Katrina's Sunday Six, uh, Five

We’re each to identify our six favorite heroines this week and basically explain why she made the list. I initially thought, “No problem, I love so many stories, this should be easy.” Not so. It appears various factors combine to make those stories stand out to me, and it’s not always the heroine.

Since a great heroine should transcend genre and medium, I didn’t limit myself to romance novels. In fact, only one is from a true romance novel, with the remainder from historical literature, children’s fiction, film and television.

My Top Five
(I’m leaving room for one yet to be discovered.)

Minerva “Min” Dobbs of Bet Me, by Jennifer Crusie

Min could be your best friend. She’s an everyday size 10 girl. She’s smart, self-sufficient, and a bit battered by love, but in no way beaten. She’s feisty, self-confident (most of the time) and can hold her own against charmers and manipulative parents. She stands up for what she believes to be right and she gives her whole heart without reservation when she falls in love. She’s also vulnerable and flawed. All the best characters are, aren’t they?

Elizabeth “Lizzy” Bennet of Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen

Lizzy is strong-willed, quick witted and imperfect. I love her. She judges others for their pride, yet doesn’t see her own. She doesn’t appear to be looking for a man, although one suspects she’d love to be married to the right one. Still, she’s not settling. When she finally figures out that she misjudged and let something – someone – wonderful slip past, she puts her pride and her heart on the line to win him back. You have to respect that.

Hermione Granger of Harry Potter and the (you fill in the rest), J.K. Rowling

I know Hermione isn’t your typical heroine. At a glance she’d seem more of an ensemble character, but I argue that Hermione is the heroine to hero Harry (at least until he finds his leading lady). So going with that argument, this spunky, bright, loyal, frizzy-haired, girl makes my top six. She has faith in herself and her friends. She stands up to bullies and dark lords. She’ll run into the fray with wand at the ready when others are fleeing for their lives. She’s adventurous and curious and has a thirst for learning that comes in quite handy. Of course, she’s flawed as well. Due to that bright mind of hers, she tends to come across as a know-it-all, and she’s sensitive about being born to muggle parents, not ashamed, just sensitive.

Joan Wilder of Romancing the Stone, screenplay by Diane Thomas

I’m venturing into films for this one. Joan Wilder is a novelist after my own heart. She’s romantic, independent, and won’t settle for anything less than the dream man she’s written into her many novels. Obviously, this is one of her flaws too. No man can live up to that. When called to action, she goes without hesitation, and when faced with danger and adventure, she discovers strength and courage she didn’t know she had. By the end of the story – the end of her journey – she transforms into a woman of confidence and power who opens herself up to real love.

Kate Austen of Lost, created by J.J. Abrams

I think in this case it’s Kate’s weaknesses that endear her to me. She’s haunted by past mistakes and uncertain she’ll ever find redemption. She has difficulty trusting others, which seems more driven by a fear of what they’ll think of her, than any harm they could do to her. But she’s bold and somehow finds courage deep within to do whatever needs to be done. She’s feisty, has street smarts and knows how to take care of herself. She doesn’t run from a fight, although she may run from a conversation about herself. As the series has progressed, Kate has lowered her guard and opened her heart. She’s still in the middle of her journey (in the process of becoming) and I’m staying tuned to find out just where she ends up.

Overall, what draws me to a great heroine is inner-strength, courage, a spunky disposition and vulnerability. I’m probably drawn to heroines who I identify with in some way and who embody the sort of person I’d like to be. I guess, simply put, they're the sort of heroine I hope to be in my own life story.

Katrina