SHORT ESSAY

            If it works why fix it? During the late 1900’s men loved westerns in which the plot would follow a mean looking cowboy on his journey. Then more modern action movies rose in fame along with stars like Sylvester Stallone, Bruce Willis, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Steven Seagal whom became icons of that time period and whom we are all familiar with at least of their phrases from those movies. It is a reoccurring fact that within the film industry once a type of character is found to be successful and likeable then companies within the industry will capitalize on that trope as much as possible. While attempts are made to not beat the dead horse and come off as uncreative, this new trope adopted onto female characters has so far not shown any signs of slowing down in popularity.

The ingenious feature about this trope is the added mystery and wonderment towards the character in question due to the knowledge that said character now has a past viewers are aware of. Sansa in The Game of Thrones perfectly fits this trope through her journey around the world of Westeros and all the problems she goes on to face. Whether it was about her being married of to a psychopath in Geoffrey Baratheon, having to witness her own fathers beheading, being a victim to Little Finger time and time again, or lastly falling prey to Ramsay Bolton’s psychopathic character as well. We watch Sansa go through all these problems and yet she only comes out stronger every time and more determined in succeeding. This trope greatly adds to the allure of the character since many watching would think themselves not capable of doing the same if they had been put in her shoes. Meanwhile it is in human nature to appreciate those who have been through hardship and have struggled only to come out as stronger and better people, that is what most motivational speakers base their material on.

While I do not necessarily deem this trope as harmful or distasteful, it does seem to be an all-too-common trope nowadays. Also, while this trope does apply to male characters at times there is also a vast majority of male characters portrayed in a different light or through a different series of events that females are rarely if ever portrayed under. In the way of John Wick or even Will Hunting, and not many stories like these men are mirrored onto women. Unfortunately, though not much will change in the way of this representation until people begin to voice their concern about it. Until then though we must sit and endure through this all too common and over done trope of women enduring through traumatic events.