- 1 copy of Son of Stitch and Bitch
- 1 copy of Kafka on the Shore by one of my favourite writers, Haruki Murakami
- 1 copy of Les Liaisons Dangereuses by Choderlos de Laclos
- a set of stitch markers from Crimson Orchid
- AND - a Yarnissima kit - Fratello, with the exclusive Fratello colourway by the Wollmeise herself!
- plus - a few more little extras...
- I'll post the package anywhere in the world.
By the way - Les Liaisons Dangereuses? Brilliant book, one of my favourites. One of those books that you never want to lend anyone because you never get it back. You've probably seen the movie, which is why I read the book in the first place, but the original is even more enjoyable. The immorality of the characters, the wicked webs they spin, their decadent lifestyles, the rapier wit - it's as fresh and daring as it was two hundred years ago. It is, I think, a great antidote to the self-imposed austerity most of us undergo at this time of year. I've also included Kafka on the Shore as it's a great book, and a good introduction to Haruki Murakami, if you haven't read him yet. BUT if you win the competition and neither of these books appeal to you, or you have them already, I'm sure we can work something out.
'How do I enter the competition?' I hear you ask. Well, it's easy.
- For one chance to enter, leave a comment on this post telling me who is your favourite character from literature and why - do you hate to love them? Love to hate them? Admire, aspire or are inspired by them? Think they're downright dirty? Let me know.
- For a second chance to enter, link to this competition on your blog and email me at: justine707 AT gmail DOT com to let me know you've done so.
- Tell your readers to mention your blog when they enter this competition - and to let me know that you've done so - so everytime someone mentions that you've sent them to this blog, you get another chance to win - therefore if five people mention your blog, that's five extra chances!
112 comments:
She's only a little girl, but she has such an imagination. She tries to do her best, is an excellent student, and can still smash a slate over a guys head when he's being a pain in the rear--and really insensitive. Yes, I'm talking about Anne Shirley. Some may think that she's an obnoxous goody-goody, but she rose so far above what could have happened to an orphan. And, she always learns from her mistakes. After all, tomorrow is a new day, always fresh and free from past mistakes. (Pardon the paraphrasing.)
I feel like this might be one of those characters that everyone loves but I guess for me it's Elizabeth Bennett. I absolutely love her! She's the sort of person that I think I am but maybe more - wish I wish... I love her wit, loyalty, intelligence and ability to inspire others to love and admire her.
I love the character Jo in Little Women. For a female of her time she showed great spirit and such a wonderful capacity for love. I do wish I were more like her.
I've always thought Scout (Jean Louise Finch) in To Kill a Mockingbird is awesome.
I love Gavroche from Les Miserable. Such spirit! And he knows to do the right thing when its absolutely necessary. And he can live by a code. That's a lot to ask from a 10 year old kid.
I am going to have to do some thinking on this one but while I am I wanted to let you know that I stopped by for a read!
Reading through the first few comments I'm finding this spooky, I almost said Anne (with an e) or Jo but I think I will actually go with another lesser known L.M. Montgomery character, Valancy Stirling from The Blue Castle. Being an adult she is much more interesting than Anne or Emily both of whom I still love as I did when I was younger. Seeing her awakening in the story and the pithy observations of her relatives are fantastic and it is too bad that the term "Axe-Murderer" hadn't been invented yet as I'm sure the family would have accused Barney of that as well.
I will also admit that the place we stayed in in Hawaii had all the Little House books so I may have reread all of them as well the week I was there.
I think my favourite character has to be Samwise Gamgee. What a hobbit! Frodo would never have made it to the end without him ;-)
Marjane - the plucky iranian girl from Persepolis would have to be my literary heroine. Her internal strength to know where she belonged (or rather, where she didn't) and the courage to set her destiny rather than allow others to decide it for her are what I aspire to.
Perhaps this is an offbeat answer, but K from Kafka's The Trial is my favorite literary character. mostly because I had to write a paper on him in high school... the thesis question was "Why does K suffer?" and my response was "because he chooses to." I was told that I was the only one in the class who answered the abstract question with an abstraction. ;)
I got an A on the paper and I loved the book far more than any of my classmates.
I've long admired to be Harriet the Spy. All of her friends turned against her but she fought back and was eventually accepted again by her real friends. She went through a miserable time but got through it without compromising her clever & funny personality.
Douglas Spaulding in Dandelion Wine
because he's old enough to be aware of the reality of life, but still believes in magic.
There's this book by Anita Shreve called Where or When - the main female character, Sian, is probably one of my favorites. It sounds super cheesy, but she follows her heart (with dire consequences). That's something I always find admirable--when someone does what they believe in, even if things don't always work out all nicely in the end.
