Top Ten Tuesday (#2)

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish where they post a new top ten list every week and ask bloggers to share their picks as well. 

Today's Top Ten Tuesday Topic: Top Ten Characters Who Remind Me of Myself Or Someone I Know In Real Life 

1. Jo March from Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
Jo is a budding author, a loyal sister, and a faithful daughter - all qualities that drew me to her as I recognized them in myself. Yet, she is also a woman who fails to fit in with the norms of society, who doesn't enjoy parties or balls, and hates to dress up or wear fancy clothes. In addition, she can be vile, cruel, and has a temper that is not to be trifled with. She often feels jealous quickly, resolves to take revenge even quicker, and loses patience even quicker than that, but underneath all that, she is the most kind and honorable friend you can find. In other words, she is exactly like me. Although I would have NEVER rejected Teddy (I still don't understand how she could possibly do this!), Jo remains to be one of the few characters in literature whom I can relate the most to. 

2. Hermione Granger from The Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling

Hermione is definitely one of the main reasons I fell in love with the Harry Potter books. As a child who always had my nose buried in a book, I knew exactly what it felt like to be her and want to fit in. Although I am by no means as smart as Hermione (even though I wish I was), I definitely share her thirst for knowledge and love of learning. 

3. Francesca from Saving Francesca by Melina Marchetta 

For me, Saving Francesca became my favorite Marchetta novel simply because of how quickly I was able to relate to Francesca. Like Francesca, I came to realize that I had been living much of my life in the shadows of my other friends who weren't even my true friends to begin with. Furthermore, Francesca's smart wit, quick-to-jump-to conclusions, and the mistakes she made before finally finding who her real friends were reminded me of myself completely. Even her relationship with her brother seemed to mirror that of my own with my younger brother! If only I had a Will Trombal in my life to complete the comparisons... ;) 

4. Anna from Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins 

I think all of us have felt like Anna has at some point in our lives and find ourselves making the same mistakes she did. I loved Anna because of how closely her feelings about fitting in and moving to a new place mirrored my own whenever I have moved. I can't count the number of times I've had misunderstandings make the worst of me and force me into dramatic situations or times when I've waited for the other person to do the right thing instead of taking the initiative myself and although Anna represents some of my most common mistakes in life, her quirky humor, shyness at making new friends, and love for old movies is all so similar to myself as well. (It Happened One Night - Best. Movie. Ever. I think I could watch this movie forever and never get tired of it. If you haven't already seen it, SEE IT NOW! Plus, if you need any more motivation, Clarke Gable is in it! If he isn't eye-candy, then I don't know who is! =D )

5. Elizabeth Bennet from Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

Ever since I first read this novel a couple years back, I've always felt as if I could relate so easily to Lizzie. Not only do we both share a love for books, we also have absolutely incorrigible mothers. I don't even enough fingers to count the number of times my mother has ended up publicly embarrassing me. Thankfully, it was never in pursuit of "suitors" and nor is she a "gold-digger," but I've experienced a fair share of situations when I've wondered if the Earth would be kind enough to swallow me up so I could pretend my mom wasn't quite my mom. Nevertheless, like Lizzy, I love my mother very deeply. Even though I don't have blood-sisters like Lizzie does, I do have a best friend who could be my sister-by-blood just as Jane is to Lizzie. Thus, I was so surprised and excited to find so many aspects of myself and my life reflected in Lizzie Bennet. 

6. Kim from The Boyfriend List by E. Lockhart 

We all have a Kim in our lives or have known one. In this absolutely hilarious series, Kim is Ruby's best friend who steals the show from her and ends up being a total back-stabber. I think it's safe to say that everyone has or has had at least one friend who is like this in their lives and I am no different. I can still remember the "Kim" in my life...that girl who used to be my best friend and who I trusted more than anything else only to end up being betrayed by her and losing her friendship no matter what I did to salvage it. 

7. Laney from Saving June by Hannah Harrington 

Speaking of best friends, sometimes we get lucky enough to have some truly amazing best friends in our lives. Laney was loyal, supportive, and always there for Harper whenever she needed her, just like one of my own closest best friends. Yet, Laney has her secrets even from Harper and despite being so close, they do get into arguments and Harper fails to understand many aspects of Laney's life. Although my own best friend doesn't sleep around and has never become pregnant like Laney, she does have her own secrets and issues that I don't even pretend to understand, yet despite that, we remain the closest of friends because we know that we will always be there for each other to rely on, just like Harper and Laney. 

