Having finished watching The Hunger Games blu ray,
it got me thinking. Katniss, though not as developed as in the book, is an
excellent example of a heroine who had to rise to the occasion, to overcome
obstacles, none of her making, to achieve the goal: staying alive and returning
to her family. Story telling at it’s best is about characters, making them
believable, and giving them a reason for the reader, whether sympathy or
empathy, to root for them.
What makes a character likeable? It takes a
combination of their personality and background, which in some ways draws the
reader into their adventure. I’ll use and example, since the blog’s about the
world of Kate Almir.
Who is Kate Almir? She’s so nuanced, it would be
hard to explain in a 500 word, my goal not a rule, blog posting. The young
woman, 22 in the second novel I’m working on and 21 in the first, has survived
many traumatic events in her life. It started with losing a father; mother had
already died, in a war, which leads to an orphanage to sell most of the children,
since they were starving anyway, to a Slave Master. However, his form of slavery
entitled fighting in a arena, or open areas, for the entertainment of a blood thirsty
masses. While under his ownership, despite her lofty living as a his top fighter,
she suffered repeated rapes from the man. Coupled with the deaths of several friend,
and a dear lover, she’s turned into someone asexual, and wishing to put the
pain of the past behind.
She’s a character, who, as you get to know her, becomes
sympathetic due to the events that happened, and are continuing to happen. Which
is why I got to thinking.
For you who are reading, I’d like to throw out a challenge:
name a good heroine in a story, novel or movie you’ve seen and tell me why she’s
a good heroine. I look forward to seeing your responses.