PS, Julie at Shiny Shiny sent me here :)
Thanks for the invitation to visit over on Ravelry. My childhood favorites have all been mentioned -- Anne and Jo and Scout and Elizabeth Bennett -- so I guess I'll go with Thursday Next. How can you not love a woman who solves literary crimes (both in and out of "reality") while fighting The Man. Plus, she has a pet dodo!
My favourite character is Penelope from The Shell Seekers. I can never get enough of this story, and only hope I will grow to be as strong as she is.
Great contest! :o)
Can I tell you about two characters I love? I recently reread Pride and Prejudice and I had forgotten how much I loved Elizabeth Bennett. She's smart, funny, willing to stand up to those she thinks have wronged her family, and then is able to overcome her own errors in judgement to allow herself to fall in love. I also really admire Atticus Finch from To Kill a Mockingbird. He is couragous and compassionate, and teaches his children to understand others and stand up for what is right.
Reaching back to when I was a child - Charlotte from Charlotte's Web. This little spider had such spunk. Tried her hardest at everything she did and always helped others - always knowing her outcome. What a great way to be.
Anita
Darrell Rivers from the Mallory Towers series by Enid Blyton. As a child, I always wanted to go to boarding school and be as wonderful as Darrell. She had loads of friends, did well at school and seemed to have so much fun.
I think it would probably be Dinah from The Red Tent by Anita Diamant. I read this book about 4 years ago and haven't read anything I've liked as much since then.
I'd have to say Tess Durbeyfield in Tess of the D'Urbervilles. She's start out so fresh and innocent, but her life turns so tragic. Her struggles and triumphs just kill me every time I read it.
Just wanted to let you know I found this competition through the blog of Tiffy (http://tiffibug.blogspot.com/)>
It's a difficult choice. There are many characters I love in Dutch literature that are probably unknown to English speaking people, so let me think about English characters.
Maybe this seems like an odd choice, but I always had a thing for Amy, from Alcott's little women. Jo is the main character and perhaps easiest to like, but Amy does something absolutely amazing: she transforms herself. She grows up slightly vain, ambitious and thinking herself superior to others, but she manages to grow out of it. She learns how to be a true lady, without the superiority complex. She finds her place and she learns how to set aside ambitions and find contentment instead.
Since she starts out as the most obnoxious of the four March girls, few people actually develop a liking for her. But there is a quiet beauty in the way that she grows through the little lessons of life.
That's a really difficult question to answer, but I do think my all-time favorite character is Rose Red from Snow White & Rose Red by the brothers Grimm. Just because she's seems to have a little spunk - as opposed to most fairy tale heroines who let the handsome prince handle everything. Of course, her wimpy sister Snow White does marry the prince, but she gets his brother, and I always imagined he was the more interesting of the two anyway.
Anne Elliot of Jane Austen's Persuasion for finally getting what she wants.
I was going to say The Little Prince, because unfortunately it was the main book that came to mind. I wound up hating that book because
1) after being forced to read it 3 different years, I learned to appreciate a straightforward book
2) forced to read it again for French class??!!! Hello, French class is supposed to be fun!
Then I was going to say Lady Macbeth because that woman wasn't afraid to go for what she wanted, even if it meant killing somebody and driving her husband insane.
"But screw your courage to the sticking place and you'll not fail." How can I remember that? Because I studied it twice, one year after the other, then had to go through it again when we moved to New Mexico in my last year of high school.
But I like Macbeth for drama though, and watching Mel Gibson (and probably Kenneth Branagh too) play him made it a lot more interesting for me.
I've always enjoyed Jo Marsh. Strong. Fiesty. A bit of temper never hurt anyone. I like it that she isn't a girly girl. She has strong deep feelings.
From contemporary literature I like Grandma Mazur from the Stephanie Plum novels. Fiesty. Eccentric. Loads of fun and a bit nuts.
I've always had a crush on Atticus from To Kill a Mockingbird. He seemed like such an amazing guy.
I would also like to thank you for the invitation over on Ravelry.
I am drawn to Edmond Dantes, The Count of Monte Cristo. I am intrigued with his patience and his cunning. It was wonderful that Alexandre Dumas portrayed a character that was strong and, at times, ruthless, yet retained some tenderness.
My literary favorites tend to change as I get older, but one of my favorites is Scout from To Kill a Mockingbird. I like that she's not your typical girly-girl. She's a tomboy, but she's got heart, and since the narration is from her older self, it really doesn't sound like shechanged too much from her 8-year-old self, who was delightful.
