The 'Strong' Female Lead

I read this post a few days ago, and I'm just very happy about it :) Why? It's kind of like a 'my-thoughts-exactly' situation, only Derek Landy (and I guess, his 'Twitter-wife'...?) just added to it, you know, developed the idea to more sophisticated proportions that my brain couldn't do, on its own.

[INTERMISSION: Have you people read the Skulduggery Pleasant books? If you haven't, DO READ THEM. They are hilarious. So completely laugh-out-loudable. And yeah, the storylines are exciting, captivating (though admittedly, when he gets to specific fighting scenes, he loses me), and the characters, whether they're evil or not, you love 'em all. But for me, personally, they're just so funny and that's the main reason why you should read them :) ]

So anyhow.

Over the last year or so, I've noticed this certain pattern in some kinds of YA novels, the dystopian or fantasy or adventure-y type. Mind you, not all of them are like I'm going to describe, but still enough for me to make out this pattern.

Basically, there will be a leading female character. She will be a kick-butt, in-yo-face ninja type. Or she will try to be this type, for the purpose of her story. Completely tomboy. And then, added to that, she has this certain kind of 'angry' attitude - you know, she repels people, she finds it difficult to accept love, maybe she's socially awkward, she's just better at hitting people, blah blah blah. And sometimes, if you get really lucky, she's also contemptuous of all things girly, or the homebody type of female.

And I'd read this books, write up a review or whatever, and check out other people's opinions (other reviews, or just you know, ask friends who've read them), and the general view is kind of like "gutsy female lead, strong, resilient"... that kind of thing, you know?

And it really irked me. Firstly, it just annoyed me that this was the type that got all the praise. What, so now girls have to be angry and masculine in order to be deemed 'respectable' female characters? I mean, to me, those characters were highly unlikeable personally, but now they were the role models for what the perfect female character was supposed to be.

Let me just say, I am not a 'girly girl'. I think I'm developing some 'girly girl' tendencies, 'cause, well, I'm a little more conscious about what I wear, and yesh, I do like pretty clothes, though perhaps not to the extreme of my sister, or feeling that desire to fit into the trends, or.... you know, I sound really defensive. And I'm digressing. 

But what I'm trying to say is, while I'm not into makeup and shoes and giggly-gossiping and shopping and checking out guys all the time, I don't begrudge that for other girls. Well, maybe the gossiping - sometimes I try to divert the topic and if it gets serious, I do start telling them off. BUT, generally speaking, if that's what they like, why should I be holding them in contempt? They're not hurting anyone. Except with the gossiping, maybe...

ANYWAY. The point is, the point is, when these female leads that I'm talking about start dissing the 'airheads' that are fashionable or lovestruck, I just get really annoyed. No, I mean, I wouldn't, if not for the fact that I've noticed it in multiple books this year and the last. If it was just one here or there, whatever, you know? But this is a pattern. A trend. An unhealthy one. That's mostly being applauded.

So yeah, I started getting really annoyed at this developing stereotype. And then I read that post by Derek Landy, and his Twitter-wife's article (although, admittedly, some of it was lost on me, because I'm not really familiar with all the superhero movie references she makes o.o), and I was just so pleased because they highlighted this issue, in their wise way, and did it without the raging and ranting that I would have done it with, and yeah. 

One of the messages is basically:

REMOVE THE LABELS. Let female characters be female characters. 

I mean, take Bella Swan. I remember, when I was in 'Camp Anti-Twilight', this girl on SW was doing a series of rants about different aspects of Twilight. And she was doing character focused ones, and when she got to Bella... well, you can imagine how much she had to say. Everyone has a lot to say. The common criticism is that she's weak (and angsty and annoying and co-dependant and pathetic and blahdiblahblah). This girl, doing her rants, was all like 'Bella is such a disgrace, while she so readily helps around the house and blah blah, you will never find her doing something that's not all wifey/motherly, you know, like painting a fence or something....".

