Not Fic Related: You watch a girl show and that is SO AWESOME! · 1:58am Jun 13th, 2012
I don't even know if I should post this. I'm not one of those people, I promise. But I've been thinking a lot about this, and I wanted to talk to the internet about some characters I know.
Once upon a time, about a hundred and fifty years ago in fact, there was a girl. Okay, not a real girl, a fictional girl. A tomboy who dreamed of a life of adventure, of fortune and fame. No matter how much she was admonished for it she was brash and out spoken, with something of a temper, and she used slang in a most unlady-like fashion. She loved to be active, racing, ice skating, rowing. . . as much as she could get away with, at least. None of those were proper activities for a young lady.
Her sister was an artist, a little snobbish at times, but with a loyal and loving heart. She dreamed of the upper class life, of dresses and fancy balls, of someday meeting a prince charming who would let her live that life. She often clashed with her sister over her unlady-like behavior. Despite her love of finery, she had an eye for beauty and a head full of common sense.
Another sister, this one quiet and shy. Nurse to dolls and kittens, and any of their neighbors who needed it, she cared deeply for her family and friends. She played the piano, though she was so shy that when a neighbor invited her to use his piano because he enjoyed her playing, she would do so only if she didn't have to speak to him.
Once upon a time, a few decades later, another girl. This one was real, the memories of her author. A sturdy farm girl, industrious and helpful, working with her family to build a life with nothing but their hands and sweat. She was looked down on by the town girls, with their fancy store-bought things, but never would have traded her farm and family for that life.
Once upon a time, around the same time, another fictional character. A quiet girl, not shy, but studious and intelligent. She preferred her own world of books to a social life, though when she made friends she was true to them during the hardest of times. She lived her life as a princess, not in the sense of romantic pretty ideals but in the sense of duty to other people, true nobility.
Once upon a time, another few decades, another fictional girl. Despite a drab, sad childhood she emerged as a whirlwind of imagination, energetic and nearly impossible to shut up. Her impulsiveness got her in trouble, often in the craziest ways, but her earnest search for friends, 'kindred spirits', smoothed some of the stickiest situations. All who met her considered her a colorful light in a sometimes dreary world.
So, cool story, sis. But here's the thing. If you're a girl, especially a girl who read books, you probably recognize some of those characters. If you're a guy and you recognize them, I'm impressed.
For more then a century, girls have known Jo, Amy and Beth March. They've known Laura Ingalls, Sara Crewe and Anne Shirley. An awful lot of us grew up with these books and these dreams.
And most boys haven't. With the possible exception of Laura Ingalls, who being a real person sometimes gets taught in American History, these books don't get read in school. Their movies are considered girly, and are mostly watched by girls who already know them.
If you're a guy, do you even know who they are? Because I'm sorry you missed out.
So, if you never read Little Women, Little House on the Prairie, A Little Princess, or Anne of Green Gable, I'm SO glad you've at least gotten to watch My Little Pony and fall in love with Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Fluttershy, Applejack, Twilight Sparkle, and Pinkie Pie. I'm glad these walls are crumbling, and I hope this is the start of a world where these amazing girls can be friends for everyone, male and female.
And if you get the chance, the Anne of Green Gables mini-series and the movie version of Little Women are definitely worth checking out.
Now I'll get back to writing fic, I promise.
Wow that is an amazing likeness. I may not have read or seen any of the stories or movies, but I do love the show and if the girls from the stories are anything like the mane 6 than I might take a look.
The crazy thing is I loved reading Little House on the Prairie and Anne of Green Gables. But it has been so long since I've picked them up and refreshed my memory. I also should have seen the connections but of course, I am a literal and don't often see similarities among things. I only see the literal characters such as the Mane 6 and whatnot. I'm so glad you posted this because pretty much my whole childhood came rushing back as I read that. Thank you.
... crazy. Crazy indeed. For whatever reason now, I can only think of the Bronte sisters. Wait, I can think of a reason. Because they're classical female authors. Ugh, I need to get out more.
I have read Little House on the Prairie. I can see where all of these connections have been made. My brain is starting to hurt now, I must stop...