When I was six, I wanted nothing more than to be George from the Famous Five books. She refused to accept that boys were better, she had great adventures, a lovely dog and the adults in her life treated her with benign neglect! Perfect! Now that I am (allegedly) grown up, I'd like to be Jill from Braided Lives by Marge Piercy. She's one of the most rounded characters I've ever read. Politically aware, clever, wonderful female friends, and she makes her way through to a life she loves, after all the difficulties. And if I can choose a character I'd hate to be: Kevin's mother!
My pick is an off-the-wall one, from an off-the-wall book. I have to choose the main character, Deborah, from Joanne Greenberg's I Never Promised You a Rose Garden. She's a seventeen-year-old schizophrenic, and the novel is her journey to recovery, and she's one of my favorite literary figures because firstly she's fascinating in how much sense she makes when she's "crazy," and secondly because she learns how to overcome her mental problems, and as you read her story, you feel like you have triumphed over something, as well. She's so strong and her weaknesses are so easy to understand that she's a very inspiring character.
I know it's rather simple, but the little prince from Le Petite Prince is always a beloved character with his loyality to the flower, adventurous spirit and courage to face new things and people.
I just read madonnaearth comments and I can see how that might change your view of the Little Prince! I never had to read it in French - eek! 1st time, i'd suggest
reading the English version first ;)
Thanks for the contest and blog!!
I do read a lot and I tend to forgot about personnage and fall in love again with them as I read the book over and over again throught the years.
These days I am totally into the "twilight" book and I am in love with Isabella - Bella Swan, the main character. She is just the girl next door with a complex character and so much personnality. I did not seen the movie and don't plan to, because I love her as I imagine her since I first read the book...
Thanks for the cool contest BTW ! :)
Sophie8
Thanks for the chance to enter a contest! I love many of the characters already mentioned - I'm a huge Jane Austen fan. I read and/or listen to many books with my kids. Some favorite characters include: Dumbledore, Gandalf, Artemis Fowl, Brian from Gary Paulsen's "Hatchet" books,....but a charachter from some Richard Peck books that is just so much fun is Grandma Dowdle from "A Long Way from Chicago" and "A Year Down Yonder." She is the classic, crusty old curmudgeon of a Grandma, that is wise and loveable inside.
This is a weird rec, but I love the semi-omniscient narrator in the Khaavren romances by Steven Brust. The books are inspired by the Three Musketeers books, and if you like witty dialogue and court manners, you should try these out. It's pure reading pleasure to out-omnisc the narrator, and read between the lines of his biased narrative.
My two favorite things to do: knit and read.
Elementary my dear Watson, I'll choose Sherlock Holmes.
Ooops. I forgot to mention that I found out about your contest from Elaine (elaine-knitting).
I think one of my favorite characters is Francie from A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. I feel like I'm kind of just a little off like she was and always too precocious when I was younger. The things that I love in her character, I love in myself and the things I hate about her, whether is her shyness or weakness, are the things I hate in myself too.
Some of my favorites have been mentioned- namely Anne Shirley. But I'll also add the Swiss Family Robinson, and also Ayla from the Earth's Children series. These are all books that I've read multiple times.
I came her from wiknit.
The prizes sound wonderful. I keep hearing about Murakami so I'd love to win!
Hmmm, well to narrow it down i have have to say Morgaine from The Mysts of Avalon or Dr Rowan Mayfair from The Witching Hour. Both characters are are strong women who are soft inside, wanting a life partner, associated with magic.... guess i have just typecast myself!
I am linking to you and found you through WIKNIT.
I can't believe no one has mentioned the most famous knitter in literature - Madame Defarge.
Now she may not have been likable, or admirable, but she sure was dedicated to her craft and could knit under the most trying circumstances :-)
And I came over from Elaine's blog
I'll go with Goldie Schultz. She's the mystery-solving caterer and main character in Diane Mott Davidson's series. Not deep literature, but oh such fun to read while knitting.
I'm posting your contest on my blog and tell everyone to come on over.
Thanks for a fun contest!
My favorite literary character has always been Garp from The World According to Garp. I'm fond of Garp because he seemed to be doomed from his very conception, yet he filled his life with a bevy of loving yet disfunctional characters.
I can't pick a single, all-time favorite but one of my top ten is Sirius Black from the Harry Potter series. Despite the whole world thinking he's the evil bad guy, he still tries to do the right thing and always has his godson's best interests at heart.
Well I thought I already posted my entry, but it doesn't seem to be here, so I'd best repost.
My favorite character is Goldie Schultz, the mystery-solving caterer in Diane Mott Davidson's series. More dead bodies cross her path while she's catering in love Aspen Meadows, Colorado, that it's amazing she ever gets anything cooked.
I've posted your contest on my blog and I hope some others come on over to your fun contest.
