my fanfictions, the boyfriends and husbands of my OCs are huge pushovers, or just too kind to their SO to be realistic.

Example:
"OH MY GOSH, YOU ARE SO ANNOYING AND AWFUL! I WISH I'D NEVER MARRIED YOU, YOU WORTHLESS WASTE OF SPACE!"

"Whatever you say, honey. :)"

I stop and stare at my husband. I am confused. How the hell did he say ":)" out loud?

Why it's a cliche:
I don't know if it's a common cliche in all fanfictions, but it makes frequent appearances in nearly all of mine - hence it counts as a cliche.

Now, I've based my characters' relationships on the kind I long for: mutual love, respect, and companionship... but this may not always be the case in the real world.

Couples fight! They have disagreements and quarrels! Heck, my dad absolutely adores my mum (and vice versa), yet they can have some pretty explosive arguments if they get cross enough.

So why can't I (and a good handful of other fic writers) acknowledge this harsh reality in their craft?

In My Own Words:
As I said before, I've made a habit of creating pushover male characters. Here are my top three worst examples of the "cowardly custard husband/BF" trope.

* * * *

#3 - Marty Howell
"Marty," I said, "my mum got into one of her famous rows with George back before I was conceived, right?"

"Right," Marty said slowly.

"Well, apparently Mum was so distraught that she got absolutely sloshed on cheap wine and literally threw herself at my uncle John when he got home. They had a week-long affair and somewhere along the line, I happened to come out of it."

"Wait," said Marty, clearly still trying to process everything. "Your mum got drunk? But she never drinks!"

"That's the part that shocks you?" I exclaimed. "For God's sakes, Mart, you're absolutely hopeless. All men are absolutely hopeless."

Marty is Georgia's husband, and he appears in the short story Liar, Liar. He usually means well and tries his best to be a good, supportive partner - but he sometimes ends up saying the wrong thing. He's not much of a pushover. Just a sentimental idiot.

* * * *

#2 - George Harrison
"Michelle," George said sharply, "I only tell you not to worry because I hate seeing you upset. You know I love you and want the best for you, and worrying isn't going to help any."

"If you really loved me, then you'd speak to John and Brian and convince them to let Pete stay!" I wept. "I just can't bear seeing our band drift apart the way it is!"

George didn't answer me. He didn't even try to hug me like I thought he would. He stood rooted to the spot, a sullen expression on his face. He inhaled sharply. I always hated it when he breathed in like that. It revealed too much of his thin, bony face, so he ended up looking like a skull. I winced.

"I understand how you feel," George murmured. "But in case you hadn't noticed, I have no control over what goes on in this world. I wish I could make things perfect for you, Michelle, I really do. It's obvious I'm just not up to your standards."

"Maybe that's exactly how I feel!" I shouted, going red in the face. "You're not good enough, George. I love you, but you could at least try to make an effort! You never do! You never do anything!"

George was Michelle's boyfriend (read She's a Woman for more), and he's portrayed as nothing but a huge softie throughout the entire story. He cries more than Michelle does, and he does everything to please her - yet she repays him by getting angry and shouting. Maybe it's a toxic relationship? Maybe George is too kind for his own good? You be the judge.

* * * *

#1 - Adam Lester
"

That doesn't matter," Adam said dismissively. "What does matter is your happiness, Serenity. You're the most important person in the world to me. If you're not happy then I'm not happy. You're the reason I chose to stay at home - things are not good at my house - but seeing you everyday made me so happy that I bore all the trials at home... I stayed just so I could be close to you."

"Oh, Adam," Serenity mumbled, blushing bright scarlet. "You don't mean that."

"I do," Adam insisted. He stared at her with his bright, shimmering eyes. "I want to make you happy, and if running away from our worries is the only way to achieve that, then so be it. I - I love you, Reeny."

Good-Guy Adam - the prime example of everything a boyfriend should be but realistically is not. Adam lets his girlfriend (and future wife) Serenity wrap him around her little finger, even when they were both tiny. He doesn't mind too much. He's much too infatuated with her to mind.

If you read Golden Lockets, you'll see that the infatuation is mutual. Adam and Serenity's love can appear pretty weighted at times, but they both truly care about one another.