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Survey of Depression Over the Death of a Fictional Character.

ArvelArvel Member Posts: 2
Greetings, I'm doing a survey about whether or not its common for one to experience some depression over the death of a fictional character, say from a movie, tv series, book, or video game (perhaps over the death of Yoshimo?); also whether its more common for a male or a female to become depressed over the death of a character of fiction. So, if you would be willing to partake in the survey just leave a comment here indicating: whether you've ever become depressed over the death of a fictional character, to what extent (in general terms) your depression was and whether your male or female. This survey is for a college statistics class I'm taking and I'd appreciate your help in reducing the boredom of the class room.
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Comments

  • SmilingSwordSmilingSword Member Posts: 827
    Death in video games, books and movies is a strange thing, I wouldn't say I've ever been truly depressed over a fictional character for a extended period of time, but I have shed a tear or two over fictional characters dying. Mordin Solus dying in Mass Effect hit me pretty hard, was shocked and needed to take break after that happened. Third Hokage in Naruto, that brought me to tears too, but these strong emotions are always fleeting, in the moment these deaths affected me drastically, but I was fine after a bit and didn't lose any sleep over it.

    I'm a male in my late 20's.
  • AlmateriaAlmateria Member Posts: 257
    I cried when Jean Valjean died in the latest movie version of Les Miserables, and that's about the extent of all my character-related sadness.
    Skatanmashedtaters
  • jacksonmc1jacksonmc1 Member Posts: 1
    I've only found I get sad over movie deaths. I have no idea why but the death of the little kid in Jaws upset me abit, made no sense cause he wasn't even a main character and had about 1 minute of screen time, but I guess the idea of an innocent child being killed so violently whilst so young is depressing.
    Skatan
  • SkatanSkatan Member, Moderator Posts: 5,352
    The end of the Mass Effect series left me very emotionally affected, but I wouldn't go as far as call it depressed. Mass Effect is the game which has had the most emotional impact on me ever.

    Movies hit much harder normally and I quite often try to hide that I am crying. Not sure if this counts as being depressed though, but I always cry when Maximus dies in Gladiator. It's so sad and so beautiful at the same time. Same with Hero when one of the character dies and his spouse commits suicide since she cannot imagine being separated from him.

    Male, mid thirties.
  • SvarSvar Member Posts: 157
    It happens to me a lot. Anytime a character I at least kind of like dies unexpectedly or in particularly tragic way, I tend to feel hollow and lost for a few days. A few of the deaths that did this were: Mordin Solus (Mass Effect), Lupin and Tonks (Harry Potter), Rin Nohara (Naruto), Pip Bernadette (Hellsing), Amy Pond (Doctor Who), Leandra Hawke (Dragon Age), Théoden (Lord of the Rings), Mace Windu (Star Wars), and for some odd reason despite me not being that fond of the show, Matthew Crawley (Downton Abbey).
    Skatan
  • meaglothmeagloth Member Posts: 3,806
    edited January 2016
    Not usually. The only thing that comes to mind was the death of the doctor when doctor who changed from Matt smith to Peter capaldi, though I'm not sure that was just a character death. I knew the character was caming back, but not only that. the episode represented the end of that season, and the end of an early. I didn't know if the show was going to be be as good anymore(it wasn't). Also I had been really into the show watching past episodes, and all the sudden there where no more episodes. So maybe I was more sad about the show ending than the character dying.
    But damn, when he dropped the bow tie.... *sniffles*
    Skatan
  • abacusabacus Member Posts: 1,307
    Discworld spoiler. Don't open unless you've read The Shepherd's Crown.

    Granny Weatherwax... Saw it coming and I was still devastated.

    Although the circumstances surrounding publication were probably a strong component.
  • abacusabacus Member Posts: 1,307
    In computer games, I'd echo those above. Only Mass Effect really hurt me... the ends of Mordin and Tali were both very difficult to take.
    SkatanIrennan
  • mashedtatersmashedtaters Member Posts: 2,266
    I haven't been depressed about the death of fictional characters, but depending on how good the writer is and how believable the character of the fictional person is, I can feel empty inside. But I also appreciate it when authors do it because there is death in real life. I am not really that much of a fan of stories or shows where no one is really that exposed to real danger because no one actually dies. I like to wonder "are they going to kill off this character? They killed off that one character that I really liked!" It adds to the mystery and depth of the story.

    I actually feel more depressed when a serious show or story or movie will leave everyone at the end in perfect health without anything bad happening to them and everything turns out great and everyone survived because isn't life just always perfect, and if your life isn't perfect then I guess you must be doing something wrong, and your life is in shambles, isn't it great??!!

    My life isn't perfect.