And, even being in Camp Anti-Twilight, I still didn't really like that argument. Yes, Bella was angsty and all that jazz, but why the need to mention she doesn't do what she calls 'guy work'? So what? My older sister doesn't do guy work. She hates working outside the house. She hates getting her hands dirty. Big deal. I don't think that makes her a disgrace to womankind. And I don't think it's a crime to be weak, either. Boys and girls both can be weak, and in the name of making 'realistic' characters, why would it be such a bad thing to have a protagonist that was 'weak' in that way? 

""Strength" is one dimensional. It's saying "women can be strong like men", NOT "women are flawed, complex, brilliant, weak LIKE MEN."

(That being said, I'm still not a fan of Twilight, but to each his/her own *shrug*)

Also, that 'stereotype' that I mentioned was developing? I'm not really against it, in the sense that like Bella-Swan types of girls, there are obviously the angry-antisocial-tomboy types of girls too. I just want to remove this notion that they are the epitome of what the perfect female character - or female - should be. 

Really, read the blog post + the article. Much more worth reading than this post, for that matter x) 

Thoughts?

Okay, just some other things...

THE BOOK THIEF TRAILER CAME OUT!!! ZOMG. ZOMG. Okay. It's awesome. 

And you know, if you were thinking of Death, according to the amazing Markus Zusak: 

"…and I will just say to all the loyal readers out there who might be wondering if Death narrates the actual film, as he does in the book:

The answer is an emphatic

YES.

...

Just as he does in the book, Death will help look after us.

And he’ll do his very best."

 

Ummm... yeah. I have my first exam (French oral) on the 23rd of October o_o Scared. I donno. Everything's so close. Talking about the Valedictory dinner and the Farewell Assembly, getting the dates for final SACs, applying for universities, getting 'life talks'... it's just overwhelming. Trying not to think about it, but it just keeps coming back :/

Peace in,

Laila

Ramadan Kareem!

I know this is a bit late, but a combination of illness and ohmyGodtheholidaysareendingandIhavetonnesofhomeworktodo prevented me from writing this. I also was waiting for someone else to write one of these posts, or I donno, something related, but it didn't happen...

Anyway, the point is, to all my Muslim brothers and sisters out there:

... well, I mean, the title said it all.

And to everyone else, well, how are y'all doin'? You know it's much easier to type that than say it. I mean, I just tried saying that, but, erm, it sounds weird. Whatever. It sounds about right in my head.

So for those of you who don't know what Ramadan's all about, I wrote a post about it here, and also, this is one of the first posts of Ghadeer's that I read, and I feel like it just perfectly encapsulates the atmosphere. So now that we're in the spirit, I'ma continue.

I've only been on the blogosphere for two Ramadans, so I don't know if I can actually call this a 'tradition' yet, but both years I set myself a theme. I already had it in mind what I wanted to do this year, but for the aforementioned reason of ohmyGodtheholidaysareendingandIhavetonnesofhomeworktodo, I felt like I couldn't do it because I hadn't done enough research to do this... topic... justice. So insha'allah, I'm saving it for next year.

But I just can't let Ramadan go without Something, you know? So I just decided I'll put up random stuff every week or so. Maybe. I don't know.

Well, whatever, I was just looking for an excuse to share this video:

(OH, um, just in case you get ideas by that title, it's not in any way putting down Jesus or anything. I mean, duh, we believe in him too. Maybe differently, but still with the same respect we give Muhammad (SAW) )

Okay, I confess, I sort'vemaybe am a littlebitinlove with him. His name is Kamal Saleh, and this year he was at the annual Mercy Mission/Al Kauthar conference - this one being 'Twins of Faith'. I, however, knew him from earlier on from this video my older sister's non-Muslm friend showed us - one on love and marriage. I was star-struck then, but even more so when that awful 'Innocence of Muslims' video showed up. If you check out my 'Better View' page (does anyone check that out?), I put his response video up there then. I just love that he has all the right words, all the right knowledge. Me? I was on the verge of posting my own response to that video, but I knew I'd just go insane with rage, and it'd come out a little like this:

... and we had enough crazy Muslims on the loose.

So I let Kamal do his thing and I fell in love with him. The best part, the best part is - I didn't actually go to the Twins of Faith thing, because it was too expensive for us this year, and I didn't volunteer because I thought school would be busy (which it wasn't -_-'). But he was here this year, and my sister got the DVD as a volunteer, and he was just so bashful, in a way, on stage, like, he looked so nervous and gentle and AAAAAGH 

I'MGONNADIE.

