March is National Women's History Month, and the Teen Board is celebrating through a series of blog posts! Every Thursday this month, a different Teen Board member is writing a post that somehow relates to women and literature, so make sure you keep an eye out each week! This final post is by Kate F., where she interviewed four amazing YA authors --- Rosamund Hodge (CRUEL BEAUTY), Susan Dennard (SOMETHING STRANGE AND DEADLY), Sara B. Larson (DEFY) and Erin Bowman (TAKEN) --- about their views on reading and writing strong female heroines!
What’s your definition of a strong female character?
“…I think the definition of a strong female character is not “amazing butt-kicking skills” or even “defiant and headstrong.” I think that real strength is strength of character --- the ability to think for yourself and to stick by your beliefs under pressure."
-Rosamund Hodge, CRUEL BEAUTY
“I think a strong female character is simply a character who fights for what she believes in. She's doesn't necessarily fight with strength or intelligence, with wit or weapons, but rather uses the tools available and doesn't give up when faced with adversity.”
-Susan Dennard, SOMETHING STRANGE AND DEADLY
“I think that there many definitions of strong female heroines --- they can show up in a myriad of ways. Anytime you have a character who triumphs over any sort of struggle --- whether internal or external --- I think that is a strong heroine. Anytime a female protagonist is able to be true to herself and accomplish her goals, that is the sign of a strong female heroine. And in the case of Alexa, she is strong not only because she can sword-fight and shoot an arrow better than most men, but because she is courageous in all aspects of her life. She is strong because she is determined not to fail, no matter how insurmountable the odds are that are stacked against her. She’s strong because she never gives up.”
-Sara B. Larson, DEFY
Did you make a conscious decision to make your female characters so strong or did it just happen?
“Honestly, the characters just happened that way! I didn't even realize Jie was a girl until I was actually writing, and it was a like a light bulb went off! "Oh! Jie's not a guy at all! He's a she! Plus, Jie is everything Eleanor wants to be but thinks she can't become. That means I can have Jie show Eleanor that who we are is defined by the choices we make and not by what we're born with." :) It was an exciting moment that completely changed the trajectory of the story in the best possible way.”
-Susan Dennard, SOMETHING STRANGE AND DEADLY
“When I designed Nyx, I did not think, “For the benefit of girls everywhere, I’m going to create a STRONG FEMALE CHARACTER!” What I did think when I created Nyx was that I wanted to create a character with a hardcore devotion to duty, who would have to face some very difficult dilemmas. Which she does. And she makes some radical choices…honestly, what I find compelling about Nyx is not that she’s strong. It’s that, ready or not, she has to make some difficult choices. And then she has to abide the consequences.”
-Rosamund Hodge, CRUEL BEAUTY
“Bree's strength and daring is a direct result of her upbringing, as well as events that unfold before those in TAKEN. I actually had the wonderful opportunity of telling her history in Stolen, a digital-only prequel novella that released in February. The novella gives a lot of insight to her character and what makes her the hardened, confident, and outspoken girl Gray meets in TAKEN. So, no, Bree's 'strength' wasn't so much a conscious decision as it was me listening to her voice and being true to her character while I drafted.”
-Erin Bowman, TAKEN
Do you think it’s important for girls to read novels with strong female characters?
“Absolutely! It’s so important for girls to realize that they can be strong --- that they can do whatever they put their minds to. But I also think it’s important for them to read about strong female characters who are strong as women, not despite being a woman. Alexa must learn to reconcile her strength with who she truly is through the course of DEFY (a girl), and I think that is something every girl must learn and embrace --- our femininity doesn’t weaken us. It gives us a unique strength that only adds to the other kinds of strength we all can aspire to attain. And reading about characters like that can prove to us all that it’s possible!”
-Sara B. Larson, DEFY
“I think it's important for girls to read books with female characters. Strength can be defined a million ways and it is only one of many personality traits. Girls need to see themselves in the pages of literature…I love strong female characters, but above all, I just love female characters who feel relatable and real --- who remind me of myself or girls I grew up with. The more diverse female characters we have in literature, the better, in my opinion.”
-Erin Bowman, TAKEN