8. Ashley Wilkes from Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell 

How I wish I could have claimed to know a Rhett Butler in my life, but I'm just not that lucky am I? I think every woman has their own "Ashley Wilkes" and perhaps I'm too young to have truly met mine, but Scarlet was ridiculously young when she met hers, so who's to say my Ashley isn't the real deal? Ashley Wilkes is the man in your life who you have been hung over since about forever and you've made him out to be this perfect, idealistic, knight-in-shining armor, but he isn't. He isn't the man who understands you, who compliments you, who is your perfect other half - he is none of those, but he has led you on for so long that you believe he is until it is almost too late. Although I don't have an Ashley Wilkes in my own life, there were times when I felt as if I did and I think every woman has felt that way when they've realized that a certain someone was not their certain someone. Quite unfortunately though, I didn't have a Rhett Butler by my side, but there's always the hope that he will join this list sometime in the future! ;) 

9. Hester Prynne from The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne 

In all honesty, I just needed to throw Hester in here because I effing love this woman. These are the people in our lives who keep their heads held high despite having done wrong and don't let the world bring them down. I am lucky enough to know a woman like this and had the fortune of meeting her this year itself - my very own Literature Professor. I won't go too much in depth of her story, but there are more than a few petty rumors about her in my classes. A few years ago, she hooked up with another English Professor in the building who was going through a nasty divorce during that time and she became pregnant before they got married. To this day there are still horrible stories told about her and students constantly hate her, but she became more than a teacher to me, she became a close friend, because of how much I admired her passion to her work. She is one of the happiest married women alive and despite the rumors that surround her, she never lets that stop her from being one of the toughest professors amongst them all. She truly is a great source of inspiration to me and I love the fact that I know a "Hester Prynne" in my own life as she is one of my all-time favorite characters. 

10. Boromir from Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien 

Of all the people to chose from this classic trilogy, I chose Boromir. I contemplated choosing Sam Gamgee, but I don't think any of my friends are that loyal, and then I contemplated choosing Gandalf, but I don't know anyone that wise, and then I thought about choosing Pip, but I don't know anyone who perfectly fits his description and although I wish I knew a Legolas (wouldn't it be nice to know Orlando Bloom?) or an Aragorn (or Viggo Mortenstern?) I don't. BUT, I do know a Boromir and I think everyone else does too. "Boromir" is that guy (or gal) who tries to do what they think is best and unfortunately ends up doing the wrong thing without realizing it. Yet, underneath that all, they truly are good people are try to rectify their mistakes. Most often than not, these are unfortunately people whose mistakes we don't forgive and we don't often understand that their acts were not committed with the intent they served. I feel as if Boromir is an over-looked and often forgotten character in this fantastic series but I know so many people like this in life and I myself have probably been a "Boromir" at one point in my life too. 

There you have it folks! The Top Ten Characters Who Remind Me of Myself Or Someone I Know in Real Life. Now, as a quick bonus, I'll give you the Top Three Characters I Wish Were People I Knew In Real Life: 

1. Jonah Griggs from Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta 

Jonah is the sweetest, most sincere and honorable guy ever. He knows you for all your faults and shortcomings and loves you despite it. He knows your every mistake, your every weakness, and your darkest moments, but he wants to be there beside you. If I had a Jonah Griggs in my life, it's safe to say I wouldn't have to face life alone. 

2. Gandalf from Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien

As much as I love Dumbledore, Gandalf was the original Dumledore. I think if I knew a "Gandalf" I would essentially be knowing a very wise, very knowledgeable person who was strong, perseverant, stubborn, and a survivor. While Dumbledore remains to be a powerful wizard and wise headmaster, Gandalf stands to be not only powerful, but he also goes into action and never gives up. Like Frodo, he is a beacon of shining hope and I think during dark times, we all need that to cling onto. 

3. Peter from The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis 

I. Love. Peter. And not just because William Mosley plays him in the movies. I love the fact that he is a caring older brother and I've always wished I had an older sibling like Peter myself. Furthermore, if I knew a Peter in Real Life, I'd always know that there was someone I could count on, trust, and who would have my back no matter what. I only hope that I am a Peter to my younger sibling just as Peter is to Lucy, Susan, and Edmund. 

Who are some of the characters that remind you of yourself or people you know in life? Who are some of the characters you wish were people you knew in real life? Tell me in the comments below! =]