I, as a girl, can do anything. And if you tell me I can't, I will glare at you and defend myself with cold logic and prove you wrong.
But.
I hate girl characters. Books, movies, life. I just do not. like. girls. I never have. In fact, if you're my Functioning Best Friend, Cassidy, you have to sit through movies with me and listen to my gripe under my breath about what a stupid, weak, idiotic ninny every female romantic interest is.
The other day I had a lot "free time" on my hands {meaning I didn't want to be doing what I actually needed to be doing}. I decided to make a list, just to see if my suspicion was correct. I made two lists and called them "Female Characters I Like" and "Female Characters I Do Not Like."
The lists came out disappointingly close actually, with me liking 22 and hating 28. I sat on the couch and puzzled over what that was. I knew for a FACT that WAY more often than not, during kissing scenes I have to hide my fact in absolute disgust and abhorrence. So why did my lists come out so close?
Then I figured it out: I did dislike more female characters than I like, yes. BUT. The REAL difference appears when the girls are the love interest for the guys.
So I made two new lists entitled "Female Romantic Interests I Like" and "Female Romantic Interests I Don't Like."
Notes:
1) To qualify as a "Female Romantic Interest," the girl must not be the main character. I counted only the girls who played opposite male MCs.
2) If I didn't have a strong opinion one way or another, I didn't put the character on either list. The lists were for my strong opinions only.
I am now, as you've probably already guessed going to show you the two lists.
Female Romantic Interests I Like
1. Sarah {I Am Number Four}
2. Lois Lane {Justice League}
3. Hermione {Harry Potter}
4. Mistique {X-Men: First Class}
5. Marie {The Bourne Movies}
Female Romantic Interests I Don't Like:
1. Arwen {Lord of the Rings}
2. Nasuada {Eragon}
3. Arya {Eragon}
4. Sarah {Newsies}
5. Padme Amidala {Star Wars}
6. Jocelyn {A Knight's Tale}
7. Anabeth {The Lightning Thief}
8. Irene Adler {Sherlock Holmes}
9. Elizabeth Swan {Pirates of the Carribean}
10. Isabel {Ocean's 12}
11. Sally {Cars}
12. Prudy {Support Your Local Sherif}
*clears throat somewhat awkwardly* My suspicions were strongly confirmed. I do not like the girls who fall in love with the main guys.
I'm still not EXACTLY sure why, but I think it has something to do with their two-dimensional personalities. The girls aren't complex enough to be interesting or real. Either they're mousy and despicable {Sarah} or too badass and hard to be realistic {Arya, Anabeth, Adler, Elizabeth}. Can't we find some middle ground, people? Not all girls are either huddled in a corner or cussing up a storm cutting out some guy's spleen with her jeweled dagger. Some of us possess an APPROPRIATE combination of self-preservation and attitude.
And then there are the girls I just find stupid and annoying {Padme, Jocelyn, Prudy.}
And then there are the girls that I just freakin' don't like and I don't know why {Arwen, Nasuada, Sally}. I just don't know. But I do not like them.
What about you? Are you character-sexist?
~Stephanie
This is interesting, because I mostly disagree with you although I'm looking at female characters in a wider context I think. Generally I don't like romantic movies, but characters such as Arwen I really liked (although they made her more badass for the movie to give her more to do). Irene Adler was also changed. She was never supposed to be a love interest. (Can you tell I'm a book purist?)
ReplyDeleteI am usually more interested in female characters because they express more emotion and feelings than male characters. They will admit being scared, confused, angry and so on, while the guy will be putting on a front (although he will show anger.)
Your disliking the ones that fall in love confuses me, though I think I understand your reasons. I'm wondering if you don't like them because in order to make them or the story "interesting" they have to be either a damsel in distress who can't do anything, or the super woman who can do it all and do it with attitude.
Though I totally disagree with Elizabeth Swan. She was a damsel who became a badass. I think she did it out of necessity. Then again, she fell in love. I'll just jump in the hole now :)
Hey Stephanie! I really like your blog! Unfortunately I don't have enough reading experience to say whether or not I like female characters more than males or vice-versa but I just wanted to say I stopped by and I really like how open/honest you are with everything. It's sort of something I try to achieve in my blog as well. Talk to you soon!
ReplyDelete-[Lauren]
Jay: I seriously love your comments XD No sarcasm. I'm always like YES, Jay commented, because you always say things that engage my brain.
ReplyDeleteBook puritanism is definitely a good thing. As confirmation we have only to look at the catastrophic examples of movies whose directors don't share that. {How's THAT for a run-on sentence?}
I like the guy characters because I always feel like they're more complex and real, which I guess I can't really say considering I don't actually know how complex guys are XD It's also possible that I just like guy characters better because I'm a girl, haha XD Shallowness, ftl...
That's definitely it. There is some ground between distressed damsel and superwoman. Also, if I REALLY like the guy, I'm going to despise the girl unless I also REALLY like her, which clearly doesn't happen often.
Eh, I see where you're coming from, but I still hate Elizabeth XD Plus Kiera Knightly's mouth bothers me.
Lauren: Hey XD Ah, not enough reading experience? *GASPP* If you ever need suggestions you know where I am XD I'm glad you appreciate the honesty :D It's one of my number-one priorities with Pandora.
~Stephanie