Express Yourself: Favorite Character

The Express Yourself Weekly Meme is hosted by Jackie @ Bouquet of Books and Dani @ Entertaining Interests.

The prompt for this week is: Name one favorite character you have written or read about.

There are so many characters to choose from!  Can I really only pick one?

Well, since I can only choose one, I'll go the easy route and choose a character from my WIP, A Silent Soliloquy.  I've essentially got the rough draft done, though there are a couple of major changes I'm considering making to the story. I've been so busy preparing for A to Z that I haven't gotten a lot of time to work on it lately, but it's still very much on my mind.

Tippie is not an ordinary girl.  She became a ward of the state at birth, and a new personality was programmed in her mind, forcing her real self into the background.  All she can do is watch while the government sends her out to perform tasks that make her waking life seem like a nightmare.  She cannot interact with anyone as herself, leaving her completely isolated. The only way she can create the illusion of human connection is by creating stories for the people she sees in the world.

To say the least, this is not an easy perspective to write from, but I'm enjoying the challenge.

There's one important question that Tippie has to grapple with, and that question comes up when she sees Kali, a woman who has been driven mad by the knowledge of how her existence has been used to hurt people.  The question is this: If there is only a choice between suffering and madness, is it wrong to choose madness?

I love this character because I find her deeply fascinating.  By living through her struggles alongside her, I feel like I've learned a lot as a writer.  That's more than enough reason for me to count her as one of my favorites.

Which character, whether one that you've written or read, is your favorite?