My favorite is Nathaniel Bowditch, from Carry On, Mr. Bowditch, because of his insatiable love of learning.
Symore Glass. A perfect day for Bananafish. Jd Salinger. Oh my gosh. What a character and what writing I learned about this story in college in a creative writing class. IT is a perfectly written short story.
I agree with lots of people who have already posted (just re-read all the Green Gables books, part way through re-reading Pride&Prejudice for the who knows how manyth time, and waiting for the next Thursday Next; also love Jo Marsh in all the various books) but characterwise, I think one of my favourites must be Georgette Heyer's Frederica. She's feisty, funny, and gets her man. What more could you want?
I love Elizabeth Bennett and all, but I absolutely love Mr. Darcy. Not afraid to admit anything, whether it's his preconceived notions or his love for Elizabeth. Plus, who doesn't want a man who just adores you?
For the more traditional lit, we have Shakespeare's Hamlet. Depending on the reading, he can either be a complete ass, deeply, darkly conflicted, possibly insane, or all of these at once. Every time I read it, I'm always left wondering as to what is going on in his head.
On a more modern note, I also love the narrator from HP Lovecraft's At The Mountains of Madness. I'm a huge Lovecraft fan in general, so it's not really too shocking that I go all fangirly for this novel. He's always so good at describing the unknown horrors, I get all giggly and happy.
who does not love elizabeth bennet? despite my adoration for her, i have a growing affection for jane austen's anne elliot in persuasion. she bears everything with a patience that is not of this earth.
another character i am quite fond of, well, two, (they're actually siblings), the anthropomorphic personifications of Death and Dream, two of the Endless from neil gaiman's amazing comic book series Sandman. (it in fact won the World Fantasy Award in 1991 - and i think they changed the rules after that so a comic could never win again! the b@stards!)
i toddled over here from quelle erqsome's blog!
Elaine told me to tell you she sent me. I can't believe how many reading knitters there are here already.
I'm a big Oz fan so my favorite character is Dorothy. She seems a bit whimpy at first, but she is resourceful and determined, and I just love her.
who does not love elizabeth bennet? despite my adoration for her, i have a growing affection for jane austen's anne elliot in persuasion. she bears everything with a patience that is not of this earth.
another character i am quite fond of, well, two, (they're actually siblings), the anthropomorphic personifications of Death and Dream, two of the Endless from neil gaiman's amazing comic book series Sandman. (it in fact won the World Fantasy Award in 1991 - and i think they changed the rules after that so a comic could never win again! the b@stards!)
i toddled over here from quelle erqsome's blog!
Ooh ooh good questions ... can I pick two, both from YA fiction?
Wise Child, from the eponymously titled book, Wise Child, by Monica Furlong. Wise Child starts out the book surly, nosy, and orphaned, and blossoms into a interested and inquisitive young woman under the tutelage of Juniper (nee Ninoc) (close contender for favorite), the local healer/doran/witch. Along the way, Wise Child makes two bad decisions, and deals with the consequences in an honest way that I related to in a big way. I like it when characters err, and especially when they work hard to do the right thing to make up for it.
Number two: Turtle, from the Westing Game. Who couldn't relate to her??
I was directed here by the blog Erqsome.
Great idea for a contest!
It's hard to pin down one favorite, but with each rereading, I become more and more intrigued with Pilate in Song of Solomon. She's complicated and elusive, and I keep wishing I could learn just a wee bit more about her.
I really loved the book The Red Tent seeing things from a girl/woman's perspective. So my character is Dinah, Jacob's only daughter.
I found out about your fun contest from Elaine.
I'm going to be greedy and pick 2 also:
Harriet Vane from the Peter Wimsey books. Because she's smart and resourceful and flawed.
And Sorenson Carlisle from Margaret Mahy's The Changeover. Because when I was 12 I was in love with him.
I'd seen this post before and forgot to comment, but was reminded today by Erqsome.
I admire Miss Jane Marple of the Agatha Christie novels. She knits together the clues as well as she knits her projects. She is an independent and self-sufficient woman in a time when women were not considered as able to take care of themselves.
Surely someone else besides me wanted to be Nancy Drew growing up. Talk about independent, smart, intrepid!
I can't believe how many entries you've already received! A testimony to a really fun contest.
And Elaine sent me over from her blog.
I suppose it would be Hazel Shade in Pale Fire. Tragic character.
I came here from quelle erqsome's blog.
I had to think long and hard... I have so many... but decided to go with Scrooge. I love how he comes out of his hard crusty shell and finds the real meaning of living. Sometimes we ahve to face death in the face before we choose life, and that is too late. He got a second chance and I believe in second chances.
Going to link this to my blog now and email you that I did.
