If you’re anything like me, you try to always have a book with you to escape whatever reality you’re in. I also like to learn a lesson from each book that I read, especially when looking at a character’s personality and trying to be more like them. Here are a few of my favorite female literary characters that I believe we can all learn a valuable lesson from:
1. Josephine “Jo” march – Little Women
We can easily learn lessons from each March sister, but I think much of our generation feels they can relate to Jo March the most. Jo is determined to become a distinguished female writer during a time of male dominance in the field, conscientious about writing the “right” thing to impress those above her, and is always quick to defend her family when they are in times of trouble. Jo also has a very clear picture in her mind of what her future should look like – traveling the world and writing about everything she sees. As the novel progresses, she realizes that her life will not end up as she imagined, and she comes to terms with it as she settles back down in her hometown.
Lesson: It is a good thing to have a plan for your future, but don’t rely heavily on all your dreams to come true. Your life will unfold as it is meant to!
2. Elizabeth Bennet – pride and prejudice
Similar to Jo March, Elizabeth is also a strong-willed and opinionated young lady growing up amid a houseful of sisters. Elizabeth has distinct standards when it comes to men, whether they are in pursuit of herself or in pursuit of others. Her own pursuer, Mr. Darcy, is the perfect example of the enemies-to-lovers trope, as Elizabeth feels intense disdain and disapproval of him for most of the book due to his pride and stubbornness, as well as his prejudice against the poorer Bennet family (hence the title, Pride and Prejudice). Elizabeth does not realize that she herself embodies these same feelings of pride and prejudice for him and his family. Ultimately, she and Darcy both admit their mistakes and put them aside to be together.
Lesson: It is good to feel confident and set standards for yourself, but you can sometimes go too far and push away people that care about you. Be careful when judging someone else, as you may be guilty of the same characteristics that you judge them for.
3. Hermione Granger – Harry Potter
Hermione is a character that all of us college girls can relate to. Hermione’s life is based around her studies – signing up for every class she possibly can, spending all of her free time studying, and placing emphasis on her grades and what her teachers think of her. As a result, she tends to overwork herself and lash out at others from pure exhaustion and stress from her schoolwork. Nevertheless, she will stop at nothing to help her friends when they’re in need or help defend them against their enemies. Throughout the series, her true self begins to emerge apart from her studies – a brave, confident, and strong young woman. She was sorted into Gryffindor for a reason, right?
Lesson: Our studies are important, but they do not define us. Try to find a balance between your school life and your social life, and place emphasis on where they are needed at certain times.
4. ANNE shirley – Anne of Green gables
Anne Shirley is the definition of confidence. She has no problem admitting when she’s made a mistake and is extremely appreciative of everything she’s been given and everyone she is surrounded with. She has a special place in her heart for nature, knows exactly what she wants in life, and is always eager to learn new things. However, she has a tendency to let her stubbornness get in the way of maintaining relationships and will often take the blame for things she didn’t do. Anne is the epitome of rags to riches, not in terms of wealth, but in terms of character and poise.
Lesson: Try to be appreciative for everything you have, even the little things. Putting a stubborn personality aside and accepting the help you need may be just the thing that gets you further in life.
5. Eugenia “Skeeter” Phelan – The help
The Help is set in the American South in the 1960s, in the prime time of the Civil Rights Movement. In her town of Jackson, Mississippi, Skeeter did the impossible – she worked to find as many Black house maids as she could to write a book about their stories, to pay homage to their lives as house maids to White families and to describe how they are being treated. Skeeter didn’t stand for injustice in her town, and she wasn’t afraid to call out her best friends and family for the way they are treating their help. She was set in her own beliefs and didn’t confine to society’s standards of young women at the time.
Lesson: If your friends and/or family say something that makes you feel uncomfortable, don’t be afraid to call them out for it. Stand up against injustice of any kind and work to help those who are struggling in your community and elsewhere.
Even though this is a small list, there are countless other female characters in literature that we can learn from. What are some of your favorites?
