Inspiration from fiction

Characters inspire Salem students

Benjamin Cruz

There are many works of fiction that contain a plethora of characters and character archetypes. In many cases, these characters inspire the consumer to be better or think about certain topics. Here are some characters that inspire our SunDevils.

Senior Maddie Sherman

“Okay, so this is kind of a wild card for me, but I’d say Newt Scamander inspires me the most. The reason why he inspires me the most is because he is a unique, quirky character that honestly has a big heart. He is most definitely misunderstood and gets looked at funny, but he doesn’t let that affect him or his passion. He is definitely a character that marches to the beat to his own drum. And he takes that with pride and doesn’t let others’ judgment get to him. He knows he’s different, but that is what makes him stand out amongst the rest.”

Senior Jayden Andrews

“The fictional character that inspires me the most is Noctis from Final Fantasy 15. He inspires me because he values his friends over himself and walks tall. He also went from being a person who hated responsibility to becoming a person that took on any responsibility that came his way.”

Junior Trey Kearn

“I’d definitely gotta say out of the fictional characters I’ve thought about, the one that really inspires me, is Ellis from Left 4 Dead 2. Ellis, being the sweet talking southerner from Georgia that loves to kill zombies, has a special place in my heart. He’s funny as can be and talks with that Georgian ‘twang’ which makes him even more comedic at times. He inspires me to really see to my roots and be as loud-mouthed as I can be. I love Ellis.”

Junior Fox Muncy

“It starts in the beginning. Megamind is an orphan, cursed from a young age to have his greatness stolen from him. Born and raised in a prison, being abandoned from the American child care system, Megamind made to fend for themselves. He learned, he built himself up to be a supergenius throughout prison and elementary school, he showed grit, he showed power in adversity, and as he grew old he began to show his more sensitive and fun side. Putting on large scale ‘boxing matches’ with his nemesis Metro Man. He never intends real harm on anyone involved. And when he is needed to step up to the plate and take action, he does. Risking his own life taking on Titan to save Metropolis.”

Senior Evan Rountree

“Omni Man, he makes me feel like I could crush my enemies with my bare hands, that’s my purpose in life. To work out as much as possible to be able to make that dream come true.”

Senior Genesis Martin

“I’m going to say Batman, he never lets emotion get in the way of his work and that’s what I strive to be like. He knows 127 styles of martial arts so that’s pretty cool too. He let the pain of his parents’ death make him into a masterminded hero instead of a villain which shows emotional strength!”

Junior Aaliyah Bohny 

“I’m going to go with Spongebob. I say this because he always keeps a positive demeanor even when hardships come his way. He always keeps a steady streak of motivation which contributes to his hard work ethic at the Krusty Krab. He is also a good friend to his peers and uses effective problem solving skills.“

Freshman Stephanie Crabtree

Honestly, Rocket from Guardians of the Galaxy, the new one, is inspiring. He went through so much trauma as a baby, but is still saving the galaxy. He also made such an impact on his friends that they had to save him. He ended up bettering himself and finding his true self, a raccoon. He still pushes forward, that is inspiring.”

Sophomore Pashin Godbole

The most inspiring fictional character to me is probably Coach from Left 4 Dead 2. I say this because Coach is a sort of father figure to the group who can find the humor in a bad situation and make the whole experience enjoyable despite the negatives. I aspire to be exactly like him to my future children someday.”

Junior Samantha Brown

“I’d say that Hermione Granger is an inspiring fictional character. She is a strong and empowering young witch who deals with these crazy boys everyday. She is also very determined and loyal.”

Junior Nicholas Petry 

“Steven Universe. As a character, Steven strives to be inclusive and understanding of all people and points of view, while still promoting what is right and just. He has his problems with self worth, but that just makes him more relatable.”

Senior Nick Markham

“Thorfinn from Vinland Saga. Simply, what can I really say, his character development to having no enemies and forgiving what happened is truly amazing. He went through so much trauma and really did forgive what happened.”