In the previous post I referred to research done at Ohio State University on how and why readers identify with characters in fiction. Another finding of that research was that if the character is different in some major way from the reader, not surprisingly the reader identified less with the character if that difference was revealed early on vs. being revealed after the story covered several aspects where the reader and the character were similar.
For the fiction author there is a practical implication--if you want your reader to identify with your protagonist, first emphasize the elements with which the reader probably can identify, then reveal the ones that are less likely to apply.
Of course this doesn't apply across the board--otherwise Kafka would have been wise to let us identify with Gregor before he turns into a bug.
(Kafka is one of the great writers quoted in my newest book, "Your Creative Writing Masterclass," published by Nicholas Brealey and available now form Amazon and other booksellers. Why not learn from great writers like Kafka, Dickens, Fitzgerald, Hemingway and 100 more?)
