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I mentioned in a previous post how a certain book (Fablehaven) would have been a better example of a Girls Underground story if the girl had been the main protagonist, instead of sharing that with her brother. In fact, there are several stories which would be GU if only the girl in them were the primary protagonist. Here are just a few, briefly:

Peter Pan. When looked at from Wendy’s perspective, it really fits. She is whisked away to another world because she chooses to follow a mysterious boy for the sake of adventure. She confronts an evil pirate king and his minions. Her companions are the lost boys. There is even an interesting side note that correlates with the “returns to home or encounters things from home” aspect – in the stage play, it is traditional for the same actor to play Wendy’s father as plays Captain Hook.

Hansel and Gretel. Like Fablehaven, the spotlight is shared by both a brother and sister. But it is Gretel who eventually faces off against the witch adversary and defeats her, alone. If she were the star, one could view Hansel as her companion.

The Chronicles of Narnia. Lucy is the first one to discover the portal to the otherworld in the first book, and she is just about the right age too. She befriends the faun immediately. Her siblings become her companions, as well as other creatures of Narnia. The White Witch is the adversary (although Lucy does not defeat her alone). Her goal, along with the others, is to save the whole land.
“The traffic flow from folklore to fiction and film has always been heavy.” - Maria Tatar, Secrets Beyond the Door

An exploration of story…

In which I describe examples of the Girls Underground archetype that I have discovered in literature and film. For more information regarding the concept, including its earlier incarnations in fairytales and mythology, visit the pages linked above. Here is a list of all the examples I have covered thus far.

Alice Days

Celebrate one of the primary inspirations for Girls Underground - Alice in Wonderland - with a holiday down the rabbit hole and through the looking glass! Check out the Alice Days page for party ideas, movie recommendations, and more.

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