As for me, I read books in search for inspiration. Though the characters presented in literature do not exist, they still can serve as the examples for us. However, not all characters are vivid and strong enough to become the source of my inspiration. Still, there are some which I consider to be really well developed.
One of my favorite female characters is Scarlett O’Hara from “Gone with the Wind”. Scarlett is a progressive woman who is not afraid to express her emotions which is a novelty for that time. When she falls in love with Ashley Wilkes she just opens her heart to him without intrigues or hypocrisy. This woman is very strong and courageous which is also worth admiration. Scarlett taught me one of the main principles of life which I use quite often – if you feel sad about something, think about it tomorrow. It may sound like escape from problems, but, in fact, it really works. What I like most about Scarlett O’Hara is that she is not passive like lots of other heroines of the books. If she wants something she just goes for it and I highly appreciate this feature.
Jane Eyre, the heroine of the novel by Charlotte Bronte of the same title differs from Scarlett immensely, but still presents a very interesting female character, in my opinion. I respect her for her strong moral principles which she always follows no matter what happens in her life. She has sincere and loving heart which reveals itself to a full extent in the end of the story. Jane finds out that the love of her life, Mr. Rochester became blind and returns to him to take care of her man. Jane is a woman who does not search for material values – love and honor is what she really appreciates in life.
Elizabeth Bennet from “Pride and Prejudice” is another interesting female character. Her main feature is her ability to laugh at herself with mild irony which singles her out from the row of dull young women whose only desire is to get married as soon as possible. Elizabeth, on the contrary, does not want to marry just for the sake of marital status itself. She would prefer to stay alone rather than be with some indecent person. Her brilliant sense of humor is real gem of the story. She somehow manages to stay sincere and natural in the world of hypocrisy and that is what I like about this personage.
In “The Bad Girl” by Mario Vargas Llosa we meet another female character which is definitely worth readers’ attention. This “bad girl” changes her names and lives seemingly aimless life. Her only intention is to survive in the mad world and she chooses different methods to achieve this aim. I like her resoluteness and energy. While most heroines passively weep in the corner, she tries to change her life and I think such behavior deserves admiration. There is no wonder that the main hero of the book is desperately in love with her – it is her constant strive for life and ultimate truth which makes her so attractive.