171661
Well, you do have to remember that these books are over a hundred years old and not cartoons, but the bases of the characters are a very similar. Jo March, from Little Women, has some Twilight in her (she's a writer, largely because women weren't really allowed to have adventures.) And Anne Shirley from Anne of Green Gables has some Twilight and Rarity in her (also a writer, and a little bit overly romantic.) But I do promise that they're all just as loveable, and the stories aren't far off from normal episodes of the show.
This was actually inspired because they did a musical version of Little Women, and one of Jo's big songs sound so much like something Dash would sing that I almost want to do a video (you know, if I knew how to do a video.)
Check it out if you have 5 minutes, and tell me what you think: Astonishing.
171705
No wonder you like the show! One of the most awesome things about the show is that it feels right at home with books like these.
Like I said right above this, I was listening to that song from the Little Women musical and thought of Rainbow Dash so hard, then I started looking for other connections. Anne's carriage ride with Matthew when she comes to Green Gables, where she just talks the whoooole ride about random stuff, came to mind. I mean, she's obviously less cartoonish, but you can totally see the Pinkie Pie there.
Also, just to blow your mind, Laura's nickname in the book was "half-pint," which Granny Smith calls Apple Bloom in Family Appreciation Day, and in the Little House books it's explained once that Pa calls Laura that because she's little like "a pint of cider half drunk up." And I'm ALMOST certain that at some point he say she's "stout as a little french horse."
Have I ever mentioned that I have a crazy memory for stuff like this?
171920 Im starting to think that Lauren Faust took her insperation for the mane six from the characters in the stories. Why? Because she's Lauren F***ing Fuast! On the other hand it could be an amazing coincidence.
Also good song.
I had not read those books until I started watching the World Masterpiece Theater-series. Definitely worth a watch if you can find the time for multiple 54-eps series.
I'm living here in one of the smallest country's in the world so I'd be surprised if any of those works actually made it over here without the power of the internet. If it weren't for the internet, I probably wouldn't have an idea of the existence of My little pony: friendship is magic
172467
I will bet you there's a translation of Little Women, at least, in your local decent sized book store. For little girls it's considered a classic, the same way Heidi was translated from. . . German, I think? and is available in most US bookstores.
Anne of Green Gables and Little House on the Prairie are more North American (Canada and the US, respectively) and might not have been translated. But I believe that ebooks of Anne of Green Gables and Little Women might be public domain, and available free online.
How is Anne of Green Gable, anyway? Is it well written, or should I just watch the anime adaptation instead?
1166219
Okay, first, LM Montgomery is the most under-rated writer in history (in my opinion). I hate descriptions, and will happily read pages of description from her. Her characters are warm and witty, and any sentimentality is well earned by first giving us some sensible, down to earth people to empathize with.
It's available from Project Gutenberg, if you don't feel like picking up a physical copy.
If you don't want to read the book, there was a mini-series with Megan Follows and Colleen Dewhurst that's one of the most beautiful, perfectly cast adaptations I've ever seen of anything. I can't recommend it enough.
I've never seen the anime, but I can't imagine it could compare to either of those.
(ETA: If you watch the mini-series, don't bother with the sequels. If you want to continue the series, read the books.)
1166253
Well, the anime was made under the World Masterpiece Theater brand. The same one that made an excellent adaptation of Les Miserables. Still, if the book is actually good, unlike some "classic literature," then I'll definitely remember to check it out.
I saw the Little Women parallel. Laura Ingalls is great, much better than ponies in fact, and I love ANNE. I did not like A Little Princess however. And Flutters is not much like Beth. Fluttershy can be brave and fierce.
Actually the Little House parallel is clever, and, oh Yes, Pinkie Pie is totally Anne, though I don't think Pinkie is quite that absent minded.
I know you wrote this a zillion years ago, but I just found this from your blog list. Yes to so much of this! There's actually a lot of girl stuff that is awesome. And I always think of Jo March preferring to be a "girl" rather than a "young lady."
And Sara Crewe is very underrated. Yes, A Little Princess is filled to the eyebrows with classism, but her toughness under pressure is amazing, as is her ability to use imagination to keep herself together and to be a teacher...although there she has more in common with G3 Cheerilee.
Applejack is very like Laura, although Granny Smith is even more so.