NH: I'm wary of generalizing too much, but I think that female heros tend
to operate in a different mode from the male ones. Male heroism (I'm
speaking of heroic *literature*) is often about the 'lone wolf' who defies
convention and stands apart. Female heroes seem to act more with a sense
of the communities of which they are a part, whether or not they choose
to act in concert with those communities. 'Course, as I'm typing this,
I'm thinking of exceptions to both statements. So take the comment for
what you will. Both ways of acting are ways of bringing about change.
-nalo
On Wed, 2 Apr 1997, Judith A. Little wrote:
> Hi, All!
> I just wanted to tell all of you who submitted reading
> recommendations how much I appreciated receiving your lists. Good job!
> I've just formed a Fem Sci Fi book discussion group on my campus and your
> suggestions will really come in handy. Not that we didn't already have
> enough ideas for books...so many books, so little time.
>
> A few words on the 'hero' topic. (I haven't had time to read all
> remarks yet so may be repeating others' thoughts.) On the face of it, I
> think a feminist conception of 'hero' must be different from the
> traditional concept. The ancient stories of the male 'Quest' repeated or
> rehashed over the ages in Western lit, for instance, nearly always involved
> abandonment, misuse, betrayal, or death of a helpful woman, without whom
> the hero could not have succeeded. Check out the _whole_ story of the
> first Quest, Jason's for the Golden Fleece. Ditto the Arthurian legend for
> betrayal of woman/women responsible for the success of Arthur. The hero's
> code: Loyalty to men, yes; to women, no.
>
> Judith
>
>
>
> *************************************************************************
> Dr. Judith Ann Little Philosophy Department SUNY-Potsdam
> Potsdam, NY 13676-2294 littleja@potsdam.edu
>
> ***********************************************************************
>
"When it rains, why don't sheep shrink?"
"Why isn't 'phonetic' spelt the way it sounds?"
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