Oh and I heard about this contest through
http://turtleslakeknitting.blogspot.com/2009/01/quickie-pimp.html
This is like telling a mother to pick her favorite child!
But if I *must* pick, then my new favorite character is Cassie from The Likeness. Have you read The Likeness by Tana French? If you haven't, it's a MUST READ. It was my favorite read from last year. My blog is mostly about books, as I haven't bothered talking about my newbie efforts at knitting (though I've made a blanket and a couple of scarves and have started a lace shawl).
My favorite book character is True Son, from "A Light in the Forest." I read it in mid school, and my friend and I became absolutely obsessed with True Son. He was a white boy who got separated from his family and was raised by Indians. But later was forced to return to his original family and didn't fit in. My friend and I would write notes back and forth in a spiral notebook, and boy did we draw/write about True Son a lot. I'm not really sure why he stuck like he did!
((I found this contest through http://erqsome.typepad.com/gallant_duck/2009/01/competition-time.html))
Heard about you from Choo Choo Knits' blog.
My fave charcter is Scarlett O'Hara. What a total cliche, but I love her.
It has to be JRR Tolkien's Gandalf for me - something about the old wizard who trusts others to be true to their natures appeals to me.
I've just read through the entries. So many interesting answers. My favorite answer is one I never would have thought of myself, but have admit it is the obvious answer - Madame Defarge. Oh how I hated reading that book in high school! I give purple my vote for the best answer even though we weren't asked for that.
So who is my favorite character? I'll go with Kinsey Milhoun of the Sue Grafton alphabet books. Kinsey is one of the fun women detectives who have become popular these days.
And I heard about the contest from elaine-knitting.blogspot.com
I love the ultimate Jersey girl - Stephanie Plum in the Evanovich novels. She's just a hoot the way everything happens to her while being a bounty hunter. Funny and not too deep, so great to read while knitting. That's a real plus.
I read about your contest on elaine-knitting.blogspot.com
Thanks for the fun, and sounds like a great prize package.
I follow true to form and mention a childhood heroine: Francie from A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. She was the kind of introspective bookworm I could identify with although her external circumstances (turn-of-the-century working class Brooklyn) were far removed from my own. I can still quote passages from that book.
My favourite character comes from a Norwegian children books series by Anne Cath Vestly about a girl named Aurora. I grew up with these books and many other books by the same author. Growing up, I intensely identified with the main character Aurora. She was a 6 year old girl with the vocabulary of an 18 year old, much like myself. She had one parent who was an attorney (just like me) She had a brother about 5 years younger than herself (like myself) and she was a but shy with other people (again - like me.) Aurora's intelligence, search for knowledge, experiences and the willingness to explore her fantasy are brilliantly described in this series of books. To this day - wherever I have lived I always have one of the books about Aurora with me. "Aurora goes to Holland." That was the only book in the series we owned when I was a child, and I have had to replace it twice because the pages got so ragged and the book feel apart. For my 21st birthday I got all the books about Aurora from my parents. That is how important she has been in my life. I keep her with me always.
I'm with Heidi, Anne Shirley from Anne of Green Gables. I always go back to her books, especially on cold winter days when I just need a good read with solid characters and great fun.
I have to admit though that Jo March of Little Women would run a close second to Anne. I think they would get along famously well and probably end up being kindred spirits.
Hmmm, I had posted a comment but I don't know what happened to it. The confusion of it all.
Anyway, my favorite is Anne Shirley of Anne of Green Gables. I have to admit, however, that Jo March of Little Women would have to be a close second. Plus, I think they would truly be kindred spirits.
I did post it on my blog, too!
I have two... As a child I loved the spunky Madeline and now the "tragic goddess" in me loves Anna Karenina.
Margaret Pye (magpie) from someplace to be flying by Charles de Lint. I love her way of dressing and her way of absorbing the day and enjoying every minute
I read a lot and have since I was a child so this is a difficult question, there is no way I can pick just one; Jo March, Anne Shirley, Scout, and Hermione Granger are a few of the younger characters I love. One of my favorite when I was younger was Marjorie Morningstar from the book by Herman Wouk, I loved the way she was so blind to herself. I also love Scarlet O’Hara and Mary Anne in the book of the same name by Daphne DuMaurier. It is apparent that I love strong women who do what they have to do, despite the consequences, some with more honor than others.
BTW, I heard about your contest from Aunt Kathy.
Oh wait, I forgot Pippi Longstocking, I always thought she was so lucky! :-)
And I am posting to my blog right this minute.
I came here from Patt's Creations Madness. I have to agree that this is like asking which is your favorite child! But I'll go with my childhood favorite - not Jo, but Amy in Little Women.
