Kirsty Capes with ten stock female characters Hollywood needs to stop writing…
From Mary Sues to Disposable Women, Hollywood seems to have a problem with writing interesting and original female characters. It’s not a problem, I would argue, that seems to happen with male characters, and I for one find it interesting, if not a little disheartening, to pick apart some of my favourite women in film and realise that they are just another trope.
In an attempt to better identify when we’re presented with one of these tropes, I’ve put together a list of the most commonly occurring ones. My disclaimer is that, as you will see, some great characters and movies appear on this list, and identifying a character as a trope is in no way a reflection upon her or the movie as a whole. Some of the most fundamental tropes are also some of my favourite characters of all time. It’s just particularly interesting to see how these women slot into these stereotypes. Here it is:
1. The Mary Sue
The Mary Sue often appears in young adult fiction before making her way to the silver screen through adaptation. Named after a Star Trek fanfiction character who became the most skilled and admired Lieutenant aboard the Enterprise at the age of fifteen, the Mary Sue is often portrayed as an idealistic version of the author, and generally has no flaws to speak of. She develops unrealistic powers to save the day, despite her extreme ordinariness. She is usually bookish, a klutz, plain-looking and unremarkable before she develops her kick-ass abilities. She is good at everything and everyone loves her – especially the men.
Notable offenders:
Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart): The Twilight Saga
Alice (Milla Jovovich): Resident Evil
Subverting the stereotype:
Most recently, Rey from Star Wars: The Force Awakens has come under fire for being a potential Mary Sue, but her character nuances and, particularly, her flaws, prevent her from becoming a trope.
2. The Manic Pixie Dream Girl
The love interest who usually appears in hipster white male-centric bilsdungromans, the Manic Pixie Dream Girl is quirky, adorable, with big doe eyes and a penchant for obscure bands and old movies. She is there as an unobtainable object of adoration for the male protagonist, and to teach him something about himself / the world / the unexplainable intricacies of his existence. She is also usually damaged in some way, and emotionally unreachable. She often doesn’t end up with the male lead.
Notable offenders:
Summer Finn (Zooey Deschanel): 500 Days of Summer
Sam (Natalie Portman): Garden State
Clementine Kruczynski (Kate Winslet): Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Subverting the stereotype:
Ellen Page as the eponymous character in Juno is put in the Manic Pixie Dream Girl box by Mark (Jason Bateman), the soon-to-be adopted father of her unplanned baby, who is desperate to hold on to his rock-and-roll youth. When Juno realises how he sees her she is understandably horrified and creeped out. One might also say that Paulie Bleeker (Michael Cera), is a Manic Pixie Dream Girl to Juno.
3. The Awkward Virgin
Nerdy, plain and unpopular, the awkward virgin’s sole purpose is to get laid – literally or figuratively – by the end of the movie. Of course, she must undergo a drastic transformation to achieve this, as obviously beauty is a far more valuable commodity than personality or intellect in a woman [note the heavy sarcasm]. She falls in love with the Unobtainable Male and must change everything about herself to get him (which she eventually does).
Notable offenders:
Josie Geller (Drew Barrymore): Never Been Kissed
Sandy Olsson (Olivia Newton-John): Grease
Mia Thermapolis (Anne Hathaway): The Princess Diaries
Subverting the stereotype:
In Clueless, Cher’s virginity is repeatedly the topic of conversation, and she feels a little left out that she is the only virgin among her friends. However, her lack of awkwardness, and the fact that she doesn’t overly care, saves her from becoming a victim of this trope.
4. The Strong Female Lead
Plenty of film critics the world over seem to confuse “female protagonist with a degree of personality” with “strong female lead.” In fact, Hollywood seems to have a problem with calling any female lead strong, even if she is not. Don’t get me wrong: it’s great that we are seeing more female protagonists across all genre in movies these days. But don’t assume all female leads embody a well-rounded, multi-faceted, intricately characterised woman, or even have a modicum of original personality, just because she is a protagonist. The Strong Female Lead tends to have some kind of gripe against men, and rejects his advances until he eventually wins her over. She also tends to be intelligent and quote Marx or de Beauvoir on cue.
Notable offenders:
Kat Stratford (Julie Stiles): 10 Things I Hate About You
Lara Croft (Angelina Jolie): Lara Croft: Tomb Raider
Tris Prior (Shailene Woodley): Divergent
Subverting the stereotype:
As the strong female lead is a character who is increasingly seen in young adult sci-fi and fantasy adaptations, it’s worth noting that Katniss Everdeen (The Hunger Games) bucks the trend by having several degrees of personality, rejecting her love interests on multiple occasions, and earning her skills (proficiency with a bow through years of hunting; survival skills due to extreme poverty) rather than having them thrust upon her.
5. The Whore with a Heart of Gold
Hardened by the streets, and immune to the advances of men, the Whore with a Heart of Gold often acts as a mother to the male lead; she waves a hankie as he goes off to do battle and tends to his wounds once he returns. Alternatively, the WwaHoG falls for the charm and gentleness of the male lead, is won over by his being ‘not like other men’ and eventually rejects her transgressive way of life in favour of him. She also usually has a patchwork past, or undergoes some trauma through the course of the movie. If she is the mother type, she will almost certainly die.
Notable offenders:
Vivian (Julia Roberts): Pretty Woman
Satine (Nicole Kidman): Moulin Rouge
Nancy Callahan (Jessica Alba): Sin City
Subverting the stereotype:
In The Wedding Date, the hooker is male, and he falls for Debra Massing’s character when she hires him for her sister’s wedding. Also, in Easy A, Emma Stone pretends to be promiscuous in order to help out her virginal male friends.
Click below to continue on to the second page…
