What Makes a Good Heroine?

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.