    So, in a way, I find death in fiction comforting because death is a part of real life and I have a hard time coping with death in real life. It reminds me I am not alone in that that there are other people out there who have also been through pain in their lives at the death of a loved one. I feel it could be the author's way of getting something that is painful to them off of their chest in a way that can bring enjoyment to others.
  • mashedtatersmashedtaters Member Posts: 2,266
    edited January 2016
    I am a guy, btw. At least I think. Do mashedtaters have a gender?
    semiticgoddessGozeta
  • Son_of_ImoenSon_of_Imoen Member Posts: 1,806
    edited January 2016
    I got sad when my first AD&D PnP character died back in the eighties. I was about 16 years old I guess. Can't remember big sadness for a charcter since. Wouldn't call it depressed though. Depression is what I felt about this world once my mental illness hit me, that even though autism is supposed to be there since birth, happened in 1990 when Saddam Hussein entered Kuwait, the Americans hit back and bombed a whole highway full of fleeing, deserting, no longer fighting but totally helpless to the bombing carpet and minefields left-and-right Iraqi soldiers that together with the cars they stole to flee turned into kilometre after kilometre of smouldering mess. Now that, and the many years of my life after that, is true depression.

    Oh yes, I'm a male and in my mid-forties now.
    mashedtaters
  • MetallomanMetalloman Member, Moderator, Translator (NDA) Posts: 3,975
    Uhm... it looks like this Discussion landed on the Italian side of the Off-Topic subforum

    I'm moving it to the International Off-Topic subforum.
    JuliusBorisovCrevsDaak
  • FinneousPJFinneousPJ Member Posts: 6,455
    Depression is a mental health issue, and a real medical condition. Perhaps you meant to use another word?
    the_spyder
  • DeeDee Member Posts: 10,447
    I don't know about depression, but I wept for Cait Sith in the Black Pyramid.

    I also cried for about two days straight after watching Of Mice and Men.
  • O_BruceO_Bruce Member Posts: 2,790
    Male, 23 years old.

    Never got depressed over death of fictional characters. At most, I was very moved or sad.

    Depression is a mental disorder. Therefore I think your usage of the word here is wrong.
    the_spyder
  • Son_of_ImoenSon_of_Imoen Member Posts: 1,806
    edited February 2016
    O_Bruce said:


    Depression is a mental disorder. Therefore I think your usage of the word here is wrong.

    Agreed, it tempted me to talk about my mental health and afterwards I was afraid I had chased everyone away from this topic with that. Oops, sorry, LOL.

  • iKrivetkoiKrivetko Member Posts: 934
    Wouldn't call it depression, but I did feel quite sad on some occasions.
  • BillyYankBillyYank Member Posts: 2,768
    I don't think I've ever gotten sad about a video game character dying. I have been saddened by the deaths of book characters, especially in long running series.
  • semiticgoddesssemiticgoddess Member Posts: 14,903
    Change "depression" to "being depressed" and you avoid using the medical term. But I think given the context it's clear the question was just asking about feeling depressed.

    I don't think it's relevant to mention your gender here, though naturally you can. Men cry. It's not unusual to have feelings for characters we love.

    I've never gotten depressed, but I've felt bad when characters in games accidentally die. I wasn't happy seeing Toriel die in Undertale.
    Nonnahswriter
  • wraith5641wraith5641 Member Posts: 500
    For some reason, I always felt bad when that guy got thrown off the roof of the Iron Throne by Sarevok at the start of Baldur's Gate :(
  • JuliusBorisovJuliusBorisov Member, Administrator, Moderator, Developer Posts: 22,714
    edited February 2016
    [spoiler=Naruto and One Piece anime and manga spoilers]

    Actually, I was depressed for several weeks when Jiraiya, a teacher of Naruto in the manga/anime Naruto died. This is what I wrote one day on the wall of @O_Bruce who had a Jiraiya avatar then:

    "The guy in your avatar is my favourite character from this manga. I see the arc about him the most touching. I think that arc is the best, even better than what is happening now. I still cry when I think he's not with Naruto... That opening just tears me apart, especially the ice-cream... Wherever someone thinks of you, that's where home is."

    A reason: this character was so, so good written, and he was so pleasant and important for the main character, I literally felt his pain when that happened.

    The same thing happened to me when Portgas D. Ace, a brother of Luffy from One Piece manga/anime, died. Maybe @Shandyr can understand it - the whole thing looked stunningly surprising, horrifying and didn't leave me anything but a deep, deep sorrow.

    So, yes, fictional characters can make me (a guy) feel depressed. The main thing is their authors being such great masters that I begin to feel character's emotions and begin to look at them like they're real people.

    [/spoiler]
    Post edited by JuliusBorisov on
    [Deleted User]SethDavis
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    JuliusBorisov
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  • NonnahswriterNonnahswriter Member Posts: 2,520
    edited February 2016
    [spoiler=Legend of Dragoon spoilers]LAVIIIIIIIITZ!! :cry:



    God, that one hit me hard as a kid... [/spoiler]

    Edit: I thought of another one!

