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Don’t you get a kick out of reading strong, funny and creative women in literature? We love learning about classic female characters such as the conniving Lady Macbeth and the witty Elizabeth Bennet. But maybe it’s time for some modern women to make a splash in the literary world. Here are 10 of the best heroines in modern literature.
Thursday Next is the inspirational protagonist of the seven-book series by Jasper Fforde in which the world exists on an alternate timeline and literature is a booming business. Thursday works for the government as a LiteraTec, making sure original manuscripts are kept safe from thieves and counterfeiters, but she soon finds herself pitted against the evil Hades, who is trying to take over the world of fiction. Thursday is a fantastic character because she loves what she does and is tough enough to confront the pure evil of her arch-nemesis, Hades.
As one of the main characters of J.K. Rowling’s “Harry Potter“ series, Hermione befriends Harry and Ron while at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Hermione is known for her intelligence and imagination, traits which are instrumental in helping Harry defeat Voldemort. Her character is widely loved by those who have read the novels and seen the movies because of her confidence in her abilities and her loyalty to her friends.
Better known as Anne of Green Gables, Anne Shirley is adopted at the age of 11 by Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert, who live on Prince Edward Island in Canada. Over the years, she grows to love her new home and all her quirky neighbors. The novels by E.M. Montgomery follow Anne throughout her childhood and her passage into motherhood, allowing readers to grow with the beloved, outspoken and clumsy Anne as she learns what it means to be a successful woman who is strong in her beliefs but who knows she can always improve.
Scout Finch is the rambunctious, intelligent, kind-hearted narrator of Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird.” The novel details several events in Scout’s childhood that lead up to and include her father’s defense of Tom Robinson, a black man accused of raping a woman during the U.S. Great Depression. While at the beginning of the novel she is considered naïve, by the end she has a better understanding of how people think and act. Scout teaches us that we don’t always have to listen to the rest of society if hate and prejudice is the norm; instead, we can embrace diversity.
Matilda, from the novel of the same name by Roald Dahl, is a vastly intelligent and imaginative thinker who discovers that she has telekinetic powers. She uses these powers to play tricks on her negligent parents and to avenge her teacher, Miss Honey, after her abusive aunt withholds her niece’s inheritance. Matilda is a literary heroine because she is not afraid to use her gifts, but most of all because she uses her gifts for good.
The main protagonist of Scott Westerfeld’s “Uglies” series, Tally Youngblood searches for a way to defeat the ruling system in a post-apocalyptic world. The systems calls for each 16-year-old to undergo surgery to make them “pretty,” but are secretively operated on during the surgery to make them less capable of intelligent thought. Tally infiltrates the system in these novels, showing how strong she can be against overwhelming odds. Despite all the forces trying to make her silent, she still works to defeat corruption, redefine beauty and restore democracy to her world.
Aibeleen Clark is an African-American maid from “The Help,” a novel set in 1960s Jackson, Mississippi. After years of bad treatment by their employers, Aibeleen and several of her fellow maids decide to help a woman named Skeeter who is writing a newspaper report on the treatment of “the help.” Aibeleen is one of the first maids to stand up for her rights, showing that even if it seems like nothing will change in society, we have the power to make the world a better place.
This character is one of the most popular female characters in George R.R. Martin’s popular series, which has been adapted into the widely viewed “Game of Thrones“ TV series. She is a stubborn, ruthless and empowered woman and is not confined to traditional female roles, meaning that she can often be found outside fighting and practicing with her sword, Needle. Arya has a mind of her own and isn’t afraid to show the world that she can be just as strong and as ruthless as her male counterparts.
Claire Beauchamp Randall Fraser is the headstrong, independent and quick-thinking character from Diana Gabaldon’s acclaimed “Outlander“ series. She is a nurse and is married to Frank Randall, though when she is transported to Scotland in the 1700s, she must learn to adapt her healing skills to survive in her new reality. Each of the eight novels follow Claire and her 18th century husband, Jamie. Despite being thrown back in time to a place of danger and war, Claire is able to use her strength and independence to adapt and make the new world her own.
As the protagonist of the “Obernewtyn“ series by Isobelle Carmody, Elspeth must use her mental powers as a Misfit to challenge a post-apocalyptic society’s hate toward those who, like herself, have mental abilities such as telepathy and mind-control. As the series progresses, Elspeth becomes the leader of the Misfits as they seek to take back their rights in a world of prejudice and political turmoil. Elspeth shows us that just because she is labeled ‘other’ and is a woman doesn’t mean that she isn’t strong and capable of defeating a system of corruption and hate.
Who is your favorite literary heroine in this list of good books to read? Comment below!
