10 Times a Woman Character showed what she’s made of
Woman- the most complicated, yet beautiful word in the history of language. Some people are engineers, some doctors. Some people may be lawyers, some may be pyschologists, some may be chefs. In creating and raising a family, in going from daughter/sister/niece/granddaughter to wife/daughter-in-law/mother/grandmother, a woman has to become all these things. She becomes a pillar of support for her husband, a source of joy for her parents, a constant companion for her siblings and a strong role model for her children. However, this enormous strength and importance of women has been subdued under the toxic mentality and cheap thinking of most men.
Yet, it is in the nature of women to fight back, to not give up, to continue to strive to create a better world for herself and for all those who have remained in the shadows for far too long.
Drawing on some examples from the book world, here are 10 instances when a woman character showed exactly what she’s made of.
- “With three young sisters grown up, Your Ladyship can hardly expect me to own it.” Lizzie Bennett (Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen)
Many of Jane Austen’s books have been considered to be sexist by many from the reading community, but no one has ever questioned the fact that Bennett sister number two was an incredibly well-written and strong character. She has class and style and she doesn’t sink to low levels to show anyone that she’s right. One example of this is when Lady Catherine taunts her by asking her age and implying that Elizabeth is outspoken, a quality not well-admired in a woman, and Elizabeth gives the above reply. Classy and elegant indeed.
2. “Until we accept everyone as an equal simply because they are human, I continue to remain a warrior on a battlefield I must not leave. I continue to be a warrior who does not cry but instead takes action.” Melba Patillo Beals (Warriors Don’t Cry)
This was a searing autobiography written by Melba herself, which plunged right into the racist heart of small-town America of the 1950s. This line is written right in the beginning, addressed directly to the reader. Every word oozes power and influence, and yet you can also quite clearly see that these words are coming from a 16-year-old standing in front of a white mob, trying to get into school.
3. “Twitchy little ferret, aren’t you Malfoy?” Hermione Granger (Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K.Rowling)
One of the best moments in the entire book is when Professor Mad-eye Moody turns Draco Malfoy into a ferret, but it was made even better by Hermione’s reaction. Having been insulted by Malfoy in their second-year when he called her a mudblood, Hermione spent the next five years proving to everyone that she didn’t need to justify her lineage to anyone. And, she made it all better by popping the occasional sass in too.
4. “Extremists have shown what frightens them the most: A girl with a book”. Malala Yousufzai (I am Malala)
While Afghanistan and it’s struggle against terrorism has always been in the spotlight, it all went up a notch when, in 2014, a 17-year-old was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for campaigning against terrorism. The method she chose was heartbreakingly innocent: she wanted education, and she would stop at nothing to get it. Malala’s story is remarkable because she put the future of thousands of Afghan girls before her own by beginning a daring change, and she stood up to the Taliban, known for their brutality against women, without once compromising her ideals and values. Today, she is one of the most well-known activists in the world, as she fearlessly continues to champion the cause for which she was ready to give her life.
5. “You’re pretty cocky for a captain who’s lost every final he’s ever played.” Zoya Solanki (The Zoya Factor by Anuja Chauhan)
This book is a wonderfully written, laugh-out-loud-funny tale of how a middle-class girl from Delhi becomes the lucky charm of the Indian cricket team, much to the dismay of their superstition-shunning , brilliantly handsome captain. Right from the first time she saw him, Zoya admits to having a crush on Leader of the Men in Blue, Nikhil Khoda, who has made it all too clear that he doesn’t believe in luck. Even though Zoya knows he’s right, and even though she’s ragingly in love with him, it doesn’t stop her from standing up for herself when he oversteps the line.
6. “I think I shall write books and become rich and famous, and that would suit me, so that is my favorite dream.” Jo March (Little Women by Louisa May Alcott)
Yes, another classic. But then, they never go out of style. While Little Women was a revolutionary book in itself, considering the times in which it was written, Jo March topped it all off-headstrong, independent,self-confident and a feminist in the true sense. She didn’t undermine men, but made it all too clear that she was her own boss. She took everything with a grain of salt and was often selfish and mean, but her undying devotion to her sisters and passion for her chosen profession were ultimately the qualities that made her so endearing. Jo never hesitates even once in being the kind of woman that most men would be scared of, and she does not worry about ending up alone, convinced that a man who loves her will understand who she is, and will love her for her imperfections. And, that worked well enough for her, didn’t it?
7. “People laugh at me because I use big words. But, if you have big ideas, you have to use big words to express them, don’t you?” Anne (Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery)
This is a searingly touching story of how a little girl ends up at the house of the people who are supposed to adopt her, only to realise that they were hoping for a boy. But, Anne does not sulk and cry about her misfortune. Instead, she tries to make her new family accept her. While the methods she uses are unorthodox and a little foolhardy, she ultimately succeeds in winning the hearts of both Matthew and Mathilda, and they see how precious she really is, and how much happier she has made them. Anne ultimately grows up to be a mature, selfless woman, when she gives up her dream job and the love of her life to take care of ailing Mathilda.
8. “No one will forget me. Not my look, not my name. Katniss. The girl who was on fire.” Katniss Everdeen (The Hunger Games by Suzzane Collins)
Katniss Everdeen was described by many book lovers and reviewers as a static character, with no major development throughout the series. But, what I took as the main message out of these books was: she went through all of her trials and problems with firm ideals and values, and came out with those ideals stronger than ever. This strengthening of her ideological core was a development, one that firmly gave the message: “Be yourself. The world will adjust”.
9. “You have the strength to overcome greater evils than you have ever imagined.” Sita (Ramayana by Valmiki)
While Western literature is filled with strong woman protagonists, India is no less. The likes of Sita, Draupadi and Ma Durga have been seen for centuries as idols for women on how they should live their lives. These women are seen as Goddesses and they value their pride, honour and dignity over their lives. Two of the most famous epics in Hindu mythology are stories of strong women and their tales of revenge- Sita in Ramayana and Draupadi in Mahabharata.
10. “It is most difficult to give shelter to the world’s most wretched. Whoever needs greatest shelter also faces the greatest obstacles to gaining it.” Mrinal (Strir Patra by Rabindranath Tagore)
This is a heartbreaking account of a wife’s life in rural India. Mrinal, beautiful and intelligent, finally sums up her courage to write a letter to her husband after 15 years of marriage. In vivid detail, she records her marriage at age 12, and her feelings of suffocation and slavery she experiences at the hands of her in-laws, and the way she gives shelter to her sister-in-law’s orphaned sister, a social pariah. Tagore manages to capture the story of the shunned wife with nuance and honesty. Mrinal is brilliantly written and inspiring, her character running true even today.
