--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We're always attracted to characters who…" description: "\"We're always attracted to characters who are people we could identify with and yet are put through incredibly tortured or difficult circumstances - the..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9cb/erich-hoeber-73036_character_we-re-always-attracted-to-characters-who_2288677.jpg" --- # We're always attracted to characters who are people we… ![“We're always attracted to characters who are people we could identify with and yet are put through incredibly tortured or difficult circumstances - the idea being that you don't really know who you are until you've been tested or suffered in some way.” quote by Erich Hoeber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9cb/erich-hoeber-73036_character_we-re-always-attracted-to-characters-who_2288677.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9cb/erich-hoeber-73036_character_we-re-always-attracted-to-characters-who_2288677.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9cb/erich-hoeber-73036_character_we-re-always-attracted-to-characters-who_2288677.jpg) > “We're always attracted to characters who are people we could identify with and yet are put through incredibly tortured or difficult circumstances - the idea being that you don't really know who you are until you've been tested or suffered in some way.” Erich Hoeber ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People are drawn to characters who face extreme trials, revealing true identity through hardship. **In simple terms:** Hardship reveals true self. Key Takeaway Embrace challenges to discover yourself. Themes identity adversity character development Mood reflective analytical Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - storytelling - personal growth - counseling Key Concepts psychology narrative theory resilience Questions to Reflect On - What trials have shaped your identity? - Can adversity be avoided? A Different Perspective Not all suffering leads to insight. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Characters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/characters/) [Difficult circumstances](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/difficult-circumstances/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) ## Related quotes > [But when you are being physically and psychologically tortured, it is difficult to remove yourself from the pressingness of the moment at hand. Here's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hank-green/but-when-you-are-being-physically-and-psychologically-tortured-it-is/) [Hank Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hank-green/) > [I've always been attracted to characters that were interesting to me, and different.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milla-jovovich/i-ve-always-been-attracted-to-characters-that-were-interesting-to-me/) [Milla Jovovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milla-jovovich/) > [I am attracted to characters who are in worlds where they don't belong and who have great ambitions that they imagine will somehow reconcile…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bennett-miller/i-am-attracted-to-characters-who-are-in-worlds-where-they-don-t/) [Bennett Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bennett-miller/) > [There is an element of performance to leadership, because youre on public display, and I suppose I must be attracted to that. Although, probably…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-sheen/there-is-an-element-of-performance-to-leadership-because-youre-on/) [Michael Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-sheen/) > [Very rarely am I attracted to characters that are 'woe is me.' I'm not a big fan of women that have to be the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mila-kunis/very-rarely-am-i-attracted-to-characters-that-are-woe-is-me-i-m-not-a/) [Mila Kunis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mila-kunis/) > [I'm very attracted to characters who don't necessarily make it easy to be loved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlize-theron/i-m-very-attracted-to-characters-who-don-t-necessarily-make-it-easy/) [Charlize Theron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlize-theron/) > [I'm always perversely attracted to characters that seem one thing, but are ultimately revealed as another...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-goldwyn/i-m-always-perversely-attracted-to-characters-that-seem-one-thing-but/) [Tony Goldwyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-goldwyn/) > [I am most attracted to characters and stories that I can relate to. The traditional formula of 'larger than life' I never found attractive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhay-deol/i-am-most-attracted-to-characters-and-stories-that-i-can-relate-to/) [Abhay Deol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhay-deol/) > [I was always attracted to characters that were in some level of turmoil or suffering because I had so much of that in my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natasha-gregson-wagner/i-was-always-attracted-to-characters-that-were-in-some-level-of/) [Natasha Gregson Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natasha-gregson-wagner/) > [The quality of your life was determined by the quality of your service. I'm attracted to characters who have a higher calling, who want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-smith/the-quality-of-your-life-was-determined-by-the-quality-of-your/) [Will Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-smith/) > [I think you're always attracted by characters that are a little bit like you, or at least the worst parts of you that you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-pugh/i-think-you-re-always-attracted-by-characters-that-are-a-little-bit/) [Florence Pugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-pugh/) > [I'm in the business to push it. I'm not likely to be attracted to characters I've already done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-harmon/i-m-in-the-business-to-push-it-i-m-not-likely-to-be-attracted-to/) [Mark Harmon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-harmon/) > [I'm not likely to be attracted to characters I've already done. I have to be almost frightened by the possibility of taking it on.