Rambling on heroines and equality

Saw Howl's Moving Castle again yesterday. What can I say, I love it (and the second time around the story actually made complete sense (satisfied me, at least) and I wasn't confused a bit).

And that got me to thinking about heroes, heroines and their characteristics. I absolutely hate when the heroine is a damsel in distress and all she can do is whimper helplessly throughout as the hero rescues her. My favorite example is the silent flick "The Pagan" with Ramon Novarro. It's a really fun movie, but the heroine's helplessness drives me up the wall. During a climactic scene her lover is fighting the bad guy and all she does is stand nearby and scream helplessly, when a well-placed bottle to the head of the villain would finish this whole thing off (there are plenty of silent films with strong women characters. This is not one of them). Of course, I get equally annoyed when feminism runs amock and the heroine ALWAYS rescues herself and the hero does nothing useful (see Drew Barrymore's "Ever After:" the Prince was a looker but he did absolutely nothing. She always took perfect care of herself).

Either one of the situations always leads me to the frustrated question: why would you want that person in real life? Shouldn't you want someone who helps you out occasionally? It doesn't have to be physical, of course. In fact, I prefer it when characters who are a couple have different strengths. My favorite ever couple is Lymond and Philippa from Dorothy Dunnett's Lymond Chronicles and Lymond does not need physical help in fighting. He does however recieve and accept help in various sticky situations, emotional help etc etc etc. She helps him as much as he helps her.

So yeah, one of the reasons I love Howl's is that the heroine is throughly competent but she is no Drew Barrymore in Ever After who is so perfect she needs no one (and is skating dangerously close to a Mary Sue): Sophie might rescue Howl, but he "rescues her back." And they both screw up as well. That is how it should work.

Rambling on heroines and equality

Saw Howl's Moving Castle again yesterday. What can I say, I love it (and the second time around the story actually made complete sense (satisfied me, at least) and I wasn't confused a bit).

And that got me to thinking about heroes, heroines and their characteristics. I absolutely hate when the heroine is a damsel in distress and all she can do is whimper helplessly throughout as the hero rescues her. My favorite example is the silent flick "The Pagan" with Ramon Novarro. It's a really fun movie, but the heroine's helplessness drives me up the wall. During a climactic scene her lover is fighting the bad guy and all she does is stand nearby and scream helplessly, when a well-placed bottle to the head of the villain would finish this whole thing off (there are plenty of silent films with strong women characters. This is not one of them). Of course, I get equally annoyed when feminism runs amock and the heroine ALWAYS rescues herself and the hero does nothing useful (see Drew Barrymore's "Ever After:" the Prince was a looker but he did absolutely nothing. She always took perfect care of herself).

Either one of the situations always leads me to the frustrated question: why would you want that person in real life? Shouldn't you want someone who helps you out occasionally? It doesn't have to be physical, of course. In fact, I prefer it when characters who are a couple have different strengths. My favorite ever couple is Lymond and Philippa from Dorothy Dunnett's Lymond Chronicles and Lymond does not need physical help in fighting. He does however recieve and accept help in various sticky situations, emotional help etc etc etc. She helps him as much as he helps her.

So yeah, one of the reasons I love Howl's is that the heroine is throughly competent but she is no Drew Barrymore in Ever After who is so perfect she needs no one (and is skating dangerously close to a Mary Sue): Sophie might rescue Howl, but he "rescues her back." And they both screw up as well. That is how it should work.

Rambling on heroines and equality

Saw Howl's Moving Castle again yesterday. What can I say, I love it (and the second time around the story actually made complete sense (satisfied me, at least) and I wasn't confused a bit).

And that got me to thinking about heroes, heroines and their characteristics. I absolutely hate when the heroine is a damsel in distress and all she can do is whimper helplessly throughout as the hero rescues her. My favorite example is the silent flick "The Pagan" with Ramon Novarro. It's a really fun movie, but the heroine's helplessness drives me up the wall. During a climactic scene her lover is fighting the bad guy and all she does is stand nearby and scream helplessly, when a well-placed bottle to the head of the villain would finish this whole thing off (there are plenty of silent films with strong women characters. This is not one of them). Of course, I get equally annoyed when feminism runs amock and the heroine ALWAYS rescues herself and the hero does nothing useful (see Drew Barrymore's "Ever After:" the Prince was a looker but he did absolutely nothing. She always took perfect care of herself).

