Straight love interest... does this ever happen in writing?

[Lucca Ashtear]

So I've gotten curious. I've only seen this happen twice, in the Best Webcomic that has Ever Been Written and again in The Simpsons (lol, Smithers), aside from the time if happened (completely independantly of said webcomic and cartoon) with a D&D character of mine. Put shortly, why is it that the gay character ALWAYS ends up successful in love? Why is it that he never falls in love with someone who's really straight, and stays that way? Why does homosexuality in fiction seem to grant you an immunity to unrequited love?

I generally think it's more dramatic and interesting (if less cute) when the love of his life is someone he can never have.  

[Naota Daemon]

A story line where the Protagonist can never have their love love them back is a depressing story line, people will start to try and relate to that story and feel sad. Some would enjoyit as a dramatic effect, I know I would, but others would feel really sad and sorry for the protagonist.

 

[Lucca Ashtear]

Well, who said it had to be the protagonist? The examples I gave all didn't fit that description, with the possible exception of my RP character.  

[Garnet233]

Simply put: Everyone wants a happy ending.

That's about what it comes down to. Sure, we would all LOVE a dramatic plot like that, but at the end of the story if the protagonist ends up alone and sad, we, the readers, will feel sad and dissapointed.

-shrugs-

Though, just because the protagonist ends up loving a straight man, that doesn't mean one of the sub characters can't hook up and be happy XD. It doesn't always have to be the protagonist and some male lovers..;-;..

In a story, someone is getting paired off, even if it isn't the protagonist. Unless there is no romance in the story what so ever. XD.  

[LadyNox]

I think when reading a romantic story, most want to see the protagonist get with the love of his life. Whether this is a straight story or a homosexual one, when it's over you usually want to see the two end up together. It is romance after all.

Still, I have read/watched many stories where s/he doesn’t get his/her love. Sometimes, the loved one dies, sometimes the lover dies, sometimes they break up, sometimes they never get together at all. I think that usually when the latter happens, they protagonist gets a new love interest, whether he's willing to find interest in this new person yet. In the end, s/he will end up with someone.

I do understand and agree with you though. Some unrequited love is nice. It makes for a good story.

I hope my babbling made senese. I'm kinda gone in the head.  

[Kami Llama]

I think the best example of not-so-happy homosexual romance in literature would be in Mercedes Lackey's Last Herald Mage trilogy.

SPOILERS: (highlight)

The romance starts out wonderfully, but then takes a turn for the shitty when Tylendel goes apeshit and winds up dead. The trilogy doesn't start to look up again for the main character until the third book when he finds 'Lendel's reincarnation and manages to find love again. biggrin

But yeah. There were quite a few times when those books had me sobbing hysterically. Overall, it's not the happiest of series, and the main character does not in any way shape or form have an easy time in his love life. No, there's no unrequited love going on, but it's not all shiny either.

Besides, how often do you find gay men falling for straight men in real life? Crushes may occur now and then, but for the most part ALL people get on with their lives once they realize that their goals are unattainable. n.n  

[kageling]

I see drabbles on this subject all the time. The thing is, it doesn't make for a very good romance storyline...as others have said.

All you'll be reading about is one person making advances toward the other, and receiving little positive response. That and it's doomed to be unhappy, and most people like to have a little up in the love stories they read.  

[Aeronwyn]

I've read quite a few fics with it, but as fanfic isn't geared to a mass audience authors have more scope with what they want to write about. In mainstream literature/film/TV it just doesn't sell all that well I guess. I can't think of many examples - at least not outside of comedy shows.

Eg. In "Game On" (kudos for anyone who's seen it!) Matt refuses to be less homophobic and get with Jason... culminating in the classic "I kept those [Sonic the Hedgehog] socks 'cos they were yours Matt!" Lol.
Or in "The Smoking Room" Robin spends two series pining over the seemingly hopelessly straight Ben from the postroom - only to find out in the last episode that the guy's actually bi, has a boyfriend and thinks Robin's a rabid homophobe 'cos of how he's been trying to hide his own sexuality.

Perhaps it's because in comedy we worry less that the character is going to be overly scarred by unrequited love? Thoughts?  

[The Amazind Aardvark]

I've noticed this, too. And it sort of pisses me off. But a lot of the time, I couldn't care less. Still, I need to find one where there isn't a happy ending, and see if I like it or not.

 

[SilverDollii]

I think it's because they have to go through the pain of telling their friends and family and being rejected and excepted by various people. So whoevers writing feels sympathy or guilt in forcing the character through that and so wants then to have a fullfilled love life...

if that didn't make sense ignore it.  

[Graceful crisis]

Ouran high school host club crying gonk KaoruxHikaruxHaruhi ..
I'm only at 21 but still .. It really makes me want to cry cry  

[Seijaku_Ishida]

I plan on having a lot of unrequited love in my next webcomic...both for the gay and straight pairings. Mostly because I love twisted love triangles.

It's the romance of it, I think...being able to attain the seemingly unattainable.  

[Kavo-chan]

Lucca Ashtear

So I've gotten curious. I've only seen this happen twice, in the Best Webcomic that has Ever Been Written and again in The Simpsons (lol, Smithers), aside from the time if happened (completely independantly of said webcomic and cartoon) with a D&D character of mine. Put shortly, why is it that the gay character ALWAYS ends up successful in love? Why is it that he never falls in love with someone who's really straight, and stays that way? Why does homosexuality in fiction seem to grant you an immunity to unrequited love?

I generally think it's more dramatic and interesting (if less cute) when the love of his life is someone he can never have.

wow this comis is only wow I laught and laught and laught... ^^  

[Vinny Bertolli]

I love that kind of story....every once and a while. I find something beautiful in the sorrow of unrequited love. Of course, I don't believe it should be over done, or that the love should always be one-sided, but I have seen this done in ways that are most satisfying to read. Even if it is unrequited, it doesn't have to be tragic or EXTREMELY sad. I love to see those stories where a character moves on and knows his limits.  

[Demented Kid]

I think it's interesting to find a story where the pair DONT end up together, but it will have to be a good story line. =/

There was one I liked that was an anime, well an OVA called Fujimi Orchestra (Or however ya spell it) where the guy who's talking is in love with this girl in the orchestra, but the composer/conductor guy falls in love with him. I wont say too much lol