I've been thinking for a number of days about all the strong female protagonists in stories today. They seem to be tough as nails and able to kick butt, whether it's zombies, aliens or just plain humans. Maybe in this day and age that is a type of strength that women are looking for. But I wonder what has happened to inner strength. The type of strength that comes from faith. Women since recorded time have been strong and able to bear heavy burdens and if called for find the physical strength to protect their families and themselves from harm (if at all possible). I'm sure that if any of them were asked, they would say that their faith (in whoever or whatever they believe in) gave them the strength to get through.
I'm amazed at the physical prowess of women in movies and stories of today. They seem, I don't know callus and hard, a lot like the way men used to be portrayed. I can't find anything within myself that is that way. I would like to be able to create a female protagonist that has that type of strength, but I don't seem to be able to.
They only type of strength I know anything about is faith based. The ability to keep trying and doing no matter what, knowing that God will never give me more than I can handle. Although a time or two I admit that he has, but with my faith and belief I am able to continue on for the seconds, minutes, hours or days that I need to in order to get through whatever it is. Would I sometimes like to quit? You bet. But I can't, as that is not who I am. So, I keep going and eventually I'll realize that I've made it through one more time - not by myself, but with the help of God and the grace he has granted me once again.
So, maybe I can create strong female protagonists - just in my own way. Using my own type of strength.
Inner strength VS. outer strength... I like that. Inner strength in a character implies human vulnerability, which makes the character much more interesting... someone whose decisions aren't simplistic, immediate, or predictable. Such a character adds suspense to a story, suspense being more than plain action, making more possible outcomes and allowing the character to develop more.
ReplyDeleteOkay, a "tough as nails" character can work in this way as long as the author remembers the inner workings, that is, thoughts and feelings and emotions, self-questioning, the possibility of finding out the world isn't black-and-white, maybe even of becoming a bit gentler to others, or wiser.
Action has its place, but action alone isn't 3-dimensional. A story needs characters with their inner workings, a complex, fully-rounded person with mental resources... such as faith, restraint, foresight, or other forms of wisdom that counteract (or try to) human frailties.
Liv Tyler felt the same way when playing Arwen on Lord of the Rings. The filmmakers had wanted to transform the character into a warrior like Eowyn, but Tyler resisted, making your same argument: that not all strength is physical. She prevailed, and her interpretation of Arwen is the one you see in the movies.
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