Notorious in our opinion is used to describe someone who is ill-famed and known widely and usually unfavourably. The person described usually has unfavourable connotations attached to them. They are also known for bad conduct or disgrace.
In 'Regeneration' by Pat Barker, our group agreed that Sassoon can be identified as a 'notorious' character because he rebels against the government through his written declaration. He is portrayed unfavourably in the governments' eyes and is ill-famed to some extent. Through his insurgent poems, he gained popularity amongst his fellow fascists, thus proving him to be viewed also as 'notorious' in a positive way.
Another character which can be portrayed as 'notorious' is the infamous Dr. Yealland who gained his reputation of notoriety throughout the hospital due to his horrific treatment methods in which he inflicts on his patients thus making him 'notorious' in the eyes of his patients.
In 'Perfume' by Patrick Süskind, the protagonist, Grenouille, murders young, attractive virgins to obtain their exotic scent. However, he is only established as a 'notorious' person at the end of the novel as he was finally convicted of his murders then. Before that, he managed to keep a low profile, through his undetected scent and so was able to keep his murders hidden from the public. Grenouille's secret identity as a murderer classifies him as a 'notorious' character amongst the readers even before he was uncovered in the public eyes for his crimes. His notoriety is seen as negative before and after the discovery of his actions.In 'Alias Grace' by Margeret Atwood, Grace Marks, the protagonist is depicted as a 'notorious' character through her reputation for killing. In the novel, she is labeled as a "celebrated murderess" (page 25). Her notoriety is inflated through her responses during her trials. She is a cunning and clever woman, and is deemed 'notorious' by choosing to keep her deeper thoughts hidden from the authorities.
- Anahita, Lillian, Mai & Yung
