Green Day Characters

[November's Storms]

I'm not sure if this is the right place for it, but if not feel free to move it to where it belongs. I searched around GDC (for a few seconds anyway) and didn't find anything related to this.

Personally I feel the characters in American Idiot (Jesus of Suburbia, Whatsername, St Jimmy and the rest) have a lot more depth to them than Christian and Gloria in 21st Century Breakdown.

And lets not forget there are many songs with characters that are unnamed. Dookie has a lot of these but they exist in most Green Day songs.

[LetItBeHappy]

My favorite character must be St. Jimmy. There's so much about him that we never got to know (and I personally believe that he was in love with Jesus, but that's just one interpretation of the plot). And The Grouch is another fav. I mean... OH MY GOD! I'm turning out like my dad!

[iloveyouisntenough]

I kind of agree with the American Idiot characters having more depth, but I also think it might be because of the musical for AI. That and also, it has been out for years, so Chrictian and Gloria are still a newer concept to us.

The characters in albums like Dookie didn't really have a whole album of plot behind them either, which is why I imagine they were never really 'named'. But who knows, Green Day has changed a lot since then also

[Jenny95]

I kind of agree with the American Idiot characters having more depth, but I also think it might be because of the musical for AI. That and also, it has been out for years, so Chrictian and Gloria are still a newer concept to us.

The characters in albums like Dookie didn't really have a whole album of plot behind them either, which is why I imagine they were never really 'named'. But who knows, Green Day has changed a lot since then also

I also think that we just don't know so much about Chris and Gloria cause they aren't mentiont in all songs

would be funny if they would make a book with their stories and their background (for all characters) I think everyone wants to know more about them

[Isabel]

Aren't a lot of songs on the older albums about personal experiences though?

[November's Storms]

Aren't a lot of songs on the older albums about personal experiences though?

True but they aren't they still technically characters if they're not named?

Also I doubt Pulling Teeth is strictly autobiographical!

[LetItBeHappy]

Aren't a lot of songs on the older albums about personal experiences though?

they are, but they're written as someone else's experience. If you're not informed while reading Dookie lyrics, you might think that the songs are about different people.

[poisonoak]

apart from the obvious ones from AI and 21CB, Misery from Warning has some interesting characters, one of my fav green day songs

[Daughter.of.Rage.and.Love]

I think Christian and Gloria seem less deep, because they're less developed as characters with a clear storyline, and are more a representation of something (a group of people, a way someone feels, you can fill a lot of things in here). They're not only a representation, they're also 'actual persons', but in a different way. The characters themselves have less depth, as in that you don't get a 'he or she feels like that' description of them in the songs, but I think they do have depth in the sense of that they and their actions have a background, a reason why they do the things they do, even though it's more vague in the songs. I also think, though, that the whole story thing just is less apparent in 21st Century Breakdown, so maybe the characters do indeed not have as much depth, and are indeed representations. That was kind of a shitty explanation, sorry. I hope this is at least somewhat clear.

[susanananananaa]

I think Jesus of Suburbia/St.Jimmy has a lot more complexity and depth than Christian.

On the other hand, I think Gloria is way cooler, braver and smarter than Whatsername.

[November's Storms]

I think Christian and Gloria seem less deep, because they're less developed as characters with a clear storyline, and are more a representation of something (a group of people, a way someone feels, you can fill a lot of things in here). They're not only a representation, they're also 'actual persons', but in a different way. The characters themselves have less depth, as in that you don't get a 'he or she feels like that' description of them in the songs, but I think they do have depth in the sense of that they and their actions have a background, a reason why they do the things they do, even though it's more vague in the songs. I also think, though, that the whole story thing just is less apparent in 21st Century Breakdown, so maybe the characters do indeed not have as much depth, and are indeed representations. That was kind of a shitty explanation, sorry. I hope this is at least somewhat clear.

A little bit long, but I understand what you mean, and totally agree!

[1039slappygirl]

I love JOS

His my favorite character, maybe because I feel kinda related to the song and I like so much John Gallagher Jr.'s performance at the musical

Whatsername and Gloria from 21CB seem pretty amazing too, though

[LetItBeHappy]

I think Jesus of Suburbia/St.Jimmy has a lot more complexity and depth than Christian.

On the other hand, I think Gloria is way cooler, braver and smarter than Whatsername.

I'm a Whatsername fan, but Gloria is way cooler. She actually knows what she wants

[Rosie May]

I think Christian and Gloria are more symbols in a way. They're charachters but they don't really do anything. I think they're just two sides of Billie Joe split into seperate people, in a way, I don't really think they're meant to be that fleshed out. I'm terribhnle at explaining things,

I love Green day's female characters, I love the songs about Whatsername and Gloria, they aren't just love interest's for the male characters.

I like the charaters in Misery as well, it goes with the music on that song somehow.

[November's Storms]

Sorry girls but Maria is still the coolest for me!

[LetItBeHappy]

Sorry girls but Maria is still the coolest for me!

oh, I forgot about her! She's a badass

[Isabel]

Also I doubt Pulling Teeth is strictly autobiographical!

What makes you say that?

[LetItBeHappy]

^isn't that about Mike's pillow fight with Anastasia?

[in_your_face]

I think Jesus of Suburbia/St.Jimmy has a lot more complexity and depth than Christian.

On the other hand, I think Gloria is way cooler, braver and smarter than Whatsername.

this.

[St. Banana]

Sorry girls but Maria is still the coolest for me!

agreed

[November's Storms]

What makes you say that?

Well it kinda based on Mike having a pillow fight, but Billie or any of them never had a relationship where the girl was abusive to him. At least, that we know of!

[Kayfabe]

I wanna know who the bitch in 'In the End' is. That's not nice, that. Just dump the douchebag and stop stringing Billie on.

Oh and obviously Take Back. What the fuck did you do to Billie?

[LetItBeHappy]

I wanna know who the bitch in 'In the End' is. That's not nice, that. Just dump the douchebag and stop stringing Billie on.

Oh and obviously Take Back. What the fuck did you do to Billie?

you mean, you wanna know to whom was In the end directed? (grammar fail). It's about his mom's new boyfriend. That's why he sings "i hope i won't be there in the end if you (the boyfriend) come around"

and take back... i don't know

[Metanoia]

I can identify very good with JOS. that's why i really love him. also when i saw the clip of it first, i'm not like him phisically and im not any kind of punk or living half on the streets, but just his wishes feelings ect. they kinda relate to me.

[November's Storms]

I wanna know who the bitch in 'In the End' is. That's not nice, that. Just dump the douchebag and stop stringing Billie on.

I'm not sure but I know a girl who's doing the exact same thing to me at the moment. Bitch.