History finds a way. The nature of events changed, but the nature of the dead had not. It had been a mean, shameful little fight that ended them, a flyspecked footnote of history, but they hadn't been mean or shameful men. They hadn't run, and they could have run with honour. They'd stayed not because they wanted to be heroes, but because they chose to think of it as their job, and it was in front of them - (From: Night Watch , page 461)
Pratchett is a comic writer and a very good comic writer. I have read most of his books and note the progression from his early Discworld spoofs of fantasy fiction to a deepening of character. He is brilliant at plot and humour but what is remarkable is the way his characters have developed. In this paragraph, one of Pratchett's most developed characters, Vimes, reflects on an incident, several decades ago, where his men lost their lives. (He was there twice of course - it is a fantasy!) The last seven words summarise Vimes' character - the importance of doing what is in front of you; doing what you have to do. Everyone in Pratchett's later novels faces this dilemma. How do I cope with being a vampire, a werewolf or transported to an uncomfortable place? The shy Banshee pushes a note under the door, reading 'Ooooooooo ...'.
The secret is, there are no heroes. There are just people who do what they have to do. The ordinary person who discovers they are a hero, often doesn't feel at all heroic, perhaps embarrassed, fearful, irritated ... This has infinite comic potential, perhaps because it is so real.
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