Polls for Christian Writers discussion

Hey folks, this is the second installment of my series on the problems with "Christian" fiction. You can read the first installment here: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...



Of the many problematic things in this genre are the protagonists of the books. This post is dedicated to the heroines of "Christian" fiction. (I am not particularly fond of the heroes of "Christian" fiction either, but the vast majority of protagonists in the genre are girls so I thought I'd start here.)

Have you ever noticed that the heroines of "Christian" novels can almost without exception fall into one of two categories? Here they are.

1. The Spunky Spitfire
2. The Meek Maiden

The Spunky Spitfire is a feminist who can do "anything a man can do!" You will often see her cavorting about town in trousers, which she insists are far more comfortable than skirts. She rides horses astride and often bareback, because somehow that is more impressive. She probably plays baseball.

She's drop dead gorgeous, but of course she couldn't care less about her appearance. Her hair (usually red) is always in disarray. Her dresses--on the few occasions she wears one--are always being ripped and snagged. Her petticoats are often torn into impromptu bandages when she scrapes herself on one of her escepades.

The Spunky Spitfire is not a particularly nice person to be around, especially if you are a girl who actually takes care of your appearance or a man who unwittingly insults our bold heroine by offering your assistance.

The Spunky Spitfire is extremely disrespectful to her parents. She argues with them, shouts at them and slams doors in their faces. She will often make condescending remarks about them to other people, generally harping on how "old-fashioned" or "uninformed" they are. "My mother thinks girls should all sew a quilt before their twelth birthday. How dull. I never finished mine."

The Spunky Spitfire hates womanly tasks and accomplishments. Dancing? She detests it. Heaven help any poor fellow who asks her for a dance, for she will purposely step on his toes. She can't cook, she can't sew a straight seam, her embroidery is a tangled mess, and she despises knitting. She can't sing, she can't play an instrument, she can't paint, however she can probably climb a tree, because that is such a very useful skill.

The Spunky Spitfire is loud and unruly, but enlightened people say things like "that girl has spirit!" and "she's so clever!" while the people who do not enjoy her presence are labeled snobs because they can't find it within themselves to be enchanted by her rude and disorderly ways. Oh yeah, and her parents. Her parents never approve of how tomboyish she is because, remember, they are old-fashioned.

Meanwhile, the Meek Maiden is the Spunky Spitfire's polar opposite. Instead of having a fiery personality the Meek Maiden is quiet and demure. She conforms to all society's rules, and tries to blend in.

She is generally a small, plain little person with mousy brown hair. Or at least, she thinks she is plain (everyone else thinks she's stunning). She's always perfectly clean and tidy. The worst calamity that could befall her (aside from the death of her parents by cholera. Alas, our poor little plain Jane heroine is likely an orphan) is that she might do something to ruin her clothes.

The Meek Maiden is terribly shy. She is always polite, even to people who treat her like dirt. She lets people yell at her without saying a word in protest and then runs off to sob her poor broken little heart out in her desolate attic bedroom because she has no backbone to speak of.

The Meek Maiden is a domestic goddess. Her cooking is legendary. She never burns her biscuits, her bread is light and fluffy and people sing anthems of praise about her cream puffs. She is an excellent seamstress, her embroidery is flawless and her knitting rarely has a twisted stitch. And dancing! When she can be persuaded onto the dance floor she is as graceful as a gazelle. She is an accomplished pianist and she draws the world in such perfect detail that you can see her soul in her pictures.

The Meek Maiden is beloved by all who know her. People are always talking of her manifold perfections when she is not among them. Once again, the only people who criticize this little paragon of virtue are snobbish aristocrats.

While the Spunky Spitfire is often part of the upper crust who longs to be part of the working class (usually she dreams of being a doctor or an archeologist), the Meek Maiden is usually a poor girl who marries a millionaire Cinderella style.

Now, like I said, the heroines of "Christian" fiction often fall into these two categories, but there are a few exceptions to the rule. Sometimes you'll end up with a clumsy Meek Maiden or a Spunky Spitfire who can cook. Either way, both the Meek Maiden and the Spunky Spitfire are one dimensional cliches that need to stop.