Either one of the situations always leads me to the frustrated question: why would you want that person in real life? Shouldn't you want someone who helps you out occasionally? It doesn't have to be physical, of course. In fact, I prefer it when characters who are a couple have different strengths. My favorite ever couple is Lymond and Philippa from Dorothy Dunnett's Lymond Chronicles and Lymond does not need physical help in fighting. He does however recieve and accept help in various sticky situations, emotional help etc etc etc. She helps him as much as he helps her.

So yeah, one of the reasons I love Howl's is that the heroine is throughly competent but she is no Drew Barrymore in Ever After who is so perfect she needs no one (and is skating dangerously close to a Mary Sue): Sophie might rescue Howl, but he "rescues her back." And they both screw up as well. That is how it should work.

Loving a book so much you can't finish it?

Has that happened to anyone else?

I was reading Dorothy Dunnett's "King Hereafter" (which is a novel that posits the historical underpinnings of Macbeth) and I have a 100 or so pages to go and I have put it away and I cannot make myself pick it up.

It's not that I don't love it, or care for the characters, or lost interest. On the contrary. Just like in Lymond, you read for the first 10 or so pages and while the details of the 11th century Orkney and Norse society are interesting, you find the lead character rather boring and with no inner life (Dunnett rarely goes into her leads' heads). And then, it's like a switch flips on, and you just fall in love with the book and Thorfinn, so deep that you feel hurt when he does.

I love his intelligence, quiet fierceness, and dead pan humor. I love his deep love for Groa (who is one of the strongest and most intelligent women I've found in fiction). I love the fact that he is so different from the flamboyant, perfectly spoken Lymond (I hate when authors repeat themselves).

And I put the book away and can't read it because I know how it ends and so I stopped reading before things go South. And I can't seem to make myself pick it up. This is ridiculous. This is the equivalent of throwing a reader tantrum, or pretending that in my AU Thorfinn and Groa ruled happily ever after. It's silly, and pointless, and ruins the arc and I can't seem to make myself read it anyway.

But what can I say: just reading this:
"'You are telling me to take to husband the man who will kill you?'

'You say that,' he said, 'as if it cost me nothing. O Befind, whose fair body is the colour of snow; smile at me.'

And from his courage she took courage, and smiled."

makes me bawl. And I don't think I can take it.

Has that happened to anyone else?

P.S. Another wonderful King Hereafter quote:

"He slowed and stood, the sobbing tale of relief in his throat, and found dragged ajar the dangerous
door that led back to the things that were normal and dear."

Loving a book so much you can't finish it?

Has that happened to anyone else?

I was reading Dorothy Dunnett's "King Hereafter" (which is a novel that posits the historical underpinnings of Macbeth) and I have a 100 or so pages to go and I have put it away and I cannot make myself pick it up.

It's not that I don't love it, or care for the characters, or lost interest. On the contrary. Just like in Lymond, you read for the first 10 or so pages and while the details of the 11th century Orkney and Norse society are interesting, you find the lead character rather boring and with no inner life (Dunnett rarely goes into her leads' heads). And then, it's like a switch flips on, and you just fall in love with the book and Thorfinn, so deep that you feel hurt when he does.

I love his intelligence, quiet fierceness, and dead pan humor. I love his deep love for Groa (who is one of the strongest and most intelligent women I've found in fiction). I love the fact that he is so different from the flamboyant, perfectly spoken Lymond (I hate when authors repeat themselves).

And I put the book away and can't read it because I know how it ends and so I stopped reading before things go South. And I can't seem to make myself pick it up. This is ridiculous. This is the equivalent of throwing a reader tantrum, or pretending that in my AU Thorfinn and Groa ruled happily ever after. It's silly, and pointless, and ruins the arc and I can't seem to make myself read it anyway.

But what can I say: just reading this:
"'You are telling me to take to husband the man who will kill you?'

'You say that,' he said, 'as if it cost me nothing. O Befind, whose fair body is the colour of snow; smile at me.'

