High Life A WEEKLY FORUM FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS : Take a Character, Any Character--and Role With It

Sometimes, fiction can seem more real than fact.

Hot Topics wonders, “What fictional character do you relate to the most and why?”

“Holden Caulfield from ‘The Catcher in the Rye,’ because I relate to his situations and I understand the confusion and frustrations he goes through.”

Helena Lee, 17,

junior, Villa Park

“Peter Pan, because, like him, I never want to grow up.”

Karl Stokes, 18,

senior, Bolsa Grande

“Scrooge, because when I see a penny I pick it up. I’m the biggest penny-pincher in the world.”

Cameron Hernandez, 15,

sophomore, Sunny Hills

“Caspar the Friendly Ghost, because he’s friendly to everyone and wants to make people happy, just like me.”

Dana Arebalo, 16,

junior, Santa Ana

“Huck Finn, because I like his adventuresome and free-spirited nature.”

Chris Perry, 16,

junior, St. Margaret’s

“Gonzo is weird and outgoing on the outside like me, and deep down he’s a little sensitive. The other Muppets don’t seem to know that, just like my friends.”

Clara Nerby, 15,

freshman, Rancho Alamitos

“Pippi Longstocking, because she’s wild, carefree, generous and fun-loving.”

Leslie Bohner, 15,

sophomore, Los Amigos

“Susie from ‘Calvin and Hobbes,’ because my little brother is a holy terror.”

Julie Davisson, 15,

sophomore, University

“Alexis Colby (‘Dynasty’) is vindictive, and I wish I could get away with it the way she does.”

Cindy Nguyen, 16,

sophomore, Villa Park

“Dr. Stockman from ‘Enemy of the People’ by (Henrik) Ibsen, because I can relate to his idealism and I’m not always practical.”

Tia Infante, 17,

junior, Sunny Hills

“Romeo, because I’m sleek, romantic, sexy, charming and handsome.”

Chantha Oum, 16,

junior, Santa Ana

“(Flounder) in ‘The Little Mermaid,’ because I’m always planning, plotting, and usually getting in trouble for it.”

Janice Kamimura, 17,

junior, Bolsa Grande

“Rocky Balboa, because I’m part Italian and he inspires me--’No pain.’ ”

Rob Rojas, 17,

senior, St. Margaret’s

“Charlie Brown, because I feel like a klutz in certain situations.”

Liesl Chang, 16,

junior, University

“(Shakespeare’s) Sir John Falstaff, because he’s a cynical realist, fantastic liar and persuasive rascal.”

Jake Bassett, 17,

junior, Villa Park

“Batman, because I’m aggressive, outgoing, secretive and shy.”

Horacio Guerra, 17,

junior, Santa Ana

“I’m like the Flash, because I get hyper when I eat sugar.”

James Hernandez, 14,

freshman, Bolsa Grande

“The Kool-Aid Man, because I’m cheerful and crazy and always smiling.”

Renee Foster, 15,

sophomore, Rancho Alamitos

“Kermit the Frog, because I look so much like him.”

Jennifer Blackler, 17,

junior, St. Margaret’s

“Santa Claus, because I like to eat chocolate chip cookies.”

Michelle Kim, 15,

sophomore, University

“C.C. Bloom from ‘Beaches,’ because she reminds me of my relationship with my best friend, Wendy.”

Angie Wilburn, 17,

junior, Villa Park

“(Stephan King’s) Roland the Gunslinger, because he never sits still, he’s always traveling and because I want to be like him.”

Mark Maeseele, 18,

senior, Sunny Hills

“Holden Caulfield, because I’m finding more and more that you can’t get anywhere if you don’t live by society’s accepted way of life.”

Kellie State, 17,

junior, Santa Ana

“Will Smith on the ‘Fresh Prince of Bel Air,’ because people say I act like him.”

Jay Jones, 16,

sophomore, Bolsa Grande

“Dizzy Devil (‘Tiny Toons’), because I’m always on the search for a party, my moods are unpredictable and I’m crazy.”

Latonya Clancy, 17,

junior, Rancho Alamitos

“Bart Simpson, because he gets in trouble but has fun doing it.”

Jason Loewen, 14,

freshman, St. Margaret’s

“Goofy, because he’s original and in his own little world most of the time.”

Dyan Block, 14,

freshman, Bolsa Grande

“Scrooge, because he’s slick, on top, rich, conceited and avaricious.”

Lam Tram, 16,

junior, Santa Ana