First off, I'll mention I came here via the Roaming Knitter, at Knitting Up The Road blogspot.
Secondly, this is such a fun contest. Rarely do contests incite the reader to want to read all the comments. I've enjoyed reading them, and seeing I identify with many of your readers in my likes.
I've always loved Scout's character, from To Kill A Mockingbird; I've admired Jo March's feisty independence coupled with a tender heart, in Little Women; I've thoroughly enjoyed Ann Shirley, in Anne of Green Gables; and I've been mesmerized by Elizabeth Bennett in Pride & Prejudice.
Truthfully, I don't think I can name a single favorite heroine, as it seems that at different times in my life, I'm inclined to identify with the strengths of different heroines in literature. Only recently, I was contemplating what a strong young woman Mary, mother of Jesus was (from the Bible) to have bravely faced the world around her, when no doubt many (most) thought the worst of her at a time in history when getting pregnant before marriage was strictly taboo.
Laura Ingalls Wilder
the book little House On The prairie
Laura was a kind person always trying to help others this inspired me to going into a field of work where I could help others
I did home health care until I had my little girls:)
I linked to this competition on my blog.Hugs Darcy
It's hard to choose one favorite literary character. As I started sifting through women (my favorite characters are usually women), I realized that I eventually ended up with girls from my childhood. I decided to go with one of them because they've endured for so many years.
It was a tough call choosing between Emily of New Moon and Trixie Belden. I finally decided to land on Trixie Belden. The reason I chose her isn't just because she was fun and perky and had great friends and curly hair and freckles. No, I chose her because she has a strong emotional connection for me. My godmother gave me 1-2 Trixie Belden books for every birthday, Christmas, and Easter for years. One of the saddest days of my life was when she had to start switching to the "new" covers because the old covers weren't being sold anymore. One of the really saddest days was when she told me I was too old for her to gift me those books anymore.
I was an English major in college. Trust me, I realize that I haven't given any real good reason why this character is awesome (truthfully, she's not - they're great books for what they are, but they're not enduring pieces of literature). However, the family love that went into these as my godmother tracked her purchases for several years to make sure she didn't repeat any books is a strong foundation of my childhood that lives on! Not only that, but you'd be amazed at the number of women who see my collection in the dining room and wax nostalgic for a while :-)
I loved Nancy Drew a lot...so much cooler than those Hardy Boys in my brother's books :) Also, I remember a few books when I was really young about a Naughty Girl and the Naughtier Girl. I have no idea what the actual name is or even all of the stories, but I loved reading about the little girl misbehaving. I am now inspired to go down in the basement and rummage through my childhood boxes to find these books!
The character I love best wouldn't be the easiest to be with: Franny Glass from Franny and Zooey. I love her intelligence, her clear-headed view of the world, and her honest attempt to create a spiritual sanctuary within. She is, of course, a self-centered pain in the butt, but I think she'd grow out of it!
teabird 17 * at * yahoo * dot * com
I forgot to mention in my comment that I came from Patt's Creations Madness blog for this contest:)
also I had a laura ingall's doll as a child loved her:)Hugs Darcy
Iam
knottyknitter40 on ravelry please add me as your friend if your on there:)
I found this through RoamingKnitter's blog at http://knittinguptheroad.blogspot.com/
One of my fave characters is Davita in Chaim Potok's book Davita's Harp. Things are in turmoil both in the world and in her own family. She manages to navigate the turmoil and forge her own identity and path, while respecting the choices of others.
First I came here from choochooknits.blogspot.com.
My favorite character has to be Linus VanPelt from Peanuts. His simple thoughts on life just keep me going.
From novels I would have to say Éponine from Les Miserables. She is always so torn and looking for what she cannot have.
Definitely Elizabeth Bennett -- for her intellect, her unwillingness to settle, her loyalty to her family, and her honesty. P&P is my favorite book, and every time I read it, I want to be Lizzie.
Of course I love Elizabeth Bennett. Hazel(brave, loyal, keen) and Fiver (intuitive, quiet, intelligent) from Watership Down have to be in there too as it's been one of my favorite books since I was a kid. If I ever have rabbits they will be named Hazel and Fiver.
I read (and have read) lots and lots of books, but I rarely remember more than just the basic gist of the story. Usually it's more that I remember whether I particularly enjoyed the book or if it was just so-so.
That said, the most memorable character for me is Sethe from Toni Morrison's Beloved. It's not the most uplifting story, but even years after reading it, I still remember feeling haunted by her sacrifice of one child to save the others.
And I read about this contest on quelle erqsome's blog.
Wow! I read Les Liaisons Dangereuses in French back when I was in college. The American movie version is my favorite film of all time. You have excellent taste. :)
The first character that springs to mind is Woodhouse's Jeeves. I wish I had one, to take care of me and prevent fashion disasters, not to mention social ones!
