Women Are Complex, And Female Characters Should Be Too

Let’s get one thing out of the way: people are complicated. Surprise! We aren’t all perfect angels who do everything for one specific reason and have no feelings or desires or thoughts. While we’re at it, let’s get another thing out of the way: we all have flaws. That’s not a bad thing––in fact, I believe flaws can make us powerful because they differentiate us from each other. If we were all identical, uncomplicated, and flawless, would there be any art, or films, or books, or plays? Would there be any reason to create? Would there be any reason to be?

I, for one, certainly consider myself a complicated individual with flaws…probably too many to get into without turning you into a therapist. As much as you may not like hearing it at first, you have flaws, too. We’re all different and have unique ways of viewing the world, and that’s okay! Recognizing your intricacies is a great way to learn more about yourself. Let me be clear: not all flaws are natural or okay, such as having prejudices and refusing to learn, or being flat-out cruel due to having a naturally bad temper. Sometimes flaws should be improved upon, and sometimes they’re just a part of us. In fact, the word “flaw” can be a construct. What exactly is one?

For my fellow writers, I believe that this is important to think about when crafting characters. Good, relatable characters are real. They’re––for lack of a better word––flawed. They are messy. That’s what makes us root for them, or at least want to see how their stories play out.

The character Lady Bird from Greta Gerwig’s Lady Bird (2017) is a textbook “complicated” character. She’s strong-willed but oblivious, outspoken, but dishonest; she’s a person. Gerwig herself spoke about the title character in a 2018 NPR interview: 

“I am interested in people who––in a creative way, not a destructive way––seem to bump up against something that feels slightly manic and a little too much. I think I'm interested in writing and letting…female characters go too far because I think as women, we're taught to…keep it together and not be too much and not go too far and not be too loud or too crazy or too ambitious.”

That’s another point; for a long time, women in film were generally not allowed to be complex people. They were the Love Interests, while their male counterparts could be nuanced and imperfect. While there has been so much progress in the past few decades with changing how women in the media are portrayed, there’s definitely still work to be done to further challenge the notion that complicated women aren’t worth watching.

Another multifaceted female character is Diane Nguyen from the Netflix show Bojack Horseman. She’s an idealist while simultaneously cynical, passionate while hotheaded, genuinely caring though often ineffective at communication. One of her quotes from Season Five actually encapsulates the heart of my argument:

“There's no such thing as "bad guys" or "good guys." We're all just...guys, who do good stuff sometimes and bad stuff sometimes. And all we can do is try to do less bad stuff and more good stuff, but you're never going to be good because you're not bad.”

Another thing about well-written complicated characters is that they change throughout their story. There must be an arc, or else there’s no payoff for us, the witness on their journey. They aren’t completely different people––they may still have their faults and weaknesses to some degree––but something is different.

If you want to try writing complicated characters, I’d suggest trying to write some short stories. Personally, crafting them has been extremely helpful in getting to play with characters of all different experiences and personalities. Most, if not all of them, will never see the light of day, but that’s not the point. I think of them as exercises, a chance to improve my work. It gives me the opportunity to experiment. Also, seek out media with arcs and complex characters. It may give you inspiration for your next project, or if you aren’t a writer, it may give you something to relate to. Connecting with art is an experience unlike any other.