Women vs Men in fiction

[Mouse]

I caught a bit of it when it was on TV but wasn't quite my cup of tea.

[morteledraco]

Are you a straight women? It might just be that you pay more attention to guys or at least more attention to the way guy charcters are awesome than women.

[allmywires]

Morteledraco, I don't think that's really true - as a straight woman I'm always on the look out for awesome women in fiction. As much as it's fun to adore the guys, you want a heroine who you can want to be, or be friends with, rather than a hero you can swoon over (not all the time, at least!).

[digs]

I think there may actually be something to mort's post in that the way people respond to and perceive characters may differ on their own background and experiences. For example, I always respond well to pretty butt-kicking girls with big weapons (usually with a "She's ****ing awesome!")

My favourite chars of the original list you posted, Mouse:

Dollhouse - agree with DeWitt, followed by Sierra

His Dark Materials - Lyra, Serafina Pekkala, the tiny dragonfly lady

ASoIaF - Arya, Asha, the Mormont women

Buffy - Anya, Drusilla

[Hex]

It's not that we identify with the women, and so find the men more exciting (because they do)?

Lemme see: almost all of Robin McKinley's female characters (but especially Harry in 'The Blue Sword'), Maree in 'Deep Secret', Roddy in 'The Merlin Conspiracy' (those are Diana Wynne Jones)... I'm sure there are more (but I need Thought).

[Mouse]

digs - I love pretty butt-kicking women with big weapons too and my response is usually 'she's freaking awesome!' I loved the woman (Black Widow, was it?) in Avengers.

But being kick ass doesn't make someone interesting.

As for Buffy, I'd forgotten Anya! Yes, I do love Anya. She's probably my second fave. ...After Spike.

[Jeffbert]

Originally Posted by HoopyFrood

Oh, oh, Grandma Sophie from Howl's Moving Castle! Not even normal Sophie, but Grandma Sophie. She's hilarious and grumpy and won't take any crap from mopey wizards who start melting just because they accidentally dyed their hair.

I had been watching a ton of anime & reading a few Japanese comics over the last few years, & found that there is a tendency to make female characters as skilled in fighting as the males. Though, some are androids (or gynoids, as the terms are gender specific), & even those who do not fight, I find I like well. The men, are often depicted as hapless, & comic relief types. But even in the high school comedies, such as SCHOOL RUMBLE, the females are the central characters, & very much likable. The main character is named Tenma, which I believe is her family name, & there are these two very different boys both trying to win her love. One is an egghead-type while the other is a motorcycle riding juvenile delinquent-type. both try to be noticed by her, but to no avail.

I cannot say the same for any novels I recall reading though, as most are nearly 100 years old. They do have women in them, & some are particularly likable, but they are usually the damsel in distress types. I guess maybe I seem odd in making this post, or, it just seems so.

[Parson]

Interesting thread.... Could it be that we find the characters of the opposite sex more interesting? Two of my most interesting characters are

Honor Harrington (Leading figure in David Weber's Honor Harrington series) and Ayala (sp) Clan of the Cave Bear. I identify with each of them much more than any male in those stories.

Perhaps an insight into who I am is that among cartoon characters I identify most strongly with Charlie Brown.

[Mouse]

I've just read this, which made me laugh: http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisf...ilm-characters

[Mangara]

Well in the mistborn series Vin is pretty much untouchable as the main character. Sanderson starts off with her weak, mild, shy, quiet and abused. Over the two novels I've read so far she has grown into an woman who is strong, powerful, but also human. Sanderson seems to have a knack of making them all feel human and Vin is the pick of the bunch.

[Welsh Andy]

Got to say I'm the complete opposite. I get tired really quickly with male characters in sci-fi and fantasy. One of my all time favourite characters in sci-fi has to be Luciente from Marge Piercy's Woman at the Edge of Time. Probably closely followed by Ripley(of course) and Offred in The Handmaid's Tale.

Plus Femshep all the way

[Gordian Knot]

Books where I like the female characters best.

Auel. Clan of the Cave Bear. Ayla is by far the most interesting character in the book.

Cherryh. Hunter of Worlds. Chimele is the central character from which everyone else revolves.

McCaffrey. Dragonriders or Pern. Lessa is far more interesting than the guys.

I'm sure there are others, but these are the ones I thought of right off.

[C Of K]

Cordelia Naismith from Shards of Honor in the Vorkosigan Saga by Lois McMaster Bujold. Cordelia is not extremely beautiful, nor is she the toughest woman in fiction. She is strong willed, resourceful, funny, and very brave. I read several books in the Vorkosigan Saga, but her book was my introduction to it, for which I am eternally greatful because it's a wonderful read.

I love Arya Stark more than any of her brothers, and most other characters in ASOIAF. There is one character that I definitely like better than her. Stannis Baratheon, but he happens to be in my top 5 favorite characters of all time. No shame in coming in second to Stannis. Valar Morghulis

Star Trek DS9 has Kira Nerys. Now, she is extremely beautiful, and is one of the toughest female characters I know, but I don't hold that against her. She's tied with Odo for my favorite character in that show.

[Mouse]

I always liked Quark the best in DS9!

[Gordian Knot]

I'll take Jadzia over Kira any day. I have to agree with Mouse though, Quark is a much more interesting character than either of the girls. As is Odo. As is Garak. The rest of the male cast is completely forgettable.

As Q so aptly put it referring to O'brien, "Aren't you one of the little people."