Live Poll: Favorite Hermits

@Breumaster 

Chris McCandless in Into the Wild.

Siddhartha in Little Buddha

The spiritual kind of a Hermit at the golden tree (Another part of Thomas) in The Fountain. He is another part of the mentality of the same person. It's a story, which strongly works with symbolism and similies.

Justin McLeod in The Man Without a Face. He's a Hermit for coping with his past.

Methusala from Noah. He lives in harmony with nature and god.

What about these Hermits? Herman's Hermits! XD

@Breumaster​ thanks, I added as:

Any other hermit not on this list

@mariojacobs​ 

Do "forced-to-be-hermits" also count?

I guess then Chuck Noland would be some people's #1. 

Better image

The Blindman from 'Young Frankenstein" is twice on the list. I would plea for the protrait which shows his face better.

@riverotter​ I guess so, thank you.

Come to think of it, does being stranded alone constitute being a hermit? I was thinking about Yoda and Luke. Seemingly there is no way to verify whether or not they could've left their isolated homesteads if even they wanted, but on the other hand, neither certainly jumped at the opportunity to leave.

@Jessica​ 

I would agree, if he wouldn't fit so perfect into the line of these hermits. Ok, he was forced to be, but on the other hand, when someone thinks on hermits, he may appear in many peoples thoughts. He was involuntarily a hermit, but he fits with the term itself. So maybe the desciption of the definition lacks a little. But ok, wipe him off.

@Breumaster​ 

Sure, my comment was just based on what Mario wrote in the intro:

"Hermits deliberately seclude themselves away from the outside world."

@Jessica​ Ok, I removed the adverb deliberately from the description to keep it simple. below the definition of hermit from 6 online dictionaries.

I liked the definition from Collins dict: short and to the point. Nobody removed.

The only evidence for the idea that Yoda was stranded on Dagobah is in the deleted scene (the kind of thing that may be treated as non-canon) from Revenge of the Sith, and that he didn't seem to be in possession of any kind of electronics, let alone a needful high power radio communication device. Overall, seemingly he didn't want to leave even if he could. We don't know how often he received visitors, but that it had been along time since he had laid eyes on anybody when Luke first arrived on Dagobah.

@urbanemovies​ thanks both added.

>I don't think Yoda or Chuck Noland belong on this list,

Why not?

A hermit is a person who lives alone

@mariojacobs,

​

"A hermit is a person who lives alone."

That is an oversimplistic and flawed statement of what a hermit is. Everyone who lives alone is not a hermit. Your full statement is more on point. If you add it is (usually for anti-social, religious or lifestyle seclusion reasons).

"A hermit is a person who deliberately lives away from people and society."

Chuck Nolan is a castaway, not a hermit, his lifestyle is not a choice, but a product of circumstances. He did not crash the plane and kill everyone on-board to be away from society.

Similarly, I think Yoda, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Luke Skywalker are not anti-social and they are in hiding or trying to fly under-radar, and likewise a product of circumstances. Although it could be labeled a choice, it is not for any of the primary (anti-social, religious, lifetyle choice) hermit reasons. Since it is a secret where the three 'Star Wars' characters are hiding, it may be perceived or they may encourage others in their hiding spot to label them as hermits, as it serves a purpose. Luke's case is probably the least weak and even that may be borderline, since his lifestyle choice to live in-excile (as a form of self-punishment) sounds hermit-like, but his retreat to Ahch-To to live among the Lanai, another sentient species, doesn't.

Bottomline, I think the "hermit" labels are inaccurate to what is truly going on and there are better, less arguable hermit characters that could be listed instead.

@urbanemovies​ 

Chuck Nolan is a castaway, not a hermit, his lifestyle is not a choice, but a product of circumstances. He did not crash the plane and kill everyone on-board to be away from society.

Strongly seconding the Castaway criticism.

@urbanemovies​  removed

Yoda, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Luke Skywalker Chris McCandless Chuck Nolan