Line #1 IdiotHero/Literature


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9	* ''Literature/TwentyThousandLeaguesUnderTheSea'': Verne’s writing constantly informs us (and Counseil and Aronnax repeatedly lampshade) that Ned Land is a HotBlooded, GreatWhiteHunter, BigEater RealMenEatMeat BookDumb badass [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking who is from Canada]]. On the other hand, he's TooDumbToFool, and is his distrust of Captain Nemo is ultimately proven right.
10	* Creator/HarryHarrison's ''Literature/BillTheGalacticHero'' books involve the titular character being a dumb farmboy on a backwater planet being tricked into enlisting into the fleet. He makes one stupid decision after another, mostly related to drinking, women, and money. In one of the novels it's revealed that his stupidity is directly caused by excessive drinking. When he's put on a prison ship for a few years without a drop of alcohol, his IQ jumps to genius-level, and he figures out several important things, such as the meaning of life (which, in LaymansTerms, can be phrased as "Life = Crap"). Then, at the end of the novel, he shares a toast with his friends, and promptly forgets everything he has learned. Most other characters aren't much smarter, at least the human ones. TheEmperor is an inbred who can barely string two sentences together, and the admiral in charge of the fleet in the first book is a ''baby'' in diapers. Is it any wonder TheEmpire is losing the war with the [[LizardFolk Chingers]] (which it started in the first place)?
11	* Amber from ''Literature/DemonRoad'' makes so many stupid decisions, it's a wonder she survived the first book.
12	* ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'':
13	** Corporal Nobby and sergeant Colon of the City Watch. Nobby is somewhat more intelligent than his companion, whereas Colon, if he solves anything, it's usually by being TooDumbToFool.
14	** Sergeant Detritus as well, depending on the local ambient temperature. Thing is he's a huge troll made of stone, and armed with a siege crossbow, so he usually gets away with it.
15	* In the ''Literature/{{Dragaera}}'' series, this is the province of the House of the Dzur, a.k.a. the House of Heroes. Not all Dzurlords fit the stereotype (i.e. near-suicidal bravery and a shortage of little grey cells), but many seem to.
16	* One of the running questions of the ''Literature/HalfPrince'' novels is whether the protagonist is one of these. Her narration always has ''some'' explanation for whatever stupid thing she's just done, but other characters tend to think she gets by on luck, attractiveness, and/or being so stupid that [[AchievementsInIgnorance she doesn't "know" she can't do something everyone else falsely thinks nobody can do]].
17	* ''Literature/HarryPotter''. He may not be ditzy or absent-minded per se, but he suffers from a terminal lack of self-preservation and trust into his peers, especially adults, as well as total and persistent inability to foresee the consequences of his actions, or even to make a plan more than five minutes in advance. At least OnceAnEpisode he rushes heads forward into a situation he has no feasible way of mastering, usually without any planning or preparation. Only [[TheSpock Hermione]], [[DeusExMachina Dumbledore]], and the fact that all the villains [[IdiotBall suddenly become stupid]] at the crucial moments keep him from killing himself. Harry also has a bad tendency to pin all of the wrongdoing in the school on Draco Malfoy (or Slytherin in general), and if ever he senses a corrupt and possibly harmful teacher, ''it's always Snape''. It comes back to bite him where in ''[[Literature/HarryPotterAndTheHalfBloodPrince Half-Blood Prince]]'', Ron and Hermione start rolling their eyes at Harry whenever he brings up his "Malfoy is a Death Eater" theory. [[spoiler: He was ''right'', but Dumbledore was already aware of Malfoy's allegiances. However, had Ron and Hermione tried to help Harry, they may have been able to avert a lot of tragedy]]. His predictability gets him into trouble in ''[[Literature/HarryPotterAndTheOrderOfThePhoenix Order of the Phoenix]]'', and Hermione even lampshades this by telling Harry he's got "[[ChronicHeroSyndrome a saving-people thing]]" that Voldemort not only can exploit, but has exploited in the past, by [[spoiler: kidnapping Ginny and taking her into the [[Literature/HarryPotterAndTheChamberOfSecrets Chamber of Secrets]] to arrange a meeting with Harry]].
18	* ''Literature/HouseholdGods'': A problem with the story is that Nicole's ''really'' naive about life in ancient Rome. You don't expect random Americans to be experts on it, but as Creator/JoWalton points out in [[https://www.tor.com/2010/06/10/id-love-this-book-if-i-didnt-loathe-the-protagonist-harry-turtledove-and-judith-tarrs-lemghousehold-godslemg/ her review]], Nicole's shocked even by the fact that they ''have'' slavery, which is very much common knowledge (as many films such as ''{{Film/Spartacus}}'' have portrayed it). Nicole's ignorance and incurious nature will likely make many (like Walton) be very annoyed with her, even if they'd enjoy this otherwise for portraying the late Roman Empire so well.
19	* Mentioned in an author's note that Eragon of the ''Literature/InheritanceCycle'' is not too bright. Obvious from reading the text.
20	* Michael in the ''Literature/KnightAndRogueSeries''. Luckily, his squire Fisk was blessed with all the common sense Michael lacks.
21	* Katarina in ''Literature/MyNextLifeAsAVillainessAllRoutesLeadToDoom'' runs almost entirely on id with no thought to future consequences, a trait that a lot of people actually envy or admire. Her brother acts as a kind of external superego but barely even manages to make her behavior even slightly reasonable. She's also completely oblivious to how popular she is, giving rise to the fan nickname Bakarina. It even ends up working to her advantage when she's accused of manipulating people into bullying Maria and all of her friends point out that she's far too stupid to pull off something that complex.
22	* Matteo in ''Literature/SomeoneElsesWar'' is an interesting example of one of these. He is actually rather tactical and ''tries'' to plan ahead, but when the situation calls for a snap decision, [[IdiotBall he always makes a stupid one]]. (Why yes, Matteo, jumping on the tail of a tank after you've thrown a grenade at it ''will'' give you [[BodyHorror first degree burns]].)
23	* Several of the "heroes" in ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire''. Unfortunately, they live in a CrapsackWorld, so [[AnyoneCanDie they tend to die a lot]].
24	** This is usually a matter of HonorBeforeReason.
25	** Four books and several thousand pages in, and most of the surviving "good guys" seem to be getting better: Jon and Dany have both gained a measure of pragmatism after attaining positions of power; Arya has had to live entirely by her wits since [[spoiler:her father's death]]; and former WideEyedIdealist Sansa is even taking lessons in {{Magnificent Bastard}}ry from none other than [[TheChessmaster Littlefinger]] himself. In many ways, this can be seen as the younger generation overcoming the flaws that killed their parents and older siblings.
26	* Gregor from ''Literature/TheUnderlandChronicles''. He's just a kid, after all.
27	* Deconstructed in ''Literature/WarriorCats'' with Foxleap, whose stupidity inadvertently causes the death of another cat and causes him to start feeling immense pain.
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Context IdiotHero / Literature