. . . . Continued from part 1: https://flyingfaith.wixsite.com/flyingfaith/post/return-of-the-white-knight
#3. The Continuing Need for Growth
White Knights are the perfect vehicle to portraying the mature Christian’s dilemmas. Think about it. The majority of Christian fiction focuses on themes most relevant to new converts. Now, that’s perfectly fine and great and all, but the road to righteous living continues. There exists many more trials and lessons that are only learned after being in the faith for some time. We Christians discover more and more minor dents in our armor everyday. Lies we once accepted; un-truths to untangle; bad habits in need of buffering; these often involve themes few ever talk about. If you’ve been on the path long, you know what I’m referring to, so consider the spiritual walks you’ve been on. Many struggles seldom get explored, and a White Knight character, who is driven to live upright all their life, is likely just the sort of protagonist best suited for the job.
#4. Goodness Isn’t the End of Personality
The most common fear in writing a nice character among writers is to make him interesting, and the most common advice is to focus on the flaws. Now, every character should have flaws. I agree to that, but should that really be what defines a personality? Faults are a consequence of sin. Thus, I don’t think they were meant to be our defining characteristic. Rather, our personalities are defined by God - more specifically by the purposes He has in mind for us. Consider 1 Corinthians 12, when Paul described each Christian as a gifted member of one body. We were all given specific gifts and traits that allow us to serve God in the way He intended. That logically also means that He’s given everyone the exact unique personality best suited for what He’s got in store for them. It’s all a matter of purpose. Remember, there isn’t more than one way to truth. Narrow is the gate and there are few who find it. However, serving God and serving others doesn’t always look the same. White Knights, especially a whole slew of White Knights, can portray that and more on this topic. They can show that to be Christ-like isn’t the end of personality. It’s the beginning of one’s personality as God originally intended it to be. Their ultimate true self.
Of course, there are likely more themes the White Knight can touch on that I haven’t thought of yet, but I think the point’s been made. The virtuous White Knight, while one of the most difficult character types to pull off well, can be an incredibly profound character. We need more of them. Besides, Jesus, our ultimate White Knight, is coming back. Who better to pattern our heroes after than the most interesting, relatable, brave, and unexpected hero of all time? So let us write more White Knights, as we await for ours to return.
Hebrews 10:24, “And let us consider how to spur one another on to love and good deeds.”
How would you use a White Knight protagonist? What other unique story opportunities can you find for this type? Who are already your favorite White Knights in fiction? (Examples: Captain America, Bilbo Baggins, Hiccup, etc.)