On NPR’s All Things Considered, Petra Mayer offers advice to those who she describes as the “unpunished” villains of literature (O’Brien from Orwell’s 1984, X-Men’s Magneto, Milton’s Satan): win over the audience with your cause and relatable personal faults, and you’ll not only survive to the last page but maybe also land a spot in the English canon.
How to Survive as a Villain in Literature
Amanda Hildebrand
Amanda Hildebrand is a painter and writer based in Los Angeles. She Instagrams: @amandahilly.