The Terrible Protagonist series explores reasons why regular humans (aka myself) would not fair well in the world of fiction.
Why I’d Be A Terrible Protagonist:
Reason #9: Naps Are Required
Abstract:
That feeling when you’re expected to defeat the villain while touting raccoon eye bags.
Thoughts
Prepare yourself for nonsense.
So I don’t know about you but heroes who travel hundreds of pages in search for a fabled totem of power to “level-up” in preparation for the Final Boss fight are probably some of the highest rollers you’d find at the casino. I mean…just imagine if it doesn’t pan out!
For the sake of this post, let’s call the prized item “The Sword of Winning.”
I’m not saying that this symbolic Sword is/isn’t an obstacle to conflict resolution but it is often the case that they present themselves in assisting heroes survive long enough to tell their story. It could very well be Excalibur, some evidence to a whodunnit mystery, or simply getting into university. In any situation, it’s a narrative included to show where the plot has to go. It‘s about going somewhere and achieving something. The concern is that though characters are often trying to figure out the ideal way to slice the cake, chances are is that they’re skimping out on small celebrations.
What a terrible metaphor.
The point I’m trying to get at is this: while this symbolic “thing” might help you get to where you need to go, we (or I?) cannot discount the true secret weapon in being well-rested and having the capacity to decision make.
I’m talking about being able to recharge by sleep and naps.
As a leading expert in this field, I must say that it’s ridiculous to me that heroes waltz around their story without any attention to their need (and/or realistic desires) to take a power-nap at the minimum. I get that it’s difficult to “show” that they slept as a naturally occurring event. This is what pacing is for; the act itself is assumed. Yet the representation of listlessness leading to drowsiness — and dare I say an activity (?) I enjoy — seldom exists. I’m not saying that my expectations are for stories to cease progressing just so Snowflake Extraordinaire can get their 8-hours of beauty rest. Nah. I’m suggesting that having an shiny new Sword is equally importantly to being aware enough to use said Sword.
This is why I’d be a terrible protagonist unfit for the heroes journey to slay the proverbial dragon. Me, on the page, would go something like this:
You: “rise against!”
Other You: “for the good of!”
Also You: *screeches*
Definitely Me: “yeah…this burrito blanket is quite nice.” 
It’s fair to say that sleeping is not interesting or even necessary to know, but the manner in which heroes achieve many of their feats is some crazy nonsense. Like…do they defeat their problems with their droopy eye bags? Maybe that’s it. In an parallel universe, villain’s could be thinking “damn this hero looks like shit and could use some rest…better feign defeat for them” (see also: Hufflepuff antagonists). In all seriousness, there’s an objective need for characters to be tired and given the time to properly rejuvenate before that final fight but they aren’t given it; nor do they really desire it. The weight of self-inflicted responsibility [for perhaps good reason] takes precedence to health and so protagonists carry on and hope for it all to be over on the next page…or the next…only it never ends (?).
That’s why I’d be such a shit hero.
Oh the next building over just collapsed while I was napping?
Someone else was found murdered in my living room?
You’re experiencing miscommunication with your love interest?
Cool. Great. Let me go entertain some philosophical thoughts and figure out an amazing plan of action during my 15-minute power nap.
Afterthoughts
Are you a fan of sleeping or think it’s a waste of time?
Know of any books with makes good use of sleep by having dream-like sequences?
Cheers,
Joey
connect:
afterthoughtAn // twitter
anotherafterthought // goodreads
picturevomit // instagram
thoughts and afterthoughts. 
I agree with your reasoning. I wish I could nap right now!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Go for it, Dea! Then resume saving the New Adult romance world!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Well, since you gave me permission… Zzzzz
LikeLiked by 1 person
The zzz’s + NA romance is basically every nocturnal emission ever LOL.
LikeLiked by 1 person
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
LikeLike
I love how you used “the sword of winning,” and other gamer-type elements as metaphor. I laughed. I also rolled my eyes a little while laughing. It sounds like something out of Munchkin. Also, sleep? Amazing. If only I could pump narratives into my head while sleeping and make those my dreams, life would be perfect.
LikeLiked by 1 person
The gamer references must have come out naturally haha, it was unintentional, I swear!
I’ve yet to play Munchkin, actually! But have heard it to be really fun!
Pumping what happens in books into dreams sounds exhilarating. Rewrite high fantasy novels with me being protagonist? I’m down.
LikeLiked by 1 person
From what I’ve heard, Munchkin is not a game to play with your friends. Apparently they won’t be your friends afterwards, especially if they’re ruthless.
LikeLike
Somehow I missed your previous posts in this series?!Which makes me sad, because this is such a cool idea ahhhh !!
Anyway, I can SO relate to this. I mean, I had planned to get up early this morning and study but I slept in instead… so yeah, I probably wouldn’t be the greatest heroine. I’d be all like, “Adventures? I love my bed too much to leave…”
LikeLiked by 1 person
Haha, these are very sporadic posts that I’m doing it kind of randomly in numbering!
Saving the world after [food] and a quick few hours of rolling around in bed to avoid the pressures of the world? Sounds like my kind of hero’s journey.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Pfft.
Joey, they are called ‘POWERNAPS’ for a reason, dude.
Slaying the villain and seizing the Sword Of Winning is so much easier after a thirty minute eyelid inspection. Even better if you have a pet to snuggle with. If you are the protagonist in an epic fantasy, this cuddlebug can be an occultic familiar.
Icky. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
POWERnaps for POWERful protagonists? Heroes don’t know what they’re missing out on. Could literally save the world and end the book quicker if they took one one page 2 of the book, yeah?
Everyone would say they’d prefer a dragon as a pet? Nay. Scales do not make a good pillow…
LikeLike
Yep, I definitely would choose sleeping over…anything really. I don’t think I could accomplish anything by staying up all day and all night, and now that you mention it, I feel like sleeping is rarely mentioned. I LIKE READING ABOUT SLEEP. AND DREAMS. So THERE SHOULD BE MORE OF THAT.
Burrito blanket >>> saving the world
LikeLiked by 1 person
Strange the Dreamer. Boom, there you go. People be sleeping a lot in it, and I live for it.
It’s okay Ms. L, you can save the world in the comfort of your room. I mean, you’d choose to fight Hazel Grace Lancaster too, right? That’s close enough in name to the Lannisters LMAO.
LikeLike
This is why I prefer realistic lit to fantasy/sci-fi. MORE NAPS.
LikeLiked by 1 person
But do they actually take naps though…?
Okay, to be fair, now that I’m thinking back on recent contemporaries, yes, I think I can recall a few scenes where they went to sleep because of exhausting drama. So, maybe you are correct!
LikeLike
I relate to this so hard. Which is why I love when books accurately depict this issue (so rare, unfortunately). I can’t remember any books with a good dream sequence, although I can think of probably at least a dozen that use prophetic dreams to some extent or another (with varying results).
LikeLiked by 1 person
Although I’m 200ish pages in so far (I think that’s where I’m at?), Strange the Dreamer has had like…several dream sequences that’s a mix of actual dreaming and lucid dreaming!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Well, it was already on my list to give it a try. Hopefully the mix is working/well-written. I mean, I kind of expected that sort of thing based on the premise, but it sounds like it’s better than I worried it might be.
LikeLike