: Likeable characters with deplorable professions? I'm planning out an idea for a short story. In the story, slavery didn't abruptly end but instead continued to modern day and beyond. The structure

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I am on the same page as Galastel. I believe that to make your character likeable, you will have to portray him as "advanced" for his time.

I could imagine someone like your character operating in the South around 1850. In that case, "tech" education of the time might be something like saddle-making, or "working on the railroad," which was better remunerated than mere agricultural labor. That is, he'd be on the "wrong side of history" today, but not for his time.

I don't see the story flying in modern times. No one will thank your character for taking away rights that were granted by the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments immediately after the war, even if he gives people high tech training.

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You can't judge a period character based on modern values. In a setting (real or imaginary) when slaves are owned, and society does not challenge it, it would be anachronistic for your character to refuse to own slaves. Such modern values stick out like a sore thumb.

As long as your character is not worse than the society around him, not actively sadistic, and has likeable traits (that are not related to the slaves issue), he will be likeable enough. In fact, it your character's values are too progressive, it would make him unlikeable, like a Mary Sue.

(Just to clarify, I'm not criticising your story idea. I don't know enough about it to give constructive critique. I am pointing towards what would make a character most unlikeable in my opinion.)

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