Joining in on the fun over at The Broke and the Bookish for
their Top Ten Tuesday.
Today’s list is:
Top Ten Rebels in Literature
1. Skeeter Phelan from The Help by Kathryn Stockett. She is perhaps my favorite these days, because she saw something terribly wrong in her society and set about to bring attention it and (hopefully) change it. She would not be dissuaded, even if it meant losing friends. I loved (still love) her for her courage!
2. Mikael Blomkvist from The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson. He was willing to go to prison for libel even though he was innocent, because there was something to the story, and he was not willing to compromise his ability to get to the truth. He also did not whitewash anything - he told the truth, bluntly at times, and I respected him for that.
3. Jacob Jankowski from Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen. I loved him for standing up to August repeatedly regarding his treatment of the animals. I loved him for protecting Camel for as long as he could. and for cultivating a strong friendship with Kinko, even though it was blurring the "class" lines in the circus hierarchy. I loved him for loving the animals and treating them kindly. Finally, I loved him most for not killing August when he had the opportunity, because it would have made him just like August, and he couldn't stomach that.
4. Frederick Douglass. Author of Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave, Douglass defied convention (and the law) by learning to read and write, and then by escaping slavery. Not only was he a vocal abolitionist, but he supported women's suffrage, and believed in equal rights for all (black, white, male, female, etc.) in a time when such a belief was considered radical and controversial. He believed in doing the right thing regardless of the consequences, and for this he has earned my greatest respect.
5. Jo March from Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. I have always wondered if Jo March was a fashioned a bit after Louisa May Alcott herself. She was strong-willed, opinionated, passionate, tomboyish, and fiercely loyal. She thought deeply and wrote prodigiously. She fits in virtually no where, but she hardly ever kowtows to societal conventions because she is compelled to pursue her ambitions as a writer. I love her because she stays true to herself despite pressures to the contrary. I also love that her mother sees her for who she is and encourages her to follow her heart.
Believe it or not, those are the only ones that leaped into my mind today. All exceptional, so maybe I don't need more. :-)
Jo March is one of my favorite heroines. I love seeing her grow and change throughout the novel, and become a stronger, wiser, and happier person.
ReplyDeleteSkeeter, too, is a great one. The Help was an excellent book, and I'm looking forward to Emma Stone's portrayal of Skeeter in the film later this year. Thanks for stopping by my blog, and happy reading!
Good list. I had Frederick Douglass on my list as well. The others are good choices too!
ReplyDeleteI agree with #1 and #2. I just finished "The Help" earlier this week and enjoyed it immensely. Loved Skeeter for her strength and courage. But I REALLY got into Mikael Blomkvist's character. I'm sad we won't be able to read the rest of the series Stieg Larsson had planned before his death.
ReplyDeleteI thought you might like to check out the Harry Hole character in a series of four books by Jo Nesbo that David and I are reading. Similar to Mikael in his single-minded pursuit of truth and justice. Good stuff!
Thanks for the recommendation. As long as my "to be read" list is, I always have room for recommendations. I'll definitely look it up next time I'm at the library.
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