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Home > Blogs > Women's Life > Archives > 2010 > May > 22 > Entry
Who was your first literary crush?
I admit it: I am a HUGE bookworm. I was learning to read before I started kindergarten, I was in special reading classes in my early elementary years, I devoured the Scholastic book order catalogs that came home from school, and I pursued and completed the English degree program at Wright State - plenty of reading to be had.
I recently picked up the Walt Disney movie version of one of my all-time favorite novels, A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle, which I first read when I was maybe 9 or 10. (And I even found the edition that I first read here on Amazon.)
It’s been awhile since the last time I flipped through the book. The movie was surprisingly true to the story, re-introducing me to L’Engle’s characters - my old friends.
This included Calvin O’Keefe, somewhat of an auxiliary male character in the book and played by Gregory Smith in the movie. And while Smith didn’t particularly catch my eye, watching the movie brought to mind how much I adored Calvin even when I was barely old enough to know what a crush was.
It’s not completely unheard of to “fall in love” with a literary character. Literary love is the force working behind this whole Twilight phenomenon, and arguably Harry Potter, too.
And it’s not just limited to kids, tweens and teens: Nicholas Sparks’ The Notebook had huge appeal to female readers of all ages thanks to its male lead, the devoted Noah.
Calvin O’Keefe was probably the earliest literary crush I had - which could very well be because Wrinkle was one of the first serious novels I read as a child. (While I certainly loved Bilbo Baggins from The Hobbit, I wouldn’t call it a crush.)
I can think of a few others off the top of my head, including Holden Caulfield from A Catcher in the Rye by the late J.D. Salinger; Dorian Gray from The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde; and Darcy from Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen.
Which male (or female, for that matter) literary characters captured your heart, as a child or as an adult?
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Comments
By Shelley
May 24, 2010 10:00 AM | Link to this
Immediately upon seeing the headline, I answered, “Holden Caulfield.” Upon reading the last paragraph, I found that I was not alone in this “crush.” I read the book for the first time in my teens and had a “crush” on Holden. However, I read the book again in my twenties after having two children and was surprised that I had ever had this crush. Holden seemed like a selfish, lost jerk to me then. I read the book again while teaching high school English in my thirties and Holden then reminded me of some of my pupils and I thought he needed some help from a loving adult. Holden has remained the same, but I have changed.
By Zeeba Neighba
May 24, 2010 10:09 AM | Link to this
My one and only literary crush is “Winnetou”, a fictional Native American Chief of the Apaches. He is the main character in several books written by German author Karl May. I devoured those books when I was about 10 or 11 years old :-)
By Deborah
May 24, 2010 2:45 PM | Link to this
Jane Eyre’s Mr. Rochester still makes my heart flutter!
By Bilbo
May 24, 2010 4:45 PM | Link to this
GANDALF.
By Mojo
May 24, 2010 5:05 PM | Link to this
Winnie the Pooh! It is the first book I remember reading, probably about 5-6 years old, and I so wanted him as MY bear. I adore him to this day!
By Albert
May 24, 2010 5:15 PM | Link to this
Curious George or The Cat in the Hat. Seriously, Huckleberry Finn.
By Melodie
May 24, 2010 6:47 PM | Link to this
Laurie from Little Women. When Jo rejected him and then that little tramp Amy moved in on him I was so pissed!! And I was only 8!
By Max
May 25, 2010 9:58 AM | Link to this
Becky Thatcher from Twain’s ‘Tom Sawyer’…….specifically, the cave scene…LOL
By J.Walker
May 25, 2010 10:26 AM | Link to this
My 1st literary crush was Mr.Darcy from Pride and Prejudice. He is the epitome of a real man!!!