: Re: How to make a childish character that isn't annoying to the reader? I couldn't decide what type of dragon I wanted to write, so I decided to do a Rise of Skywalker and now my dragon is

@Kaufman555

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The difference between childish and unsympathetic is defined by where the tantrum stops, and why

Small children can, in fact, be horrifying monsters, ready to do awful things. One of my nephews once told his mother to get rid of his father and "get a new daddy," over a minor issue of discipline. (Something like not letting him climb on the bookshelves.) In a child, this is forgivable for two reasons. First, the child is unable to carry out their shortsighted impulses. Second, it's obvious that the child is simply not practiced at thinking through to the other end of the question, and is giving voice to an impulse they would take back later.

10 minutes later, the same child will be romping with Daddy again.

But even very small children, when they are brought to understand some part of the real pain their thoughtlessness causes, will tend to stop, and be sorry. Those who do not stop (children or not) are sociopaths. Here is where you hit your problem. The dragon which will burn down a village because a book-thief took shelter there is either a sociopath, or is so shortsighted in his rage that he has forgotten there are consequences. The third option is that he is too stupid to understand, but you have already hedged that out by declaring him to have "above-average-human knowledge and wit".

Childishness in those capable of knowing better is tolerated - when it is limited, and can turn off

Now, if your dragon is willing to act like he would kill over his favorite book, and scares a thief half to death - but people realize, after the triumphant dragon flies home with his treasure, that he not only did not hurt anyone, or ruin any houses, but actually managed to step over the old woman's flower gardens... Then your dragon might be more sympathetic.

Likewise, if your dragon throws a fit, but stops himself when he realizes that it was just a game to him, but the people he was "playing" with are in real, mortal terror - that would make your dragon more sympathetic.

But a "playful" dragon who is willing to burn down entire village of innocent people over a stolen book is a villain, and you are correct in thinking some readers would find such a creature detestable.

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