--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We aren't always comfortable witnessing…" description: "\"We aren't always comfortable witnessing real frailty or vulnerability in our heroines, but I like characters who struggle, and doubt, and who don't alw..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc7/leigh-bardugo-252_character_we-aren-t-always-comfortable-witnessing_208117.png" --- # We aren't always comfortable witnessing real frailty or… ![“We aren't always comfortable witnessing real frailty or vulnerability in our heroines, but I like characters who struggle, and doubt, and who don't always do the wise thing.” quote by Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc7/leigh-bardugo-252_character_we-aren-t-always-comfortable-witnessing_208117.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc7/leigh-bardugo-252_character_we-aren-t-always-comfortable-witnessing_208117.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc7/leigh-bardugo-252_character_we-aren-t-always-comfortable-witnessing_208117.png) > “We aren't always comfortable witnessing real frailty or vulnerability in our heroines, but I like characters who struggle, and doubt, and who don't always do the wise thing.” [Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote highlights a preference for flawed, vulnerable heroines who face struggle and doubt rather than always being wise. **In simple terms:** Flawed heroines are compelling. Key Takeaway Embrace complexity in characters. Themes character development vulnerability flaws Mood reflective empathetic Type literary character study When to use this quote - reading fiction - writing character sketches - discussing media representation Key Concepts psychology humanism narrative tension Questions to Reflect On - How does vulnerability make a heroine relatable? - What value does doubt bring to storytelling? A Different Perspective Characters who never make mistakes can feel unrealistic. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Doubt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doubt/) [Heroines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heroines/) [Struggle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/struggle/) [Vulnerability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vulnerability/) [Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wise/) ## Related quotes > [Perfect heroines, like perfect heroes, aren't relatable, and if you can't put yourself in the protagonist's shoes, not only will they not inspire you,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/perfect-heroines-like-perfect-heroes-aren-t-relatable-and-if-you-can/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [Yeah, I treat all my heroines like children now. I pick them up, I cuddle them, I call them baby...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shahrukh-khan/yeah-i-treat-all-my-heroines-like-children-now-i-pick-them-up-i/) [Shahrukh Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shahrukh-khan/) > [People who don't pay attention to the question of justification are often rather uninteresting, in my opinion. I am most fascinated by characters who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-walser/people-who-don-t-pay-attention-to-the-question-of-justification-are/) [Martin Walser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-walser/) > [I live intimately with my characters before starting a book. I cut out pictures of them for my wall. I do time lines for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-dean-myers/i-live-intimately-with-my-characters-before-starting-a-book-i-cut-out/) [Walter Dean Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-dean-myers/) > [I like characters who have blind spots and are full of themselves, but there also needs to be vulnerability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephan-pastis/i-like-characters-who-have-blind-spots-and-are-full-of-themselves-but/) [Stephan Pastis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephan-pastis/) > [“I think we often hold heroines to an absurd standard. Be brave! Be wise! Always know what's in your heart and speak the truth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/i-think-we-often-hold-heroines-to-an-absurd-standard-be-brave-be-wise/) [Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) > [I think heroines would be pretty boring if they were perfect all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/i-think-heroines-would-be-pretty-boring-if-they-were-perfect-all-the/) [Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) > [I think in YA there's sometimes a temptation to create heroines who are infinitely resilient and wise and confident because those are the behaviors…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/i-think-in-ya-there-s-sometimes-a-temptation-to-create-heroines-who/) [Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) > [There are all kinds of ways that people present their films, but that's kind of a good feeling, if you can make it seem…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-van-sant/there-are-all-kinds-of-ways-that-people-present-their-films-but-that/) [Gus Van Sant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-van-sant/) > [In Hollywood I thought I was large and klutzy, like the characters I played,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeline-kahn/in-hollywood-i-thought-i-was-large-and-klutzy-like-the-characters-i/) [Madeline Kahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeline-kahn/) > [I like characters. I like spirited characters whether they exist in fiction or real life. Whether they're the invention of artistic people or directors,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-jacobs/i-like-characters-i-like-spirited-characters-whether-they-exist-in/) [Marc Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-jacobs/) > [That means life itself is a fairy tale. Like the characters, we all live and love and search for a happily-ever-after.