This week in our book chat we discussed our favorite female characters. I noticed as I was getting ready for our discussion how many of the books I’ve read have male protagonists and I thought my reading habits were pretty diverse. It just shows you how deeply embedded norms are in our culture and reminds us how we need to be constantly aware of the need to be diverse in our reading habits.
We did get to reminisce about some great female characters and share why we were so taken with them. The following are the characters we love:
When I first thought of this topic the first character to come to mind was Alma Whittaker. What I love about Alma is how Elizabeth Gilbert allowed her to have sexual desires. Very few female characters, especially ones set in the 19th century, are portrayed as having any sexual needs and if they are plain or homely, as Alma was, then the possibility of them being portrayed as sexual beings is reduced to zero. Alma is portrayed as a strong, intelligent, independent woman with all the needs and desires a woman has.
The next character that came to mind is one I love to hate, Cathy Trask. I usually like more balanced characters, being that my belief is that no one is all good or all evil but a mix of the two, but Steinbeck makes Cathy sooooo evil from day one that you just can’t forget her. She has to be the evilest woman in fiction.
And of course we had to mention Lisbeth Salander, (the original Girl in the title). The things Larsson does with gender in these books is refreshing. We get to know Lisbeth slowly throughout the trilogy, and begin to see and understand how she became the woman that she is. She is definitely a more balanced and realistic character, than Cathy Ames. These books are great in having both a great plot and great character development.
Aaliya is a 72 year old woman living a solitary life in Beirut. Divorced at 20 years old she has spent the past 52 years living alone, just her and her books. She translates these books into Arabic for her own pleasure, revealing her hobby to no one. Aaliya is a strong independent woman who knows what she enjoys and lives her life doing it
Lillian (Inspired by the life and work of poet and ad woman Margaret Fishback) was "the highest paid advertising women in America" Lillian is a survivor. She persisted in the days when being a woman meant being paid less because you didn't "have families to support". She’s a smart, strong and witty woman, who at the age of eighty-five is still full of life.
Janie is a woman that defies gender stereotypes and insists on her independence.She shows a curiosity and confidence and maturity that guide her through the novel to becoming a strong and proud woman.
Addie Moore is a 70ish widow who decides to stop caring about what other people think and live her life doing what makes her happy. A strong, independent woman.