Literary Characters - Top 10

The tag read Top 10 literary characters. It sounded like a blast, and I had to do it.. just then K3 tagged me to do it as well.. so here I go.

1. Scarlett O' Hara - Gone with the wind is one of my favorite books and despite her obstinacy I adore Scarlet. She is quite a girl. Many a times I have known to quote "Tomorrow is another day" and I have this picture of Scarlet standing at the stoop of Tara in my mind. I even read the sequel "Scarlett" but unfortunately the book tries to mellow her character and she loses her personality. So my advice don't read the book Scarlett. (pic courtesy: http://www.tonnerdoll.com)

2. Kundavai and Nandini - These are characters in Kalki's book Ponniyin Selvan. I read the english translation of this book and absolutely fell in love with it. It is a must read, the book is so beautiful and these are two strong women who rule the roost! The tamil version is available as an ebook at Project Madurai. Unfortunately I was not able to find an ebook with the English Translation. The translation has been done by Karthik Narayanan and he has managed to keep the original beauty of the book intact. I loved it, hope you will too - it is a series with 5 volumes.

3. Elizabeth Bennet - She needs no introduction. Anyone who reads Pride and Prejudice would fall in love with this character. I have read Pride and Prejudice about a dozen times and every time I think of Elizabeth Bennet I want to read it again. The Geek presented The complete novels of Jane Austen to me for our last anniversary (Now I know why I married him!!). Keira Knightley played the role of Elizabeth in the movie, she fit very well I thought! (pic courtesy: http://www.theage.com.au/)

4. Portia - Thanks K3 for the reminder. I had all but forgotten Portia and K3 reminded me! We had Merchant of Venice as part of our Syllabus in our 7th grade. Later that year, we enacted the play and I got to play the role of Portia. I really love the fact that she is a strong woman from Shakespearan times! And am really proud that I got to play the role! Now its been a long time since I read Merchant of Venice, I am going to find a copy soon and read it again! (pic courtesy: http://www.antique-print.com)

5. Jeeves - I have devoured every PG Wodehouse novel I could get my hands on. And I really love the smug, all knowing butler Jeeves. He does manage to put Bertie in his place doesn't he! I love the way he manipulates the Clueless Bertie while keeping him unaware that he is being manipulated!! In the novel Ring for Jeeves, he appears without Bertie when he is on loan to some Earl! (pic courtesy: http://bostonist.com/2007/07/21/snotty_yuptown.php)

6. Sherlock Holmes - How can you not like this detective? I especially love his flair for the dramatics, his theatrical acting and even his arrogance! I am also rather fond of Watson! "Excellent" cried I, "Elementary" said he!! A display of Holmes off-hand arrogance right there! In the movie Shanghai Knights (Jackie Chan) an English Inspector is called Arthur Conan Doyle. He loses his job and claims he is interested in writing detective novels more than his job as an inspector!! (pic courtesy: http://www.jewishmag.com/51mag/sherlock/title2.gif)


7. Charlie Chaplin - The movie Shanghai Knights brought to mind Charlie Chaplin. An English urchin in the movie is called Charlie Chaplin. How can we not fall in love with the greatest mime/ clown of all times? Charlie Chaplin acted in, directed, wrote the script and produced his own films. He was quite a genius! (pic courtesy: http://www.pembrokeshirevirtualmuseum.co.uk/)


8. Friends - Usha gave me this idea. I love the soap friends and watch it over and over again. I love all the characters there for a different reason be it Phoebe's shoot in the air idealism, Rachael's naivette, Monica's obsessions, Ross's nerd-ness, Chandler's sardonic humor or Joey's blundering on!! I just love them all.. they have made me laugh on many days when I have felt so blue! (pic courtesy : http://www2.warnerbros.com)

9. Ford Prefect - Long back my cousin introduced me to the Hitch Hiker's galaxy and I fell in love with the book. The book is described as "a trilogy in five parts". Ford Prefect is the alien and the roving reporter for the whole book. He has been late getting home due to some transportation issues (late by 15 years). So he boards the space ship that arrives moments before the destruction of Earth (Earth needed to be destroyed as is was in the path of the new inter-galactic highway.. Earth was informed ages ago but of course paid no heed!). (pic courtesy: http://en.wikipedia.org)


10. Tracy Whitney - The heroine of Sidney Sheldon's novel "If tomorrow comes". Like all his heroines she is young, beautiful, and very smart! She is wrongly accused of murder and sent to prison! Once she is surprisingly released comes the story of the woman scorned! She avenges the wrong and turns into a con-artist, falls in love with another con-man and enjoys the life of scam and the thrill of a life of crime! (pic courtesy: http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/s/sidney-sheldon/if-tomorrow-comes.htm)

When K3 gave me this tag I don't suppose she thought I would get carried away like this! Well I adore books and I could go on and on ... However, in lieu of time (yours not mine) I will stop with just the two more. These are my favorite cartoon characters. They would have to be Calvin and Hobbes, and Dennis the Menace. They need no introduction, so I will leave it at that! I absolutely adore these characters and have a similar one at home (maybe pay back for adoring these characters so much and devouring all their cartoon strips for years!!) (pic courtesy: http://www.migrantweb.org)

This was a fun fun tag. I pass this on to
Vish from Fantasies of a lifetime
Suma from Alochaane
Prats from Retrospections
Noon from Wonder Noon
Friendly Stranger from Colors of Life
Akshatha Kamath from Life is a Cool Breeze

Have fun doing this tag!