![]() ![]() We all know Jo March is a version of Louisa May Alcott, Anne Shirley is a variation of Lucy Maud Montgomery, and Scout Finch is a rendering of the child Harper Lee yet Jo, Anne, and Scout are all wonderful, rewarding heroines. (I actually think this is a load of bunk, since "authorial insertion" has been responsible for some great characters in literary history. "Authorial insertion" is supposedly a central trait of a "Mary Sue," and female authors don't want to be accused of living out their daydreams through their characters. The desire to avoid "Mary Sue" accusations may make some (though by no means all) female authors hyper-conscious when they try to create female characters, especially possible protagonists. ![]() This can leave the reader who would like to read about women - but who would rather read about them in a fantasy/adventure context than always in a romantic one - in a bit of a bind. ![]() This is inspired by the discussion over on "Where Are You in Fantasyland?" concerning the "Mary Sue" label and questioning why some female authors (Carol Berg being the clearest example) actually feel more comfortable writing about male characters than about characters of their own gender. ![]()
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