Ha ha ha, I can totally feel the sarcasm just rolling off of your tirade. Bravo. Your descriptions, especially of the Spunky Spitfire, made me laugh. I've definitely seen these. And, to some degree, they're realistic...about up until the end of the first paragraph, that is. Character development is a biggie for me. No reader likes a flat character. We want round, dynamic characters. Because we're round, dynamic people. We have multifaceted personalities and we have deeper feelings that the letters on a page. I don't think there's anything wrong with starting out as a Spunky Spitfire or Meek Maiden, but you've certainly got to develop and grow, learn and deepen your character. And maybe mix things up a little bit as you go along...

Coralie wrote: "Ha ha ha, I can totally feel the sarcasm just rolling off of your tirade. Bravo. Your descriptions, especially of the Spunky Spitfire, made me laugh. I've definitely seen these. And, to some degree..."

Absolutely! I was being very sarcastic. A Spunky Spitfire or a Meek Maiden would be alright...if they weren't so one dimensional. I'm not entirely sure there is such a thing as a well-rounded Spunky Spitfire or Meek Maiden, but if I saw one I'd be overjoyed.

There's nothing wrong with starting out with a character similar to one of these, but yes, as you said, developing them past the cardboard cut-out is essential.

Still, even if such a character were turned into a fleshed out three-dimensional figure I think I would still be a tad bit exasperated. Wether or not they are well done, they are still a cliche.

Ah, how scathing and sarcastic and utterly blistering! It was extremely amusing and enjoyable to read!

R. E. Banks, Sherlockian wrote: "Ah, how scathing and sarcastic and utterly blistering! It was extremely amusing and enjoyable to read!"

Glad you liked it. I wanted to make a point, but I also wanted to make people laugh.

That was great. Perfect descriptions and totally true! I love the names you gave them. :]

Skyril wrote: "That was great. Perfect descriptions and totally true! I love the names you gave them. :]"

Thanks!

Yes! What a perfect way to put it. Haha! I've seen this a lot in Christian (and even non-Christian) fiction and it gets quite irritating. The focus is always on appearances as well, even though they tell you the heroine is oblivious/doesn't care about their appearance. One Christian author who has well-rounded characters, is Jill Williamson. I really appreciate her characters in her By Darkness Hid series. Both the male and female heroines are well-rounded. They exhibit traits that you could put in the feisty or meek category. But yeah, overall I get pretty sick of the stereotypical Christian heroines.

Sharla wrote: "Yes! What a perfect way to put it. Haha! I've seen this a lot in Christian (and even non-Christian) fiction and it gets quite irritating. The focus is always on appearances as well, even though the..."

I'm glad you liked the post! Thanks for your comment.

Sharla wrote: "Yes! What a perfect way to put it. Haha! I've seen this a lot in Christian (and even non-Christian) fiction and it gets quite irritating. The focus is always on appearances as well, even though the..."

Isn't it interesting? The character doesn't CARE about their appearance, on no, but their windswept, silky dark hair blows across a creamy complexion and into their soft, unchapped lips. That's unrealistic even for a person who tries really hard!

R. E. Banks, Sherlockian wrote: "Sharla wrote: "Yes! What a perfect way to put it. Haha! I've seen this a lot in Christian (and even non-Christian) fiction and it gets quite irritating. The focus is always on appearances as well, ..."

I know. It strikes me as being so hilarious. I know a few people who don't care for their appearance and its more like "Her greasy dreadlocks sweapt across her acne scarred brow and she reached up with a scaly, chapped hand to brush it behind her ears." Yeah, it's not pretty. At all.

Elsabet wrote: "R. E. Banks, Sherlockian wrote: "Sharla wrote: "Yes! What a perfect way to put it. Haha! I've seen this a lot in Christian (and even non-Christian) fiction and it gets quite irritating. The focus i..."

Ha! Very true! And even for people who do care, as far as very much so, greasy hair and (more commonly) acne are a common teenage curse that can be unstoppable despite all our efforts. So the appearance of those kinds of heroines are beyond lucky -- they're pretty much impossible.