And from his courage she took courage, and smiled."

makes me bawl. And I don't think I can take it.

Has that happened to anyone else?

P.S. Another wonderful King Hereafter quote:

"He slowed and stood, the sobbing tale of relief in his throat, and found dragged ajar the dangerous
door that led back to the things that were normal and dear."

Loving a book so much you can't finish it?

Has that happened to anyone else?

I was reading Dorothy Dunnett's "King Hereafter" (which is a novel that posits the historical underpinnings of Macbeth) and I have a 100 or so pages to go and I have put it away and I cannot make myself pick it up.

It's not that I don't love it, or care for the characters, or lost interest. On the contrary. Just like in Lymond, you read for the first 10 or so pages and while the details of the 11th century Orkney and Norse society are interesting, you find the lead character rather boring and with no inner life (Dunnett rarely goes into her leads' heads). And then, it's like a switch flips on, and you just fall in love with the book and Thorfinn, so deep that you feel hurt when he does.

I love his intelligence, quiet fierceness, and dead pan humor. I love his deep love for Groa (who is one of the strongest and most intelligent women I've found in fiction). I love the fact that he is so different from the flamboyant, perfectly spoken Lymond (I hate when authors repeat themselves).

And I put the book away and can't read it because I know how it ends and so I stopped reading before things go South. And I can't seem to make myself pick it up. This is ridiculous. This is the equivalent of throwing a reader tantrum, or pretending that in my AU Thorfinn and Groa ruled happily ever after. It's silly, and pointless, and ruins the arc and I can't seem to make myself read it anyway.

But what can I say: just reading this:
"'You are telling me to take to husband the man who will kill you?'

'You say that,' he said, 'as if it cost me nothing. O Befind, whose fair body is the colour of snow; smile at me.'

And from his courage she took courage, and smiled."

makes me bawl. And I don't think I can take it.

Has that happened to anyone else?

P.S. Another wonderful King Hereafter quote:

"He slowed and stood, the sobbing tale of relief in his throat, and found dragged ajar the dangerous
door that led back to the things that were normal and dear."

The Universe amazes me

Here are links to various "let's colonize Mars" societies. They are serious. Part of me is "come on, are you insane?" Another part of me, the part that devoured sf books when younger, would actually love if that was a reality.

In any event, the science (a lot of them discuss technology, biology etc) makes a fascinating reading.

Red Colony

Mars Colonization

Making a case for colonization

Quest to Mars

Yet another Mars page. With neat graphics

Colonizing Mars Google page

Conference on colonization

Surprisingly (or not, when you think of its atmosphere) there isn't anything about colonization of Venus. Me, Saturn is what I am interested in.

This bit of randomness (and wishful thinking) is brought to you by Dangermousie :D

The Universe amazes me

Here are links to various "let's colonize Mars" societies. They are serious. Part of me is "come on, are you insane?" Another part of me, the part that devoured sf books when younger, would actually love if that was a reality.

In any event, the science (a lot of them discuss technology, biology etc) makes a fascinating reading.

Red Colony

Mars Colonization

Making a case for colonization

Quest to Mars

Yet another Mars page. With neat graphics

Colonizing Mars Google page

Conference on colonization

Surprisingly (or not, when you think of its atmosphere) there isn't anything about colonization of Venus. Me, Saturn is what I am interested in.

This bit of randomness (and wishful thinking) is brought to you by Dangermousie :D

The Universe amazes me

Here are links to various "let's colonize Mars" societies. They are serious. Part of me is "come on, are you insane?" Another part of me, the part that devoured sf books when younger, would actually love if that was a reality.

In any event, the science (a lot of them discuss technology, biology etc) makes a fascinating reading.

Red Colony

Mars Colonization

Making a case for colonization

Quest to Mars

Yet another Mars page. With neat graphics

Colonizing Mars Google page

Conference on colonization

Surprisingly (or not, when you think of its atmosphere) there isn't anything about colonization of Venus. Me, Saturn is what I am interested in.

