History Main / TroubledSympatheticBigot

-->-- '''Tevye''', ''FiddlerOnTheRoof'', deciding to disown his beloved daughter for marrying a man from another ethnic group.

* In ''FiddlerOnTheRoof'', Tevye is constantly struggling with his belief in tradition versus his three daughters' yearning for liberation. He manages to accept the first two of them (who want to chose their own husbands, but within their own ethnic group), but draws the line with the third (who falls in love with a man from the mainstream society). With this daughter, Tevye is shown to be on the edge of committing HonorRelatedAbuse -- but he never carries it out, making him a failed patriarch but [[AvertedTrope keeping him]] from [[MoralEventHorizon becoming a failed human being]].

* In the FullMetalAlchemist movie, many of the [[spoiler:AU versions]] of the characters that we've come to know and love have quite literally become [[spoilers:Nazis]]. Quite sympathetic ones though.

* In LesMiserables [[ByTheBookCop inspector Javert]] starts out as a regular lawman, but is gradually shown to suffer from {{Black and White Insanity}}. In the end, he's quite sympathetic as he struggles with his worldview.

He will harm himself with his bigotry. And maybe others, too. However, he's unlikely to go so far as to engage in actual HonorRelatedAbuse.

-->''Accept them? How can I accept them? Can I deny everything I believe in? On the other hand, can I deny my own daughter? On the other hand, how can I turn my back on my faith, my people? If I try and bend that far, I'll break. On the other hand... No! There is. No. Other. Hand!''
-->Tevye, ''FiddlerOnTheRoof'', deciding to disown his beloved daughter for marrying a man from another ethnic group.

This character is genuinely sympathetic, but his opinions are not. This creates a tension that creates [[PlayedForDrama drama]] and angst. Such a character is often a walking debate/Aesop on whether RousseauWasRight or not - can we rise above our petty prejudice?

He will harm himself with his bigotry. And maybe others, too. However, he's unlikely to go so far as to engage in actual HonorRelatedAbuse.

While a very different kind of character from a NobleBigot, CerebusSyndrome may lead a NobleBigot to become a TroubledSympatheticBigot. Also, a TroubledSympatheticBigot tends to be neither heroic nor villainous - he's only a little human, struggling with his life.

Sometimes a KnightTemplar, HeteronormativeCrusader or WindmillCrusader can be a TroubledSympatheticBigot at heart. A HeManWomanHater is rarely this, while it's far more common in a woman who DoesNotLikeMen - sometimes with a [[RapeIsTheNewDeadParents cheesy justification]]. All of these characters are likely to suffer from InternalizedCategorism or be recovering from BlackAndWhiteInsanity.

A PoliticallyIncorrectVillain who makes a HeelFaceTurn may have a transition period as a TroubledSympatheticBigot.

* In FiddlerOnTheRoof, Tevye is constantly struggling with his belief in tradition versus his three daughters' yearning for liberation. He manages to accept the first two of them (who want to chose their own husbands, but within their own ethnic group), but draws the line with the third (who falls in love with a man from the mainstream society). With this daughter, Tevye is shown to be on the edge of committing HonorRelatedAbuse - but he never carries it out, making him a failed patriarch but [[AvertedTrope keeping him]] from [[MoralEventHorizon becoming a failed human being]].
* In AtFiveInTheAfternoon, the protagonist's father is a Taliban who wants women to be passive analphabets dressed in Burqua. However, he doesn't really have any time oppressing his daughter, because he's busy trying to keep her and the rest of his family alive. [[spoiler:He fails. The movie ends with his grandson and only male heir dying in his arms from starvation.]] He's heartbroken over the few small liberties she takes in his face, and because she loves him and doesn't want to break his heart further she keeps it secret from him that she's actually learning to read.
* In SchindlersList, the protagonist wrestles with his conscience for quite a while before making the leap from being a nazi slaver to being a subversive hero secretly saving thousands of jews from the nazis.
* In ''GranTorino'', Walt is annoyed to find a Hmong family has moved in next door to him, calling them "gooks" and "zipperheads" (likely a combination of his own status as a Korea vet, old-fashioned values, and a heavy dose of Grumpy Old Man), he is further annoyed, after chasing away some gang-bangers who were harassing a boy in the Hmong family, when his new neighbors send him gifts of thanks and invite him over. In the end, he is forced to confront his own notions of his neighbors being lazy, no-good dog-eaters, and genuinely makes friends among them (except for the matriarch, who is apparently bigoted against white people). [[spoiler: He ends up willing his classic Gran Torino to the boy after his HeroicSacrifice.]]
* EasyA: Marianne seem to suffer worse from her own actions then it hurts Olive, and it's not from some kind of retributive Karma either. She seem to mean well, but be ''horribly'' misguided.

* In LesMiserables [[ByTheBookCop inspector Javert]] starts out as a regular lawman, but is gradually shown to suffer from BlackAndWhiteInsanity. In the end, he's quite sympathetic as he struggles with his worldview.

** Regulus Black could also qualify.

[[AC:Live Action TV]]
* Archie Bunker from ''AllInTheFamily'' has shades of this (as well as most tropes related to bigotry), as one of the main themes of the series is how lost he feels in a modern world that constantly challenges his prejudices. This is most notable in "Stretch Cunningham Goodbye", one of the series' best episodes, where Archine is invited to give the eulogy at a close friend's funeral, not knowing that the man was Jewish.