Thanks for such a superb contest. I'm loving reading the comments.
Let me start by saying my Mom's 2 favorites were Wendy from Peter Pan and Jo from Little Women, so she named me after them both. My favorite book is The World According to Garp and I am currently reading Plum Spooky (Stephanie Plum) but someone has already taken all those answers. Whats left....Forrest Gump, loved the book, and I worked on the movie and even better, no one has picked Gump yet!
Forrest Gump, a man who knows his limitations and makes a success of his life by simply doing the right thing the best he can, guided by simple principals of courtesy and respect.
Hi! My favourite Character is Lymond, aka Francis Crawford by Dorothy Dunnett. He has forever been my ideal man. Intelligent, skilled accomplished and at times tortured. His expoits through Scotland/Enland/France/Malta/Africa/Russia and Malta were wonderful. Dunnett's characterisation was such that his adventures have always been 'my desert island books'. I have read them every 10 years since I was 16 yrs old, wonderful.
one of my favorite characters is door from neil gaimans neverwhere book. she is awesome because of everything she can do and how she can use any door to go anywhwere she wants
I've always loved Jane Eyre from the book of the same name ... she was such a great blend of sweet, secure and fire-y (if that's a word!). What a fun prize to begin the year; thank you, thank you!
My favourite character is Francie Nolan from A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. She's just such a character and the book paints a wonderful portrait of her childhood and her journey into adulthood. The fact that the book is basically autobiographical makes it all the more evocative and absorbing. I really can't describe how much I love this book, and also how much I learnt about the history of New York from reading it - it was a very eyeopening read for me, especially since I read it quite shortly after visiting New York and Brooklyn. The Brooklyn depicted in the book is another world.
I have a lot of admiration for Francie and for the strength of character she clearly possesses in such bucketloads. She's tough and clever and resourceful and so funny. I can't recommend the book highly enough!
I found this through Ziarah's blog of creativity!
http://ziarahknit.blogspot.com/2009/01/competition.html
My fave character is Tyrion Lannister from the A Song Of Ice And Fire-series by George R. R. Martin.
In this fantasy-series with a feudal setting, Tyrion is the youngest child of a powerful nobel house. His sister is a beautiful queen, his brother was heir to the Lannister house, and a formidable and handsome fighter.
Tyrion is the ultimate underdog. He's dwarfish and ugly in apperance, he's hated by most of his family and his family is hated by most. He has a preferance for brothels and beer and he tires easily in a world where honour, leadership and strenght is the main virtues of a man.
All he has is cunning, wits, intelligence and his noble name. And he uses them all to the full...
AsoIaF is also my favorite series.
Aramis and The Three Musketeers follows next in the two categories.
My favourite literal character must be Francis from Akif Pirinçci's books Felidae and Felidae on the Road. Francis is a bit unusual as he is a cat and a detective :D He is intelligent, witty and always gets into trouble. Poor Francis is devastated when his human gets himself a mate and she wants Francis to be neutered! He must escape with his cathood intact and thus he is on his way to more trouble...
I have always loved books where the main characters were animals - a true story of Elsa the lioness in Joy Adamson's Born Free for example, or Jack London's fictions about wolves and dogs.
i am consumed with jane eyre and know of no character who is more interesting than she herself! also, we have been hosting movie days where we show a morning movie (to friends and family) then have a lunch inspired by her (fish and chips, etc) then another movie followed by tea (scones), then another movie followed by dinner (yorkshire pudding etc plus punch as if we are at a ball - all served by candlelight). she is utterly inspirational! plus, i get a lot of knitting done .. mmm
thanks for having this contest
diane
:-)
fraid2fly1@yahoo.com
Woah! I can't believe how many comments there are here now!! I've been thinking and thinking and it's been lovely reflecting on so many good reads. As many others have said it's hard to pick just one. But the one who keeps coming back to me again and again is one that is deliciously loathsome. It is... (said in Alan Rickmans' most supercilious voice) Professor Snape.
Madame Defarge - got to respect that kind of single-minded determination! Stubborn, ruthless, knitting - ace.
I was sent over here by Choo choo knits' blog.
I love many of the characters and books already mentioned. But I think I will go with one of my original loves. Betsy Ray from the Betsy-Tacy series. She knew from age five that she'd be an author, and had two of the best friends ever to relate her many stories to.
