Table of Contents
The Magic of Red Hair
Have you noticed a love in literature for a feisty redhead? I have started take note of them, and see that they have been influencing me for a long time. Once upon a time I was a plain, ordinary teenager with dull brown hair. When I became chronically ill with migraines, my normally conservative parents decided to let me try something new and different. I got to dye my hair. Red! And you know what? It did something for me. It changed how I viewed myself. I didn’t get well overnight, but you can ask my best friends, I became feistier. Those migraines weren’t going to hold me back forever!
Now, what on earth does this have to do with books, right? Well, like I said, I think my love of red hair can be traced back to some of my favorite literary heroines. I’ve been talking to other bookworms like me, and there does seem to be a great love for our favorite feisty redheads.
Feisty Redhead: Anne of Green Gables
Anne Shirley of L.M. Montgommery’s classic Anne of Green Gables books, is almost everyone’s favorite feisty redhead. The incorrigible orphan with an overactive imagination is constantly bumbling through one mishap or another. Her well-documented temper causes no end of trouble, but her sincere loyalty and devotion win us over.
What I found great was that even as an adult, I could pick up Anne’s books and begin to enjoy them all over again with a new appreciation. Having my own redhead made me think, what is it about redheads that makes them so fun and irrepressible?
Feisty Redhead: Molly or Genny Weasley from Harry Potter
I’m not sure that anyone else has this debate going on in their homes, but the question remains here: Molly or Ginny Weasley? My children love Ginny Weasley. I agree, Ginny is wonderful, but when compared to Molly Weasley . . . I just can’t see anyone being better than Molly Weasley. Fierce, devoted, it is Molly Weasley who not only raises a house full of mischievous redheads, but takes in orphan Harry Potter who is in desperate need of a mom. She is constantly feeding someone or arguing with them. And, spoiler alert, it is Molly Weasley who takes down one of the nastiest villianesses in the climatic conclusion to the whole series.
Feisty Redhead: Scarlet from The Lunar Chronicles
As much as I enjoyed the different take on fairy tales in Marissa Myer’s Lunar Chronicles, the series didn’t really take off for me until book 2, aptly named Scarlet for the red-headed heroine. As a retelling of Little Red Riding Hood, Scarlet was everything a feisty redhead should be:
- strong
- sassy
- fiercely loyal
I loved her complicated relationship with Wolf and the twist that Marissa Myers did to keep us guessing as to whether or not we should root for him.
My Newest Addition: Lady Gwynndolen in honor of my daughter
Now, I need to admit something. When I first began writing my retelling of Rapunzel long ago, I was newly married and had no children. But as the story grew and grew, my family did, too. My golden-haired Rapunzel came to resemble my dry-witted, introverted eldest daughter. In Beyond the Tower, we discover a young woman unsure of herself. She doesn’t know how to respond to people or God when she is cast out from her tower.
As the series progressed and Rapunzel matured, I found myself looking forward to telling the stories of the found family she develops. Not surprisingly, Lady Gwynndolen loudly asserted that she wanted her story told. Should it shock us that she resembles my red-haired, middle daughter? Not really. And when her ladyship is teaching swordplay to the difficult Prince Edmund, did I have my daughter help me stage the fights? Of course I did. With her own prowess in martial arts, it was fun to put some of that know-how to use and finally write action scenes that would cause Rapunzel to pale.
You can begin your own adventure traveling through The Journey series by downloading the free origin novella here or skip ahead to learn more about Lady Gwynndolen in book 4, Under the Curse.
Your Turn
Now, I trust I’m not the only one who has cheered for redheads in different books. Maybe you’re a Pippi Longstocking fan. Maybe you adore the Weasley twins or another character I’ve left out. If so, share below or on social media who your favorite redheads are and what you like best about them. I’d love to hear all about it!
About JacQueline
As the author of The Journey series, a young adult fantasy retelling Rapunzel’s misadventures, JacQueline also wrote Memoirs of a Headcase: Held by the God of Hope, to share hope in the battle against chronic pain and depression. Currently she lives in North Alabama with her karate husband and three book-crazy kids. All opinions expressed on this website come from her own experience. Do not substitute it for professional therapy or medical advice. Any affiliate links used on this website will provide additional income to JacQueline’s family at no additional cost to you.
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Photography: Johnny McClung, Christopher Campbell, Brad Lloyd, Jenna Anderson, Gabriel Silverio.
Social Media images: JacQueline Vaughn Roe