* AmericanDad: Stan Smith has his moments.
* ''TheBoondocks''. Uncle Ruckus, a self-hating black man, usually serves as the show's antagonist or comic relief. However, the episodes that feature him as the central character reveal what a broken and unhappy man he is, give him dozens of [[FreudianExcuse Freudian Excuses]], and make it hard not want to give the guy a hug.

* In a weird example, Vimes from ''{{Discworld}}'' is ''treated'' like one, but it's a mostly informed characteristic - he never actually says anything especially racist (except about vampires, and when he actually gets to know one he's perfectly fair and polite to her).

* Christopher from {{Everworld}}, of course, is known spouting bigoted opinions against blacks, Jews and others, even though he's very much a JerkWithAHeartOfGold. His main motive for saying this stuff seems to be the impulse to annoy his companions, more so than any actual animosity towards minority groups.

-->''Accept them? How can I accept them? Can I deny everything I believe in? On the other hand, can I deny my own daughter? On the other hand, how can I turn my back on my faith, my people? If I try and bend that far, I'll break. On the other hand... No! There is no other hand!''

[[quoteright:332:[[TheBoondocks http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/revitaligo_1911.PNG]]]]
[[caption-width-right:332:It's just a rare skin condition, honest.]]->''Accept them? How can I accept them? Can I deny everything I believe in? On the other hand, can I deny my own daughter? On the other hand, how can I turn my back on my faith, my people? If I try and bend that far, I'll break. On the other hand... No! There is no other hand!''

->''Accept them? How can I accept them? Can I deny everything I believe in? On the other hand, can I deny my own daughter? On the other hand, how can I turn my back on my faith, my people? If I try and bend that far, I'll break. On the other hand... No! There is no other hand!''

* AmericanDad: Stan Smith has his moments.

He will harm himself with his bigottery. And maybe others, too. However, he's unlikely to go so far as to engage in actual HonorRelatedAbuse.

* In ''GranTorino'', Walt is annoyed to find a Hmong family has moved in next door to him, calling them "gooks" and "zipperheads" (likely a combination of his own status as a Korea vet, old-fashioned values, and a heavy dose of Grumpy Old Man), he is further annoyed, after chasing away some gang-bangers who were harassing a boy in the Hmong family, when his new neighbors send him gifts of thanks and invite him over. In the end, he is forced to confront his own notions of his neighbors being lazy, no-good dog-eaters, and genuinely makes friends among them (except for the matriarch, who is apparently bigoted against white people). [[spoiler: He ends up willing his classing Gran Torino to the boy after his HeroicSacrifice.]]

* In AtFiveInTheAfternoon, the protagonist's father is a Taliban who want women to be passive analphabets dressed in Burqua. However, he don't really have any time oppressing his daughter, because he's busy trying to keep her and the rest of his family alive. [[spoiler:He fails. The movie ends with his granbdson and only male heir dying in his arms from starvation.]] He's heartbroken over the few small liberties she takes in his face, and because she loves him and don't want to break his heart further she keeps it secret from him that she's actually learning to read.
* In SchindlersList, the protagonist wrestle with his conscience for quite a while before making the leap from being a nazi slaver to being a subversive hero secretly saving thousands of jews from the nazis.

* In LesMiserables [[ByTheBookCop inspector Javert]] starts out as a regular lawman, but is gradually showed to suffer from BlackAndWhiteInsanity. In the end, he's quite sympathetic as he struggles with his worldview.

* In FiddlerOnTheRoof, Tevye is constantly struggling with his belief in tradition versus his three daughters' yearning for liberation. He manage to accept the first two of them (who wants to chose their own husbands, but within their own ethnic group), but draws the line with the third (who falls in love with a man from the mainstream society). With this daughter, Tevye is shown to be on the edge of committing HonorRelatedAbuse - but he never carries it out, making him a failed patriarch but [[AvertedTrope keeping him]] from [[MoralEventHorizon becoming a failed human being]].

* In JohannaAndHelena, Anna is stuck with her well-meaning but very religious parents who she assume will never accept her if they find out she's a lesbian. The parents eventually find out, and politely disowns her and her girlfriend. There is no malice in their rejection, and no sarcasm in their politeness. Only an overwhelming sadness.

While a very differnt kind of character from a NobleBigot, CerebusSyndrome may lead a NobleBigot to become a TroubledSympatheticBigot. Also, a TroubledSympatheticBigot tends to be neither heroic nor villainous - he's only a little human, struggling with his life.

* Walt in ''GranTorino'' frequently uses slurs like "gook" to refer to his Hmong neighbors, and "spook" to refer to some black youths, but considering his status as a Korea veteran and the culture in which he likely grew up, it seems to be nothing personal, just his way of speaking; he doesn't change when he starts to befriend the Hmong family.

* AmericanDad: StanSmith has his moments.

* Nellie Forbush and Lieutenant Cable from ''SouthPacific''. Nellie is in love with Emile but tearfully leaves him when she finds out he was once married to a "colored" woman, and has two half-Polynesian children. Cable is in love with Liat, but refuses to marry a Tonkinese woman. Cable's song "You've Got To Be Carefully Taught" is a self-loathing explanation of how he and Nellie acquired such deep-seated prejudice. [[spoiler:Nellie eventually overcomes her prejudice and learns to love Emile's children, but Cable is killed before he has a chance to reconcile with Liat.]]

-->'''FiddlerOnTheRoof''': ''Internal monologue as our lovable patriarch Tevye decides to disown his beloved daughter for marrying a man from another ethnic group.''

** They probably honestly believe that their daughter will burn in hell for not being mainstream. And thus they are, in a way, in hell themselves... :-(