Yeah. So now I'm showing you that video, because I think it's just so lovely again, and I wish I could speak so reasonably like that, so eloquently, so knowledgably (that a word?).

Also, I heard this conference (the Mercy Mission/Al Kauthar one - I can never tell which one) touched down in Dubai and Pakistan! You GUYS. Go check it out and when it happens x) If it's the same as the ones here, well, they're superdy awesome.

Just some random scenes from this Ramadan:

Haloomi does her first ever full day fast:
My mother has just come home from work, and we're setting the table for iftar. She's flicking through some letters.
"Ma, Haloomi didn't break her fast," I say.
"Mhm," she says absentmindedly. "It's okay. It's just her first one. She's still little."
"Ma," I say. "She didn't break her fast."
She freezes. Looks up at me slowly. Stares. Gawks.
"Are you sure? Really? Truly? Are you sure she's not lying?" All the words tumble out at once, and I'm all like way to have faith in your kids.
But I'm pleased, because Louise has come over for iftar with her girls, and I can hear my mother speaking proudly, and it makes me proud because these are the things she won't say to our face. For example:
To me: Why don't you ever study? You're so lazy! Do you know soandso's daughter/son wakes up at 7am to study, and doesn't stop studying even past midnight? But look at you, reading, sleeping at 10! Shame, shame, shame!
To her friends: Yeah, my Laila, she's so organised, she always brings home good grades, masha'allah, she wakes up on time, and sleeps on time, and she does all her study within organised times, and she's trying to be healthy too...

So when I hear her bragging, it makes me so happy :)

My mother babys my older cousin, who's like twentysomething:
If there's food on the stove, all cooked, it's just expected that we (my sisters and I) come and serve ourselves and eat up on time. My cousin, on the other hand, has to be told. She needs to wake him up to go to work or uni, but I have to set my own alarm. It's no big deal, but she just treats him like her ickle baby, and I'm like, woman, if you miss babying, have another kid - your nephew is a MAN. Stop spoonfeeding him.
So the other night, she was at work and she was to come home after iftar. She told us to pack some food for my cousin before he went to work. He was all like 'nah, I'll have it when I come back.' I packed it anyway, I put it on the table, I told him to humour me, humour my mother, but he just waved us off. My older sister was like 'what're we going to do? Mother's going to kill us.'
I was like, 'Leave it on the table so she can see that we did our bit.'
So mother comes home, and I point it out, and tell her just that. She stares at it for a moment, then looks at us with disbelief. 
"Are you serious?" she snaps. "That's all you packed him?"

And now I'm going to go and not stay up late reading thus resulting in my waking up late and doing everything late so that homework starts at 4pm and even then I'll be watching Superwoman videos. No, no. That will not happen.

Wishing y'all happy days (Y'ALL. It just sounds so BIZARRE.) and lots of hugs. And patience and yummy food. 

Peace in,
Laila

These Are My Favourite Things #2

I did one of these ages ago... and it's kind of fun and therepeutic, so I think I'll do another. Here is where I will share random stuff and promote things that I love and hope and hope and hope that you'll go away with something new and awesome ^_^ Although a lot of the stuff that I do like isn't very... well, unheard of.

Okay, so firstly, I like stories. So here's a story:

A Cup of Tea

A group of students, highly established in their careers, got together to visit their old teacher. Conversation soon turned into complaints about stress in work and life. 

Offering his guests tea, the teacher went to the kitchen and returned with a large pot of tea and an assortment of cups – porcelain, plastic, glass, crystal, some plain looking, some expensive, some exquisite – telling them to help themselves to the tea. 

When all the students had a cup of tea in hand, the professor said: ‘If you noticed, all the nice looking expensive cups were taken up, leaving behind the plain and cheap ones. While it is normal for you to want only the best for yourselves, that is the source of your problems and stress. 

Be assured that the cup itself adds no quality to the tea. In most cases it is just more expensive and in some cases even hides what we drink. What all of you really wanted was tea, not the cup, but you consciously went for the best cups… And then you began eyeing each other’s cups too. 