Growing up, I just knew Betsy had to be real, and when I finally learned that the author, Maud Hart Lovelace, wrote the books about her childhood experiences...my mom and I went to her hometown to find traces of Deep Valley and The Crowd and the Bench at the top of the Hill. It't not often you get to go to the places your favorite characters inhabited:)
My favorite is Ms. Emily Polifax, from the Mrs. Polifax adventure series. She is the most unlkely hero you can imagine - elderly, white-haired and grandmotherly, she is plucky, witty, and quick on her feet. And she goes on the most outrageous spy missions for the CIA...I wanna be Mrs. Polifax when I'm a grandma!
My all time favorite book, from when I was little is Charlotte's Web. Charlotte is so amazing and generous. I would love to be more like her!
I found this contest through http://imfoxyandcrafty.blogspot.com/ and will link to you on my blog :)
Alot of people seem to like Jo March, and I do to. Tomboyish always going against the grain, gotta love that girl but I also am drawn to little Amy March. Even though she is the annoying little sister I love her character so, she's sooo set on beau's and romantic ways, her character makes me laugh.
My favourite character is Hermione from the Harry Potter series. She is a strong, confident female who always seems to keep her cool no matter what the situation. That is the type of person I am trying to teach my 15 year old daughter to be. She too is confident and a stong individual.
I have been trying to think of a favourite, high brow fictional character that would make my literary prowess appear to sparkle intelligently...
...ahem, except that I harbour an upbringing where I would disappear into fairy stories and other worlds for days and days at a time. My mum had to confiscate my torches (under the covers reading) after she'd swiped all of the lightbulbs out of my bedroom.
Yes, I admit, in my early teens, I cried when I ran out of the Anne Mcaffrey dragonrider series to read.
Actually, I had a whole secret bookcase of sci-fi and fantasy books upstairs at my house in London, all of which are now in storage as I could not bear to part with any of them when I came to Canada.
Um, so it was hard to pick a favourite (so many to choose from) but one of the ones that stands out, alongside others like Pug (Raymond E Feist), is Fitz, from the Farseers series by Robin Hobb. Naturally enough, he is a hard done by underdog who sort of goes onto triumph (after a fashion).
But who the heck can resist a character who ends up mind merging with a wolf?!
Not me. That's for sure.
Nothing very original here :
Although I like and admire Elizabeth Bennet and would happily marry Fitzgerald Darcy by favourite character is Thursday Next from The Eyre Affair.
An ordinary woman, not beautiful or super strong who gets the job done relying on her own resources but still plays nicely with others.
I don't just like her I want to be her!
I've always been fascinated by Ayn Rand's "Fountainhead"
One of my favorite characters is Howard Roark.
He had uncompromising integrity for what he truly believed, while risking all.
I don't know if I can pick just one favourite, but my favourite today is Pippi Longstocking for always finding a way to make the best of her situation and have some fun.
ikkinlala AT yahoo DOT ca
Ivan Karamazov from the Brothers Karamazov. I find his righteous horror at the atrocities of the world sort of sexy. And he's always giving you something to think about. Even if he's wrong sometimes.
I heard about this on Quelle Erqsome.
rebekahmsmith AT yahoo DOT com
Carmen McKisco from Gwendoline Riley's novel Cold Water. She writes notes on her arm in pen, she's a dreamer and a drifting a bit. A bit of bad luck with men too! I can identify with her since I'm a wannabe writer myself....
If you ask me the same question tomorrow I'll say something different though!
So, my character is probably a little less old school/ thought provoking literature than some, but my current favorite character is Odd Thomas from the Dean Koontz series. While, I don't have paranormal powers, he's still relatable and an overall interesting character.
This question is so easy for me. When I was growing up, my mother made sure I read the classics. Her favorite book was Wuthering Heights. I read it and liked it well enough. But right after that, I read Jane Eyre. And everything for me stopped after that. Oh, how I loved this poor girl whose life was so impossibly miserable and yet she kept going. She never realized the depth of the woman she was and when she met the man of her dreams, even that seemed impossible.
It seems right, somehow, that my husband should be something like Mr. Rochester. He's also blind, although not from a fire. But he's so loving and he sees so much in me that I've never been able to see in myself.
Jane Eyre is definitely my favorite character of all time.
I love to love Elizabeth Bennet! She was making dry wit cool back in the early 19th century. The way she handles Darcy's disdain with such ease is truly admirable. She has a harridan mother, 2 very obnoxious sisters, a bumbling father, and no money to recommend her yet she cooly goes through life like everything is going to work out.
Later in the novel she proves to be the perfect match for the prideful Mr. Darcy and you can't help but wait for them to fall in love.
I don't know if I can pick only 1 favorite character, but the first person who came to mind was Jane from Jane Eyre. Every time I read that book, especially in the beginning, it makes me cry. What stood out to me the most was her quiet strength and ability to bear pain with a serene face. :-)
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