Each August, usually a week before school, I sit down and watch Shrek 2 with my sister. We consider it the best of the best and the cream of the crop when it comes to modern cinema. Not only are the song choices impeccable, but the storyline is unmatched. When I was younger, my dad was obsessed with Shrek, which in turn meant that we were obsessed with Shrek. We even had the “Shrek the Halls” Christmas special, which still sits in our living room, scratched and hanging on by a thread.

Every time we make our popcorn and sit down to watch Shrek 2, whether it is on a DVD or a streaming service, I’m always excited. Fiona always drew me in with her unapologetic style of just being which is difficult to find in leading female characters. I also always adored her for her arc of coming to terms with her ogre-self, which makes her happier in the end. Our discussions of female characters in fairy tale stories have helped me think more about these more recent contributions to the whimsical world of fiction. Why is it so difficult for women to find representation in modern fairy tale adaptations? A perfect example is Fiona – when she becomes her true self when she is with Shrek, she seems much happier – but is not technically “conventionally” beautiful. I think that’s what makes her unique and easier to resonate with as an actual character with thoughts and aspirations.

Roland Barthes: Among the top three minds I wish I could steal.

I am a Junior. As a student at the College of Wooster, I am required at some point during my Junior Year to complete an Independent Study project. It is intimidating, even though it isn’t my first or final research project at this school. I have a legitimate opportunity to contribute to humanity’s body of knowledge.

The problem: I do not have enough ideas or expertise. Plus, my choice of majors leaves me with little precedent to reference. Data Science and English? While computational statistics offers legitimate avenues of literary analysis, no student at the College of Wooster has taken this path. Because of this, my advisors are in new territory too. I have less guidance than my fellow students have. My Study cannot fit into any sort of easy template either.

I fear venturing into uncharted wilds of knowledge, guided by my creativity and sustained by ambition. How do I stay alive?

I have to start early that’s how. Every month or so, I come up with an idea for Independent Study. I do not know if any of them are good. I might have to explore multiple to find a good one. That is fine. JIS is really just a first dart throw before Senior IS.

I hope I can pioneer this blend of studies for future Wooster students. Leaving that legacy may be a lofty goal, but it might be achievable.

Does anybody else have similar thoughts or anxieties? Is anybody else working on their Independent Study now? If so, I am very curious to hear what you’re working on. It might give me inspiration for my own project.

As mentioned in our class, stories with male protagonists can deal with a variety of different themes, while stories with female protagonists often have only one story: romance. They overcome difficulties and eventually marry the prince, which, in the context of the patriarchal society of the past, makes me wonder if the author’s purpose is to make them “subordinate” to men.

I recall reading novels I’ve read, most of which feature male protagonists. The one exception is that I have read almost all of the works of Eileen Chang, a very talented Chinese woman writer whose works mainly feature women as protagonists. However, the endings of these female protagonists are often tragic, seemingly unrelated to the glamorous words “heroism,” “finding yourself,” and “defeating the enemy” that often appear in novels with male protagonists. I think this is probably because Eileen Chang was a writer who was good at reflecting reality, and the women of that era were miserable.

And my question is, as more and more attention is paid to feminism, are there many stories with women as the main characters in the real sense? If so, how are these stories fundamentally different from those with male protagonists, i.e., if we replace the protagonist of a classic story with a woman, does the story still stand? What are the things that an author, especially a male author, needs to be aware of when he creates such stories? Is it easy for him to fall into the male gaze, stereotypes, or even sexism?