One of the things I look for in a book is the characters having interesting evolution through the course (devolution also works). My favorites are:
- Scarlett O' Hara (Gone with the Wind): Starts of as a rich, spoiled and pampered Southern Belle, but as the war progresses we see her gritty side which is determined to not accept the circumstances as is and live in poverty. She goes from not knowing how many cents are there in a dollar to running a successful lumbar trading business which is essentially a male domain all the while facing the ridicule of the highly sexist and misogynistic society. One of the dialogues that she says that remained with me and symbolizes her is when she Atlanta is burning around her and she is all alone in the world except for her little son and pregnant Melanie, trying to flee to Tara, she looks up at the skies and says – "As God is my witness, I'll never be hungry again."
- Michael Corleone (based on the book -Godfather): Starts of as a preppy grad in an Ivy League, living an Americanized lifestyle with no interest in the family's mafia business but an assassination attempt on his father forces him to change his path and get involved the business. While shooting the rival gang leader and policeman, he shows clinical lack of emotion or empathy reflecting apple has not fallen too far from the tree. As he becomes the family's head later, he becomes even more dangerous, power hungry and ruthless than his father; killing other NY dons and establishing the Corleone family as the most powerful in the business.
- Mr Darcy (Pride and Prejudice): Is a rich, arrogant, snobbish aristocrat who even while proposing to Elizabeth stresses on the social gap between them. Becomes more respectful, humble and empathetic through the course of the story.
by Caramelcupcake97