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-harmon/i-m-not-likely-to-be-attracted-to-characters-i-ve-already-done-i-have/) [Mark Harmon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-harmon/) > [I'm attracted to stories that excite my imagination, stories that, as I'm reading the script, I feel it, I can see it, I can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tatiana-maslany/i-m-attracted-to-stories-that-excite-my-imagination-stories-that-as-i/) [Tatiana Maslany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tatiana-maslany/) > [I think I am more attracted to characters with a subtext, whatever that is and they don't necessarily have to be virtuous, but they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-owen/i-think-i-am-more-attracted-to-characters-with-a-subtext-whatever/) [Clive Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-owen/) ## More by Erich Hoeber > [Not all of our work is dark, but when we are working on a dark project, we really tend to go there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-hoeber/not-all-of-our-work-is-dark-but-when-we-are-working-on-a-dark-project/) Erich Hoeber > [In our office, we have a whiteboard with all of our ideas and things we want to write on it - great ideas we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-hoeber/in-our-office-we-have-a-whiteboard-with-all-of-our-ideas-and-things/) Erich Hoeber > [We can't really make a living doing comic books, despite the fact that would be an awfully fun way to make a living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-hoeber/we-can-t-really-make-a-living-doing-comic-books-despite-the-fact-that/) Erich Hoeber Explore all 4 Erich Hoeber quotes ## More Character quotes > [This may sound strange, but although I feel like I know everything about my characters, the brand of shampoo they use, how many cavities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-honeyman/this-may-sound-strange-but-although-i-feel-like-i-know-everything/) [Gail Honeyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-honeyman/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [Social responsibility above the level of family, or at most of tribe, requires imagination-- devotion, loyalty, all the higher virtues -- which a man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/social-responsibility-above-the-level-of-family-or-at-most-of-tribe/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [I'm often moved by the circumstances around some of my characters, but I don't think I've actually cried watching myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-winslet/i-m-often-moved-by-the-circumstances-around-some-of-my-characters-but/) [Kate Winslet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-winslet/) > [When you're on a daytime drama you get one page, you better damn well know your character. You better know what she would do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hudgins/when-you-re-on-a-daytime-drama-you-get-one-page-you-better-damn-well/) David Hudgins > [It can sometimes make people fold into themselves and kind of run away, but I think in this case these characters are being forced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-deschanel/it-can-sometimes-make-people-fold-into-themselves-and-kind-of-run/) [Emily Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-deschanel/) > [If you are well-mannered towards those whose views are similar to yours, you may be said to exhibit a fairly good character. But, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-are-well-mannered-towards-those-whose-views-are-similar-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-is-based-on-the-conviction-that-man-has-the-moral-and/) [Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) > [In the fight between biology and morality, biology has commonly won in the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/semir-zeki/in-the-fight-between-biology-and-morality-biology-has-commonly-won-in/) [Semir Zeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/semir-zeki/) > [Your looks don't make you pretty, it's the person inside who makes you pretty!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-chan/your-looks-don-t-make-you-pretty-it-s-the-person-inside-who-makes-you/) [Aaron Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-chan/) > [I'm not a huge social media kind of guy, so I don't really know, I don't really ever get... at least in real life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freddie-stroma/i-m-not-a-huge-social-media-kind-of-guy-so-i-don-t-really-know-i-don/) [Freddie Stroma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freddie-stroma/) > [If you stood me in a costume next to a computer graphic of the same-looking character, I think there would be a difference. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warwick-davis/if-you-stood-me-in-a-costume-next-to-a-computer-graphic-of-the-same/) [Warwick Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warwick-davis/) > [Courage: the most important of all the virtues because without courage, you can't practice any other virtue consistently](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/courage-the-most-important-of-all-the-virtues-because-without-courage/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [I'm a character actor - always have been, always will be - and historically, character actors don't come into their own until later in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-potts/i-m-a-character-actor-always-have-been-always-will-be-and/) [Annie Potts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-potts/) [Browse all 32,707 Character quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We're always attracted to characters who are people we could identify with and yet are put through incredibly tortured or difficult circumstances - the idea being that you don't really know who you are until you've been tested or suffered in some way.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Erich Hoeber" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-hoeber/we-re-always-attracted-to-characters-who-are-people-we-could-identify/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Character" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-hoeber/we-re-always-attracted-to-characters-who-are-people-we-could-identify/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9cb/erich-hoeber-73036_character_we-re-always-attracted-to-characters-who_2288677.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9cb/erich-hoeber-73036_character_we-re-always-attracted-to-characters-who_2288677.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9cb/erich-hoeber-73036_character_we-re-always-attracted-to-characters-who_2288677.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We're always attracted to characters who are people we could identify with and yet are put through…” — Erich Hoeber", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Erich Hoeber", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-hoeber/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We're always attracted to characters who...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-hoeber/we-re-always-attracted-to-characters-who-are-people-we-could-identify/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-hoeber/we-re-always-attracted-to-characters-who-are-people-we-could-identify/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```