    [spoiler=Your Lie In April spoilers]Kaori too. :cry: Even when you know it's coming from almost the very beginning of the show, it still punches you right in the feels.

    [/spoiler]

    Those are the most recent ones that come to mind, seeing as I just finished a replaythrough of Dragoon not long ago and watched Your Life In April. I usually feel pretty sad to see a character I like die, but the most memorable deaths are the ones when I actually cry.

    I'm female and 23 years old.

    Edit 2: I thought of another other one!

    [spoiler=Grave of the Fireflies spoilers] I hate this movie.



    I didn't cry. I didn't feel sad. I just felt dead. Completely and utterly dead for two whole days, pondering my worth as a human being, whether or not I'm a good big sister, and generally just hating the world.

    And once again, you know it's coming. Your two main characters are introduced as ghosts right at the start.

    But it DOESN'T EVEN MATTER. *bawl*

    If there's any fictional character death that made me clinically depressed for a while, I think this would be it.

    You don't get out of this movie without a scar on your soul.[/spoiler]
  • CoM_SolaufeinCoM_Solaufein Member Posts: 2,607
    D&D and their purging of the gods especially Mystra and Eilistraee. Since then I hate anything that deals with the books or rule set after 3.5. I refuse to buy anything from them again. I'll go to a used book store and buy the older stuff.

    Now I would be greatly sadden if I killed off any of my main characters in my stories. Don't think I could ever pull the trigger on them.
    Irennan
  • IrennanIrennan Member Posts: 54
    edited February 2016

    D&D and their purging of the gods especially Mystra and Eilistraee. Since then I hate anything that deals with the books or rule set after 3.5. I refuse to buy anything from them again. I'll go to a used book store and buy the older stuff.

    I feel you, since I too took WotC's choice for the new direction of the Realms real badly (especially because the ''offfing'' was ridiculous for Mystra, and had nothing to do with the character--besides being far fetched as well-- for Eilistraee). However, you'll be happy to know that both Mystra and Eilistraee are back then (actually, if you go by Ed Greenwood's lore, they have never truly died).
    Now I would be greatly sadden if I killed off any of my main characters in my stories. Don't think I could ever pull the trigger on them.
    You know, I have the same problems with the my players' PCs. Once we get engaged in a storyline, I really can't bring myself to off them. I try to always give them a chance to make up for bad luck in rolls, unless they do something really stupid, or unless they want to do a heroic sacrifice scene of some kind.

    For the purpose of this survey, I'm male.
    Post edited by Irennan on
    mashedtaters
  • SkatanSkatan Member, Moderator Posts: 5,352
    The OP hasn't responded or been active since september, so don't think this survey is active. I didn't notice that myself until after I had replied.
    [Deleted User]mashedtaterslolien
  • Son_of_ImoenSon_of_Imoen Member Posts: 1,806
    Skatan said:

    The OP hasn't responded or been active since september, so don't think this survey is active. I didn't notice that myself until after I had replied.

    We all stepped into the trap @jacksonmc1 prepared for us. That devil. Let's feed him to Ursa the Cavebear!
    [Deleted User]JuliusBorisovNonnahswriterSkatan
  • VallmyrVallmyr Member, Mobile Tester Posts: 2,457

    D&D and their purging of the gods especially Mystra and Eilistraee. Since then I hate anything that deals with the books or rule set after 3.5. I refuse to buy anything from them again. I'll go to a used book store and buy the older stuff.

    Now I would be greatly sadden if I killed off any of my main characters in my stories. Don't think I could ever pull the trigger on them.

    Fortunately I believe they are both back in 5e, along with some others such as Myrkul and Bhaal.

    As for me

    Male, age 22

    Tides of War
    [Spoiler] I was reading it at 2am when Garrosh dropped the mana-bomb on Theramore. My favorite character, Kinndy Sparkshine of whom was a tiny, pink haired gnome wizard girl, was caught in it. Jaina, the main character of the novel, touches her corpse and it breaks into dust. I cried for two hours. Kinndy was super similar to my character, Piro, and it felt like Piro had died. [/spoiler]

    Unlimited Blade Works
    [Spoiler] Cried super hard when Iliyasviel got her eyes cut out, stabbed, and she was talking to her dead summon, Hercules. She's super evil but is like a tiny mage girl that was forced to be evil. [/spoiler]

    I've cried at almost every character death in the Gundam series.

    There are probably a million other situations as well but there are too many to list.

    I never felt actual depression from these but I've had to lie down for a little and chill and cope with their demise.
  • IrennanIrennan Member Posts: 54
    Vallmyr said:



    Unlimited Blade Works
    [Spoiler] Cried super hard when Iliyasviel got her eyes cut out, stabbed, and she was talking to her dead summon, Hercules. She's super evil but is like a tiny mage girl that was forced to be evil. [/spoiler]

    I felt bad for her mother in the prequel. They deserved better.

    Vallmyr
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