This bit of randomness (and wishful thinking) is brought to you by Dangermousie :D

Eragon badfic

I am currently reading Paolini's Eragon and so have happily ventured into the Pit of Voles (otherwise known as ff.net) to amuse myself with what they have re: Eragon fic. Yes, I am only halfway into the book yet, but I am not allergic to spoilers, and at least I know more about it than I did about Rorouni Kenshin, my recent pick for "badfic" category entry.

For those unfamiliar with Eragon: Eragon is the hero. He is a Dragon Rider, a deeply dangerous thing to be as Galbatorix (evil king) either wants him on his side or dead. He is 15 (that is important, considering fics I've found). Murtagh is a (boy) friend of his. Trust me, that is all you need to know. There is no need to be familiar wirh Eragon to "enjoy" this.

( And now on with the mock: )

Eragon badfic

I am currently reading Paolini's Eragon and so have happily ventured into the Pit of Voles (otherwise known as ff.net) to amuse myself with what they have re: Eragon fic. Yes, I am only halfway into the book yet, but I am not allergic to spoilers, and at least I know more about it than I did about Rorouni Kenshin, my recent pick for "badfic" category entry.

For those unfamiliar with Eragon: Eragon is the hero. He is a Dragon Rider, a deeply dangerous thing to be as Galbatorix (evil king) either wants him on his side or dead. He is 15 (that is important, considering fics I've found). Murtagh is a (boy) friend of his. Trust me, that is all you need to know. There is no need to be familiar wirh Eragon to "enjoy" this.

( And now on with the mock: )

Eragon badfic

I am currently reading Paolini's Eragon and so have happily ventured into the Pit of Voles (otherwise known as ff.net) to amuse myself with what they have re: Eragon fic. Yes, I am only halfway into the book yet, but I am not allergic to spoilers, and at least I know more about it than I did about Rorouni Kenshin, my recent pick for "badfic" category entry.

For those unfamiliar with Eragon: Eragon is the hero. He is a Dragon Rider, a deeply dangerous thing to be as Galbatorix (evil king) either wants him on his side or dead. He is 15 (that is important, considering fics I've found). Murtagh is a (boy) friend of his. Trust me, that is all you need to know. There is no need to be familiar wirh Eragon to "enjoy" this.

( And now on with the mock: )

Saw ROTS again...third time

And it's still great and people still applaud.

I love how after he's cut off Mace's hand, Anakin, even after accepting his "apprenticeship" is just so horrified, messed-up and freaked: you can see it in the ways his eyes dart, in his posture (he can't seem to stand tall and straight as he used to) and the look in his eyes when Palpy mentions Jedi=evil. Only when Palpy mentions that if he destroys the Temple, only then he will be strong to save Padme, that this abates a little. Then you see some sort of purpose enter him again, though he is still a shell in so many ways. But at least now he has a goal he can live with, if he doesn't think about anything else.

It just struck me so forcibly this time around, how much of a boy he still is.

Much more later.....

Saw ROTS again...third time

And it's still great and people still applaud.

I love how after he's cut off Mace's hand, Anakin, even after accepting his "apprenticeship" is just so horrified, messed-up and freaked: you can see it in the ways his eyes dart, in his posture (he can't seem to stand tall and straight as he used to) and the look in his eyes when Palpy mentions Jedi=evil. Only when Palpy mentions that if he destroys the Temple, only then he will be strong to save Padme, that this abates a little. Then you see some sort of purpose enter him again, though he is still a shell in so many ways. But at least now he has a goal he can live with, if he doesn't think about anything else.

It just struck me so forcibly this time around, how much of a boy he still is.

Much more later.....

Saw ROTS again...third time

And it's still great and people still applaud.

I love how after he's cut off Mace's hand, Anakin, even after accepting his "apprenticeship" is just so horrified, messed-up and freaked: you can see it in the ways his eyes dart, in his posture (he can't seem to stand tall and straight as he used to) and the look in his eyes when Palpy mentions Jedi=evil. Only when Palpy mentions that if he destroys the Temple, only then he will be strong to save Padme, that this abates a little. Then you see some sort of purpose enter him again, though he is still a shell in so many ways. But at least now he has a goal he can live with, if he doesn't think about anything else.

It just struck me so forcibly this time around, how much of a boy he still is.

Much more later.....