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Re: Girl Stories
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From: Christina McTighe <christina.mctighe_at_gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 14 Mar 2011 10:55:06 -0400
I've really been enjoying this discussion.
I wrote my senior undergrad thesis on female characters in children's fantasy books, their evolution and agency over time, and how they can impact and affect classroom reading.
I focused on four hallmark fantasy books/series and their heroines: Susan and Lucy in The Chronicles of Narnia, Meg Murray of A Wrinkle in Time, Alanna from The Song of the Lioness Quartet (specifically the first two books in the series, Alanna: The First Adventure and In the Hand of the Goddess), and Hermione Granger of Harry Potter.
In talking with my thesis advisor on what made these characters heroines, what made them so exceptional, she remarked "A girl is only exceptional when she is appreciated by the boys, surrounded by a male peer group. Other girls aren't good enough for her-- she requires the similar exceptionalism of the boys."
And this is the case with the four books I focused on: Susan and Lucy have their brothers and Eustace, and most of the talking animals/mythical creatures who assist them are male. Meg has Charles Wallace and Calvin (though, arguably, the Three Mrs complicate this argument), Alanna is entirely surrounded by other men (and the women that she does come in contact with, like Lady Delia, are rivals and not to be trusted-- and are also signaled to be "bad" by virtue of their femininity), and Hermione does have Ginny and Luna eventually, but it is her relationship with Harry and Ron that anchors her to the story-- we see very little of her life outside of her relationship to the hero.
I do like this discussion of strong female characters because it's been making me stop and reconsider, again, what makes a "strong" girl. Is a strong girl one that, frankly, acts like a boy? Adopts admirable "masculine" traits-- like being a warrior, a tomboy? Are there books with strong girl characters that feature a strong female friendship?
Many of the suggestions of characters have been fantastic. But I do hope that authors continue to expand what "strong" means. I think that this idea has evolved, along with feminism as a whole, since Susan and Lucy, and even since Alanna's time (especially when you compare and contrast the Alanna books to Tamora Pierce's more current work).
And I hope that readers will continually have a large pool of differently strengthened female characters to draw inspiration from-- whether their strengths be in battle or in a more traditionally feminine role. It's, I think, about having value for a person or character whatever they choose.
Christina
-- Christina McTighe christina.mctighe_at_gmail.com 440-328-5194
Received on Mon 14 Mar 2011 10:55:06 AM CDT
Date: Mon, 14 Mar 2011 10:55:06 -0400
I've really been enjoying this discussion.
I wrote my senior undergrad thesis on female characters in children's fantasy books, their evolution and agency over time, and how they can impact and affect classroom reading.
I focused on four hallmark fantasy books/series and their heroines: Susan and Lucy in The Chronicles of Narnia, Meg Murray of A Wrinkle in Time, Alanna from The Song of the Lioness Quartet (specifically the first two books in the series, Alanna: The First Adventure and In the Hand of the Goddess), and Hermione Granger of Harry Potter.
In talking with my thesis advisor on what made these characters heroines, what made them so exceptional, she remarked "A girl is only exceptional when she is appreciated by the boys, surrounded by a male peer group. Other girls aren't good enough for her-- she requires the similar exceptionalism of the boys."
And this is the case with the four books I focused on: Susan and Lucy have their brothers and Eustace, and most of the talking animals/mythical creatures who assist them are male. Meg has Charles Wallace and Calvin (though, arguably, the Three Mrs complicate this argument), Alanna is entirely surrounded by other men (and the women that she does come in contact with, like Lady Delia, are rivals and not to be trusted-- and are also signaled to be "bad" by virtue of their femininity), and Hermione does have Ginny and Luna eventually, but it is her relationship with Harry and Ron that anchors her to the story-- we see very little of her life outside of her relationship to the hero.
I do like this discussion of strong female characters because it's been making me stop and reconsider, again, what makes a "strong" girl. Is a strong girl one that, frankly, acts like a boy? Adopts admirable "masculine" traits-- like being a warrior, a tomboy? Are there books with strong girl characters that feature a strong female friendship?
Many of the suggestions of characters have been fantastic. But I do hope that authors continue to expand what "strong" means. I think that this idea has evolved, along with feminism as a whole, since Susan and Lucy, and even since Alanna's time (especially when you compare and contrast the Alanna books to Tamora Pierce's more current work).
And I hope that readers will continually have a large pool of differently strengthened female characters to draw inspiration from-- whether their strengths be in battle or in a more traditionally feminine role. It's, I think, about having value for a person or character whatever they choose.
Christina
-- Christina McTighe christina.mctighe_at_gmail.com 440-328-5194
Received on Mon 14 Mar 2011 10:55:06 AM CDT