Now consider this: Life is the tea; the jobs, money and position in society are the cups. They are just tools to hold and contain Life, and the type of cup we have does not define, nor change the quality of Life we live. 

Sometimes, by concentrating only on the cup, we fail to enjoy the tea Allah has provided us.’ Allah brews the tea, not the cups. Enjoy your tea.

And I think this is the sort of advice/kick-in-the-butt I need every now and again...

And this picture makes me happy:

 Ok. Let's do books. 

Recently, I finished The Lumatere Chronicles, by Melina Marchetta.

 Oh. My. God.

It's pure awesomeness. Every single thing is perfect. I don't really throw that around easily (I think) but, I mean, she wrote it so well. You'll love the characters, the setting is amazing, every intricate detail is mindblowing, the plot is intriguing and tragic and twisty and - well, okay, here is my review, it's under Quintana but I was reviewing the trilogy as a whole, I guess. Some words of advice: 

1. Finnikin of the Rock you can read as a standalone novel, I think, but once you read Froi, rest assured you must read the rest. What's more, unless you have the best of the best memory, I highly recommend reading them consecutively, without a huge gap inbetween. Especially after Froi - there are so many details in it that are relevant to Quintana and if you leave a huge gap inbetween readings (like me), you'll sort of lose the quarter of the novel before you really start understanding everything.

2. Also, hm, from Froi onwards it get's very... adult ='_'= I mean, she doesn't detail stuff, but it's all there in plenty of references. So I guess Arvie, you should stay away ^_^

Okay, now another: The Book Thief, by Markus Zusak.

... hold up, forget me throwing about perfection not easily... o.o This novel is perfect too. But... but... in my defense, I'm recommending from my favourites shelf. So everything on the favourites is always perfect. Mostly.

Anyway, I actually read The Book Thief yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeears ago but I feel the need to recommend now, because, last Thursday, I learnt that...

OkayI'mhavingdifficultybreathingagain

THEY'RE MAKING A MOVIE. THEY'REMAKINGAMOVIEFORTHEBOOKTHIEFOHMYGOD.

Now there is something Very Important that you must understand. When I read this book, when Markus Zusak ripped out my heart and fed it through a meat shredder, when I finished it, it didn't occur to me once that this should be a movie. Ever. On the one hand, the story itself is perfectly amazing, but on the other hand, it's just the way he writes. It's so poetic and pretty and perfect. I wouldn't even have the right words to do justice to how he writes, and I guess my subconscious figured a movie needn't, couldn't, do it justice either.

But as soon as I saw the news, I stopped breathing for a while anyway. See, last week, I had been watching a French movie (my way of studying for French), and when I watch these movies, if they turn out okay, I look up the actors/actresses, particularly if they're little, because the younger they are, the more likely the movies they're in don't have naked people getting up to things (as is common with the French). The movie I was watching was Monsieur Lazhar, with a little Canadian-French girl called Sophie Nélisse in one of the minor starring roles...

Yup, Sophie Nélisse is LIESEL. DHFLJADHLFKJADSHFKJA.

 In case you didn't get that, I think she's perfect. Really.

I think I can give you a run down on The Book Thief without spoiling anything - basically, it's set in Nazi Germany, it's the story of Liesel Meminger... oh, I read some of the blurb, and to finish:

It’s just a small story, really, about, among other things: a girl, some words, an accordionist, some fanatical Germans, a Jewish fist-fighter, and quite a lot of thievery. . . 

And the fun bit? It's told through the voice of Death. You gotta love Death.

Oh, one more thing. What really always gets me about The Book Thief is that Zusak tells you what's going to happen at the end at the start, and it still has the same profound effect when you get to the end, even though you knew it was coming. Gosh. Gosh.

So The Book Thief. January 2014, guys. *dies* (Go read the book though, if you haven't. Or I'll hit you. The movie is NOT a substitute, I don't think it ever is.)

Btw, the soundtrack for Monsieur Lazhar is really nice...

