Sarcastic Literary Heroine?

Elladog · Apr 1, 2008

Can anyone recommend a few literary titles (preferably first person) that have a female MC who is not pensive or sullen? I know they're out there, but my brain seems to be stuck in a loop right now and I can't seem to think of any.

I like to write (and read) stories that are sort of on that line between mainstream and literary, but my current WIP keeps feeling more chick-litty. I blame my MC, who has turned out to be sort of feisty, sarcastic, and cynical. I keep trying to veer her back into ground I'm more comfortable with, but she keeps seeming more like a smart-talking P.I. or a oh-no-you-di-int type club girl. I keep expecting her to make friends with Hillary Duff, when I would rather she was hanging out with Rachel Weisz.

Any suggestions?

LaceWing · Apr 1, 2008

Marisha Pessl, Special Topics in Calamity Physics.

Within a chapter, I was looking forward to re-reading it. Very intelligent female MC, thoughtful but not at all sullen. Loved the story itself, too.

aonarach · Apr 1, 2008

there are a few Rita Mae Brown books with the kind of MC you're referring to: Six of One, Bingo, and Venus Envy. these all have several strong, witty (and often sharp-tongued) female MC's. and there's Ayn Rand's "ideal woman" Dagney Taggart in Atlas Shrugged, a bit preachy, but certainly not sullen. Charles de Lint also writes some strong female MC's, for example in The Onion Girl. 3 very different authors with very different female MC's, but i wouldn't say any of them are pensive or sullen!

Phaeal · Apr 1, 2008

Dagny Taggart is the opposite of the pensive, sullen literary heroine. Her intelligence doesn't set her apart -- it's the astounding fact that she puts her intelligence to work that makes her Rand's ideal.

Dagny longs for straight line action, action that like the tracks of a railroad goes purposefully from point A to point B. The only time she is depressed is when she gets trapped in circular motion, and she explodes out of those circles given the smallest opening.

Her lesson to learn is not to act for action's sake, but for the sake of her ideals. Which, whoa, she actually ends up doing! This is practically anti-literary.

Dear Dagny. She deserves to get every gorgeous man in the book, except Ragnar Danneskold, but hey, three out of four isn't bad.

I don't see why your MC can't be feisty, sarcastic and cynical, Elladog. Give her her head and enjoy the ride. Wherever it leads you will be good, as long as the journey is.

THenry · Apr 1, 2008

First words in my head were Thursday Next, but that wasn't what you were asking.

Sonneillon · Apr 1, 2008

As usual, I'll plug Kitty and the Midnight Hour.

Elladog · Apr 1, 2008

Thanks for all the suggestions. I'll get reading.
I do want her to stay feisty. I can see how it looked like I wanted to reign her in, but I think what I'm really struggling with is that the narrative, which is in her voice, seems too light somehow.
Thanks for all the help, everyone.

icerose · Apr 1, 2008

The first example that popped in my head when you said this is Meg on Disney's "Hercules". She's a strong character who's been injured, can take care of herself, is used to manipulate the situation and so forth, yet we care about her because she's trapped with Hadies over a guy who dumped her.

I think she has a good balance of offstandishness and sympathy going for her. Okay that sentence was bad, but I hope you get what I'm saying.

Sarcastic Literary Heroine?

Elladog

LaceWing

aonarach

Not all who wander are lost

Phaeal

Whatever I did, I didn't do it.

THenry

Sonneillon

Autophobic Misanthrope

Elladog

icerose

Lost in School Work