Character Flaws: The Case of the Too-Light Tresses

Welcome to yet another new feature! Now that it's 2009 and my schedule has lightened up a bit, I plan to try out a slate of regular topics here and see which ones stick (picture blog as kitchen wall, strands of not-quite-al dente pasta strewn across). Earlier this week I wrote the first "Independents Day" post, in which I'll highlight indie press titles (NB to indie press publicists: If you'd like to send me anything, my email addy is thebookmaven at gmail dot com).

Today I debut another new feature that is less promotional and more personal: "Character Flaws." In CF, I'll muse about literary characters who have bothered me over the years for some reason. Sometimes it will be because of who they were, sometimes because of what they did, sometimes simply (see today!) because of their hair color. The idea is twofold: We all get a walk down memory lane, and we can all discuss whether I'm completely right, or completely crazy.

Here's what started it all: My Friend John and I were discussing something all writers talk about, which is contract negotiation. As I explained something I needed to look up, he laughed and said "You sound like Nancy Drew! It's all Nancy Drew and the Secret Hidden Advance Payment." I couldn't even take umbrage at his taunt, because, well, he was right. I sounded ridiculous.

But what my mind immediately whirred and clicked to was an inner image of one of the old line drawings in the Carolyn Keen series of Nancy with her friends Bess and George, with a car. It's the same illustration here; why is it so unforgettable?). "You know something?" I said to John. (Actually, I nearly wailed this.) "It used to make me so mad that the only brunette in Nancy Drew books was George, the butch friend. Iwas a girl and I was a brunette and Iliked boys like Ned Nickerson; why couldn't Nancy or Bess have brown hair?"

Cue tape of John laughing uproariously.

But reader, it's true. Blondes may not have more fun, gentlemen may not actually prefer them, but they get an awful lot of literary action, especially on the formative kiddie-lit front. Alice in Wonderland? Blonde. Eloise? Well, it's hard to tell sometimes, but -- blonde.  I remember becoming truly enraged when Mary Ingalls got blue hair ribbons and Laura was forced to wear pink ones, their Ma choosing them to match their coloring. I loathed pink and loved blue and wondered why I had to be born with lesser tresses. Even Pippi Longstocking had amazing, cool RED hair.

This is why I preferred the books with talking animals. Mr. Frog and Mr. Toad may not have been female, but at least they were not fettered with flowing blonde locks.

My question for you: Have you ever found yourself harboring an irrational dislike for a literary character? Or (and this is an option) am I completely crazy?

Next time: Sherlock Holmes Goes to AA

Comments

[S. Krishna]

I can't think of anything, but this is a fun post!

[MavenLady]

Why thank you Swapna!

[bookwormette]

You, my dear, are a bit of an unreliable narrator. You take umbrage with ALL blondes, literary and otherwise. :)

[Carol]

It's funny you mention Eloise because I loathe Eloise. Spoiled, annoying, irritatingly precocious, feh. I always wanted to smack Eloise upside the head.

[MavenLady]

Bookwormette, it's not just blondes -- I'm jealous of redheads, too!

Carol, LOL re Eloise. She was so bad to Nanny, and I couldn't imagine treating someone kind so badly. I mean, all children love to be naughty -- that part I got. But why be ungrateful, too?

[JoAnn]

I despised Serena in Ron Rash's recent book of the same title. She was probably the most evil female character I have encountered in a long time.

A lot of characters merely annoy me......like most of the female "stars" of Jodi Picoult's books. So unrealistic.

[tita]

I really despised Chip in THE CORRECTIONS! I couldn't read on because he was just so wretched (and the characterization also, um, to save my critical chops, was caricature...). But I've also had students despise, beyond belief, Emma from EMMA!