Oh yeah, Monsieur Lazhar is a movie I'd recommend. It's not very climatic, but there's something very... pleasantly melancholic. I'm not sure I can call it that... it basically involves this teacher - Monsieur Lazhar - going to a school where a teacher recently committed suicide in a classroom. While he observes them coping, he... happens to be coping with his own issues. It's just... nice.

So, because my charming French teacher is absolutely useless as a teacher, I've taken to watching French movies as part of my study, besides the tuition I take. As I mentioned before, it's a bit hard to find French movies that don't have random naked people turn up, but... well, okay, if the following movies have random naked people, I'll tell you.

There's Amelie. In one word, it's quirky. It does have ... some naked people. Brief glimpses, and oh God, there's this one scene where you don't see anything but the sound effects are positively scarring.... but they're not the centre of the movie and they're VERY brief, and the overall movie is fantastic x) I've watched it twice.

Les Intouchables. NO naked people. It's ... hm... the unconventional tale of a paraplegic and a young man who sort of accidentally ends up being his caretakerishperson. Based on a true story :)

Ummm... I can't remember any others that were ... exceptional. What else? Well, I absolutely love this post I saw on Linchy's tumblr, but I can't make myself repost all the swearwords and... I'm too lazy to link every single gif. But Harry Potter fans, it's for you. J'adore ♥ 

Oh, just found this awesome quote:
catalyse:

To people who believe long skirts/concealing clothes/burqas restricts and oppresses a woman’s sexuality: I can enjoy my body without you enjoying my body. 

Going back to JKRowling, though, I love this quote by her. So much, I wrote it up and stuck it in my school x)

“Fat’ is usually the first insult a girl throws at another girl when she wants to hurt her.

I mean, is ‘fat’ really the worst thing a human being can be? Is ‘fat’ worse than ‘vindictive’, ‘jealous’, ‘shallow’, ‘vain’, ‘boring’ or ‘cruel’? Not to me; but then, you might retort, what do I know about the pressure to be skinny? I’m not in the business of being judged on my looks, what with being a writer and earning my living by using my brain…

I went to the British Book Awards that evening. After the award ceremony I bumped into a woman I hadn’t seen for nearly three years. The first thing she said to me? ‘You’ve lost a lot of weight since the last time I saw you!’

‘Well,’ I said, slightly nonplussed, ‘the last time you saw me I’d just had a baby.’

What I felt like saying was, ‘I’ve produced my third child and my sixth novel since I last saw you. Aren’t either of those things more important, more interesting, than my size?’ But no – my waist looked smaller! Forget the kid and the book: finally, something to celebrate!

I’ve got two daughters who will have to make their way in this skinny-obsessed world, and it worries me, because I don’t want them to be empty-headed, self-obsessed, emaciated clones; I’d rather they were independent, interesting, idealistic, kind, opinionated, original, funny – a thousand things, before ‘thin’. And frankly, I’d rather they didn’t give a gust of stinking chihuahua flatulence whether the woman standing next to them has fleshier knees than they do. Let my girls be Hermiones, rather than Pansy Parkinsons.” 

 I think I'll finish this with some songs...

ALEXANDER RYBAK. I love him.

Ingrid Michaelson. So cute (:

Cimorelli. I just love that they're all sisters and they're so nice.

 & of course, Lindsey. Because it's Lindsey.

No, wait, before I go, you need some Kiko ^_^

Peace in,
Laila

This and that

Gosh, March is flying by, my library books are overdue, and I haven't posted.

What is happening, you ask? Or maybe Arvie's laughing evilly on the side, you know, NANANANA, THE STRESS AND BUSYNESS CAUGHT UP.

Wrong.

All is quiet on the Laila-front. Well, no, things have happened. Some dramatic stuff. Now, I'm trying to be a little positive. Some of the 'dramatic stuff', they hit me hard, but at the same time, as quick as they came, they left, if that makes sense. I may have bawled and whatnot,  but I also got over it quickly. And I started thinking, well, no matter how tough it was, is there any point immortalising it on the internet? I mean, I know this mentality won't last, but I'll ride the wave as long as it does.

