Orphans
No, this is not the name of a movie or a book. It is merely and
observation about spirit characters in literature and film. While this
is not a universal truth, it occurs often enough that it deserves
mention. Spirit characters are very often depicted as orphans. Here are
just a few examples.
Taran, from Lloyd Alexander's Prydain Chronicles, is raised by a sorcerer and does not know his family heritage. One theme running throughout the series is Taran's search for his true identity.
Harry Potter is orphaned as a baby and raised by his aunt and uncle. Harry is constantly trying to identify with his parents, whom he never knew, while fighting the villain who murdered them. At times of extreme stress, an image or shadow of his parents often appears to help or encourage him.
Bruce Wayne (aka Batman) was orphaned as a young boy and raised by his butler, Alfred. In most variations of the story, the criminal who murdered his parents returns as a villain he must later defeat.
Peter Parker (aka Spider-man) was raised by his aunt and uncle. His parents were framed and killed on a secret mission when Peter was very young and he ultimately had to defeat their assassin.
Kal-El (aka Superman) was sent, as an infant, away from his home planet as it was being destroyed and killing everyone on it, including his parents. He was raised by adoptive parents who gave him the name Clark Kent.
Luke Skywalker, from the Star Wars movies, was raised on a somewhat isolated planet by his aunt and uncle. While his father was actually alive, he played no part in Luke's life and is said to have died when he gave in to the dark side and became Darth Vader. Luke was told, and believed, that Darth Vader was a different person altogether and had murdered his father.
King Arthur was raised by a knight named Sir Ector after Merlin made a deal with Uther Pendragon, Arthur's father, that required Uther's first-born son as payment.
August Rush, from the movie of the same name, is taken away from his parents at birth and raised in an orphanage, from which he escapes. The story revolves around his search for his parents using the gift of music he received from both of them.
James Bond, in Jeffery Deaver's Carte Blanche, is an orphan who must discover the truth and come to grips with his parent's death as spies.
Simba, from Disney's The Lion King, runs away when his father is murdered. He grows up on his own with other animals and eventually returns to Pride Rock and faces the lion who murdered his father.
Aladdin, from Disney's movie of the same name, grows up in the streets with a pet monkey. He knows he is meant for something greater and is called a "diamond in the rough." The story revolves around his trying to find his true identity.
Mowgli, from Kipling's The Jungle Book, was orphaned as a baby and raised by wolves. He must defeat Shere Khan, the tiger, before he can return to the villages of man.
Will Turner, from the movie Pirates of the Caribbean, is found at sea as a young boy. His father was a murdered cursed immortal pirate and his mother was presumably lost in the shipwreck that stranded him. Will became a blacksmith and ultimately had to face the pirate who murdered his father.
Maximum Ride, from James Patterson's young adult series, was raised in a lab. Part of her story is trying to find the people who donated the DNA that created her. She considers these to be her parents and her search for them is actually a search for her true identity.
Annie - probably the most famous orphan in literature and film - grows up in an orphanage and eventually meets Daddy Warbucks. She longs to find her parents and Daddy Warbucks helps her in the search. Although they never find her parents, they become a family when Daddy Warbucks adopts her. (Taken mostly from the musical/movie - the comic strip may vary in many ways)
This list covers children's literature to young adult to adult. It covers classic to modern. It covers novels to films to musicals. It covers science fiction to fantasy to mainstream fiction. The use of an orphan spirit character is a very common device in literature and film.
Taran, from Lloyd Alexander's Prydain Chronicles, is raised by a sorcerer and does not know his family heritage. One theme running throughout the series is Taran's search for his true identity.
Harry Potter is orphaned as a baby and raised by his aunt and uncle. Harry is constantly trying to identify with his parents, whom he never knew, while fighting the villain who murdered them. At times of extreme stress, an image or shadow of his parents often appears to help or encourage him.
Bruce Wayne (aka Batman) was orphaned as a young boy and raised by his butler, Alfred. In most variations of the story, the criminal who murdered his parents returns as a villain he must later defeat.
Peter Parker (aka Spider-man) was raised by his aunt and uncle. His parents were framed and killed on a secret mission when Peter was very young and he ultimately had to defeat their assassin.
Kal-El (aka Superman) was sent, as an infant, away from his home planet as it was being destroyed and killing everyone on it, including his parents. He was raised by adoptive parents who gave him the name Clark Kent.
Luke Skywalker, from the Star Wars movies, was raised on a somewhat isolated planet by his aunt and uncle. While his father was actually alive, he played no part in Luke's life and is said to have died when he gave in to the dark side and became Darth Vader. Luke was told, and believed, that Darth Vader was a different person altogether and had murdered his father.
King Arthur was raised by a knight named Sir Ector after Merlin made a deal with Uther Pendragon, Arthur's father, that required Uther's first-born son as payment.
August Rush, from the movie of the same name, is taken away from his parents at birth and raised in an orphanage, from which he escapes. The story revolves around his search for his parents using the gift of music he received from both of them.
James Bond, in Jeffery Deaver's Carte Blanche, is an orphan who must discover the truth and come to grips with his parent's death as spies.
Simba, from Disney's The Lion King, runs away when his father is murdered. He grows up on his own with other animals and eventually returns to Pride Rock and faces the lion who murdered his father.
Aladdin, from Disney's movie of the same name, grows up in the streets with a pet monkey. He knows he is meant for something greater and is called a "diamond in the rough." The story revolves around his trying to find his true identity.
Mowgli, from Kipling's The Jungle Book, was orphaned as a baby and raised by wolves. He must defeat Shere Khan, the tiger, before he can return to the villages of man.
Will Turner, from the movie Pirates of the Caribbean, is found at sea as a young boy. His father was a murdered cursed immortal pirate and his mother was presumably lost in the shipwreck that stranded him. Will became a blacksmith and ultimately had to face the pirate who murdered his father.
Maximum Ride, from James Patterson's young adult series, was raised in a lab. Part of her story is trying to find the people who donated the DNA that created her. She considers these to be her parents and her search for them is actually a search for her true identity.
Annie - probably the most famous orphan in literature and film - grows up in an orphanage and eventually meets Daddy Warbucks. She longs to find her parents and Daddy Warbucks helps her in the search. Although they never find her parents, they become a family when Daddy Warbucks adopts her. (Taken mostly from the musical/movie - the comic strip may vary in many ways)
This list covers children's literature to young adult to adult. It covers classic to modern. It covers novels to films to musicals. It covers science fiction to fantasy to mainstream fiction. The use of an orphan spirit character is a very common device in literature and film.
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