In Episode 113 of the Good Scribes Only Podcast, hosts Daniel Breyer and Jeremy Streich discuss Percival Everett’s James and how it sparked their imaginations about literary retellings. James reimagines The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn through the perspective of Jim, the enslaved man, transforming him from a caricature into a complex, central character.

This leads to a wide-ranging conversation about which literary characters deserve their own voice, how authors reframe narratives to reflect different perspectives, and what makes a compelling retelling in both fiction and film.

Why Retellings Matter

James offers a fresh take on a classic by shifting the perspective from Huck Finn to Jim. In doing so, it challenges readers to revisit familiar stories with new understanding.

“Everett doesn’t reject Twain,” Jeremy says. “He builds on it—offering critique, empathy, and complexity where there was once simplicity.”

Daniel notes how James handles race and historical nuance without resorting to oversimplification, instead crafting a story that interrogates legacy and empathy.

Who Else Deserves a Retelling?

The hosts dive into other characters ripe for reinterpretation:

• Kate from East of Eden: A one-dimensional villain in Steinbeck’s novel, Kate might be more nuanced than we’re led to believe. What if her cruelty stemmed from untreated trauma or mental illness?
  
• Penelope from The Odyssey: Often sidelined as a passive wife, she’s been reimagined by writers like Margaret Atwood (The Penelopiad) with more agency and depth.
  
• The Judge from Blood Meridian: Jeremy suggests a horrifying but fascinating idea—revisiting the novel through the eyes of the enigmatic, violent Judge.
  
  
  “You don’t want to wipe out the ambiguity,” he notes. “But you do want to explore what makes a character like that so enduring.”
  
  

Other fun pitches include:

• Hagrid from Harry Potter
  
• Shylock from The Merchant of Venice—through a modern Jewish lens
  
• The cats in 1Q84—yes, really
  

Retellings in Film and TV

The hosts briefly explore how this idea plays out in television, where spinoffs often highlight supporting characters:

• Mad Men: What if there were a version told from the perspective of people of color navigating 1960s Manhattan?
  
• No Country for Old Men: Anton Chigurh, like The Judge, represents evil in its purest, most philosophical form. What if the story followed his perspective—without trying to redeem or soften him?
  

“Sometimes we want a villain’s story not to make them sympathetic, but to dive fully into their darkness,” Daniel says.

Perspective as Power

The conversation returns to the idea that voice equals agency. Characters once portrayed as flat, evil, or unimportant gain new life when seen through their own eyes.

“The reason James works,” Daniel says, “is because it doesn’t just give Jim a voice—it gives him intelligence, emotion, and purpose.”

Jeremy adds that this form of storytelling is deeply humanizing. It forces readers to reckon with history, prejudice, and the way we’ve consumed literature through narrow lenses.

Looking Ahead: A Literary Road Trip

The episode closes with a preview of next season’s theme—a cross-country literary road trip starting in Maine with Stephen King’s Bag of Bones.

“We’re going west,” Jeremy says. “Maybe California, maybe Hawaii. Depends on how many mushrooms we take.”

Classic GSO sign-off energy.

Listen to the Full Podcast Episode

For more on retellings, literary side characters, and which fictional villains might deserve a rewrite, tune in to Episode 113 of the Good Scribes Only Podcast.

Click here to listen now!