Because you like Sethe in Beloved
Celie Johnson says she's poor, black, and may even be ugly. But dear God she's here. See them in The Color Purple.
Although she's only six, Hushpuppy is a tough girl ready to stand up to terrifying, pre-historic beasts after the storm. See them in Beasts of the Southern Wild.
Catherine Linton was once spontaneous and rowdy but ever since marrying the wealthy Edgar, she has morphed into a boiling pot of emotional outbursts. See them in Wuthering Heights.
More of a sex symbol than a crime-stopper, the original Silk Spectre has now become the ultimate superhero stage mom. See them in Watchmen.
Kathy is a natural caretaker who strives to find hope in even the darkest of times. See them in Never Let Me Go.
Phoebe Caulfield is a wise-beyond-her-years 10-year-old with an empathetic spirit. See them in The Catcher in the Rye.
As Marlena Rosenbluth is finding out, confidence in the limelight doesn't always translate to power at home. See them in Water for Elephants.
Marv is a brutish but principled thug who'd be right at home on an ancient battlefield. See them in Sin City.
A Berlin-based locksmith by day, Wolfgang Bogdanow is a world-class thief by night. He can also see out of other people's eyes, but that's a different issue. See them in Sense8.
Romantic, impulsive, and captivated by the joys of life, Natasha Rostova is on the messy path of growing up. See them in War and Peace.
Curving free kicks and crosses is tough, but keeping her soccer passion from her disapproving family is way tougher for Jess. See them in Bend It Like Beckham.