And the stress. This is going to sound so messed up, but I'm stressed a little bit because I'm not stressed. When the year kicked off, I had this study timetable in mind. So, school is from 8:30am to 3pm. Whatever time I get home, I don't work until five. Then from 5pm to 7pm, I study in half-n-hour intervals, with ten minute breaks inbetween - my version of the Pomodoro Technique. From 7pm to 8pm, there would be prayers, tea, and my daily walk/bike ride -

- OMG, BIKE RIDE. Did I tell you guys I got a bike? I mean, it's not a new. It's someone's old bike. But as old as it is, it's in good condition, so I think it's made of love. I love it, for sure. I mean, it's still a bit hard convincing my mother that the chances of someone attacking me when I'm riding le bike are very limited, but we're making progress. I love my bike ♥

Echhem. Okay, so a little after 8pm, I'd have more prayers, and then study until around 9pm, or for as long as I can. I have difficulty studying at night, or under artificial light in general, so I try to finish everything off in the daylight.

But, as of late, this has not been an issue. The issue is I have nothing to do. Star has been threatening multiple punches, she hit me with my pencil case, but it's true. I finish most of my work at school, and when I get home, there's so little to do, and even if there is... it's just... like... it doesn't involve thinking. It's basically mindless regurgitation, and I hate it. I hate it so so so so much. I want to use my brain. I want to explore ideas. I want to discuss them. I want to debate. I want to convince someone. But my subjects just don't require it, besides English, beautiful English, but even then, my classmates just don't like thinking. I miss my Literature class. I miss Star and Jane being in my class, and us gushing over what our Lit teacher spoke about for the day. I'm happy I have my Lit teacher for English, I am, but it just saddens me that I don't have anyone to appreciate him with *sniff* 

And then, when I don't use my brain for school work, I end up thinking and thinking in my head, in all these big circles, and because I can't... 'expel' them anywhere, I get so frustrated. I feel like I lack a purpose now. I need a new hobby. Something big and complicated. I need a life. I need SOMETHING or SOMEONE so that I won't implode. 

So much for positivity. #FirstWorldProblems, pretty much.

You know how they say you don't kill time, time kills you? I get it. Time is eating me alive. I want to get more into religion, but for me to really concentrate on reciting Qu'ran, I need someone explaining the tafseer. If not, I can recite in a mindless drone and nothing goes into my head. Unfortunately, classes aren't catered for my intervals of nothingness. I watched a few Islam related TED talks though (thanks Ghadeer for introducing me earlier on, to the world of TED ^^ )... this one and this one are two that I really liked...

Anyhow, skipping some drama, we had our school athletics carnival yesterday. I allowed myself to be swallowed by the #YouOnlyDoHighSchoolOnce disease, to an extent. Being the artsy vice-captain, I had to help host a costume parade (the two annual big sports carnivals at our school involve dressups), and it was mostly successful. I mean, besides me and the Commander, at least the other captain was there and did his bit, even if the other vice didn't show -_-' Um, I ran a race, the 100m sprint. I came third. Considering I was in jeans (not a good idea, folks), and I only lost to two tall and athletic girls, I'm pretty happy. That was the only thing I ever participated in with regards to athletics in my high school life. I used to do it in primary school, but that was because I was familiar with everyone. High school is scary, even now, when I'm 'at the top of the food chain'. 

And how much are we into viral videos? You guys know the Harlem Shake? It's pretty stupid, my only interest was watching the 'Kids React' video related to it... but then, with the #YouOnlyDoHighSchoolOnce theme, my year level decided to make one. And... although it's still stupid, I'm amused because I know the people in it. So I'm breaking a boundary here, showing you guys the video... opening doors to stalkers who can now uncover my identity and expose me to the world...

... but I don't think I'm that desirable. I'm not in the video, just so you know. I don't dance, I don't like being in too close contact with people (they had difficulty fitting everyone in the frame), I'm still a camera phobic, and I'm in the 'short range' with regards to height i.e. even if I was in it, you wouldn't have seen me. All the short people kind of disappeared x)

So enjoy, I hope you're all having happy days, and you have a purpose. Purposes are good. 

 (The 'Russian grandmas' at the start won the costume pageant... they had a whole act that was just so funny :P  But my personal favourites were Jasmine and the Cookie Monster...)

Peace in,
Laila