Oscar
I don’t remember exactly what made me notice this character type recently. It just popped into my head and I noticed how often the lovable grouch appears. Oscar, Al Bundy, Dr. House, Carl Frederickson (Up), and more fall into this category, which can cross several genres. Why do we enjoy the lovable grouches?
For one thing, I think many of us are raised on shows that have this archetype somewhere in the cast. I mentioned Oscar who is on ‘Sesame Street’, but you also have those like Grumpy from ‘Snow White’ and Squidward from ‘Spongebob’. They do exist in contrast to the happier cast, but they aren’t noted as evil or bad. In fact, many times they will turn out to be as empathic and nurturing as the others. It’s just that they don’t like being bothered and maybe prefer to do things on their terms. So, we grow up with a sense of the lovable grouch being part of the community and not being someone to ostracize even if they’re demanding to be left alone.
In more adult stories, they may get used for comedic moments and are placed in the supporting cast. Things simply happen to them to increase their bad mood and cause them to explode in anger. This is meaner than how they are portrayed for children, which could depend on adults knowing that this isn’t how you act in real life. Sadly, I know many who don’t follow that advice. The lovable grouch definitely gets used differently though because they’re no longer about showing how someone who is antisocial can still be caring and helpful. It targets them in a way.
Thankfully, there are many examples of the opposite where the grouch turns out to be the most helpful during the story climax. In ‘Home Alone’, the neighbor was depicted as a grouch and Kevin was scared of him. He turned out to be a friend by helping him against the Wet Bandits. We’re still looking at a comedy here, but it humanizes the grouch and shows one can’t judge them solely by their outward appearance.
The social commentary might be the most important aspect of the ‘lovable grouch’ even if they aren’t lovable at first. Most stories have your positive heroes and evil villains with very little in the middle. This type brings in a character who may have the personality typically associated with villains, but their nature is that of a hero. Grumpy, grouchy, pessimistic, introverted people are everywhere and they act this way for a variety of reasons. It doesn’t make them less them human or wrong. It’s just how they are and doesn’t take away from their ability to connect with others. By seeing fictional versions depicted positively in stories, children and adults can see how their non-optimistic peers can still be good friends.
Personally, I like seeing these characters in action. Mostly for their comedic reactions, but there is a heart-warming sensation when they turn out to be the most helpful character in the cast. Even better when they come through in the clutch because this shows how a grouch won’t just watch people suffer. We judge others by their outer mood and temperament all of the time without knowing what is going on inside. Maybe they’ve been hurt so often that they can’t fake being nice. They could suffer from anxiety or be neurodivergent in some way, which causes them to be standoffish. Yet, they still have a desire to be part of the group if given a chance. That opening allows them to be happier and maybe less of a grouch. After all, a key aspect is them being lovable and it can’t all be down to their typical sarcastic remarks.
What do you think of the lovable grouch types? How about the real world equivalents?
Legends of Windemere 
A Man Called Ove comes to mind as a grouch that we all came to love.
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Never heard of that story. What’s it about?
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A great one to mention!
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https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18774964-a-man-called-ove It’s so good and very popular. I listened to the audio version which I enjoyed.
They also made a movie based on it featuring Tom Hanks. They changed the name to A Man Called Otto for American audiences.
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Thanks.
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I like grumpy characters. Lately though, I wonder if the envelope has been pushed toward people being more narcissistic than lovably grumpy. Like Gregory House of House, or even Sherlock Holmes. It’s not that they don’t help. But they think very highly of themselves. I also think of emotionally damaged characters like Carmy in The Bear.
How would the character of Monk fit in with this?
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Monk wasn’t grumpy to me. Just very anxious. House was definitely grumpy though.
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I agree. I was thinking of him as another incarnation of the kind of character I’m seeing more of than the lovable grouch. I wonder if that’s because
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I think my favorite loveable grouches are usually older characters. They’re bothered by the banal of life but treasure real connection.
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Those are fun ones. Thinking of Carl Frederickson from ‘Up’.
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I like the lovable grouch characters. In real life I grew up next to a real grouch and he was anything but lovable. He would throw shoes at us kids if we dared cross his lawn nd was always yelling about something.
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Had someone like that on our block too. Not a nice person. Yelled at us if we were on the sidewalk in front of her house.
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Miserable people for sure.
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I love this one. I wrote one, but he was more of an anti-hero. I am kind of writing another one right now. My example would be Clint Eastwood in Gran Torino.
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They do make good anti-heroes in certain stories.
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Love these characters and immediately thought of House. They add so much to a story!
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True. They have a lot of room for growth too.
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It does seem like these are characters that the author can use for misdirection or as a plot barrier. Like you said, in Home Alone the one neighbor’s grouchiness was a barrier against him helping the kid. In a mystery, a grouchy person could be a red herring — negative attitude, must be a suspect! And I’ve also heard of romance novels where one character is sunny and the other is grouchy, and the grouchiness is a barrier to the relationship.
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The romance storyline doesn’t surprise me even though I never heard of it. Guessing an opposites attract concept.
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Well said, Charles. This post applies to real life, too. How do we look at grumpy people? Do we judge? Do we accept them for who they are? Do we see their lovable side? Oscar helped children see and understand, but can adults do the same thing? Hmm…
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I think it’s hard not to judge people by their initial attitudes. With grumps, you have the added challenge of learning why they’re that way. Not really a forthcoming persona.
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You are right. It goes back to what you said about being hard not to judge people. The teacher in me knows that starts with me.
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