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gena-showalter/that-means-life-itself-is-a-fairy-tale-like-the-characters-we-all/) [Gena Showalter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gena-showalter/) > [People say that they like the characters that they believe that I am. But, I don't as much. I like the characters that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-scott/people-say-that-they-like-the-characters-that-they-believe-that-i-am/) [Jill Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-scott/) > [Well, I like characters, players with personality, I don't like flat people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-wilfried-tsonga/well-i-like-characters-players-with-personality-i-don-t-like-flat/) [Jo-Wilfried Tsonga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-wilfried-tsonga/) > [I like characters with problems. I like to understand them... To play alcoholics, fetishists, strange girls, you have to dig deep within yourself. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-trintignant/i-like-characters-with-problems-i-like-to-understand-them-to-play/) Marie Trintignant ## More by Leigh Bardugo > [“Aleksander." His eyes fluttered shut. "Don't let me be alone," he murmured. And then he was gone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/aleksander-his-eyes-fluttered-shut-don-t-let-me-be-alone-he-murmured/) [Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) > [“I don't care if you danced naked on the roof of the Little Palace with him. I love you, Alina, even the part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/i-don-t-care-if-you-danced-naked-on-the-roof-of-the-little-palace/) [Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) > [“Inej frowned. “I thought you and Nina chose four outbreak sites on the Staves.” Kaz straightened his cuffs. “I also had her stop at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/inej-frowned-i-thought-you-and-nina-chose-four-outbreak-sites-on-the/) [Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) > [“I rolled my eyes. "For defending my honor, you dullard." He yanked me beneath a shadowed awning. I had a moment's panic when I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/i-rolled-my-eyes-for-defending-my-honor-you-dullard-he-yanked-me/) [Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) > [“I've been waiting for you a long time, Alina" He said. "You and I are going to change the world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/i-ve-been-waiting-for-you-a-long-time-alina-he-said-you-and-i-are/) [Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) > [“They're all crazy, Oncat. Invisible armies, monster princes. Let's go set fire to something.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/they-re-all-crazy-oncat-invisible-armies-monster-princes-let-s-go-set/) [Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) > [“Saints!" I swore. "I forgot how often I want to stab you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/saints-i-swore-i-forgot-how-often-i-want-to-stab-you/) [Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) > [“Inej knew the moment Kaz entered the Slat. His presence reverberated through the cramped rooms and crooked hallways as every thug, thief, dealer, con…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/inej-knew-the-moment-kaz-entered-the-slat-his-presence-reverberated/) [Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) > [“I've risked my life for you. I've walked half the length of Ravka for you, and I'd do it again and again and again…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/i-ve-risked-my-life-for-you-i-ve-walked-half-the-length-of-ravka-for/) [Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) > [“You never know," said Nikolai. "I've been busy. I might have some surprises in store for the Darkling yet." "Please tell me you plan…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/you-never-know-said-nikolai-i-ve-been-busy-i-might-have-some/) [Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) > [“Sure we do," said Theo, swatting at a branch. "We get to the spring, Alia gets cured. We argue over the best choice for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/sure-we-do-said-theo-swatting-at-a-branch-we-get-to-the-spring-alia/) [Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) > [“But I pushed down my confused tears and did as she asked, still hoping that whatever I’d broken might be repaired.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/but-i-pushed-down-my-confused-tears-and-did-as-she-asked-still-hoping/) [Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) > [“There, she wrote fantastical tales that charmed children, and under another name, she penned rather more lurid works that kept her in nougat and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/there-she-wrote-fantastical-tales-that-charmed-children-and-under/) [Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) > [“Short on friends, your highness?" "And long on enemies," replied Nikolai.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/short-on-friends-your-highness-and-long-on-enemies-replied-nikolai/) [Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) > [“Jesper knocked his head against the hull and cast his eyes heavenward. “Fine. But if Pekka Rollins kills us all, I’m going to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/jesper-knocked-his-head-against-the-hull-and-cast-his-eyes-heavenward/) [Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) [Explore all 782 Leigh Bardugo quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) ## More Character quotes > [This may sound strange, but although I feel like I know everything about my characters, the brand of shampoo they use, how many cavities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-honeyman/this-may-sound-strange-but-although-i-feel-like-i-know-everything/) [Gail Honeyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-honeyman/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [Social responsibility above the level of family, or at most of tribe, requires imagination-- devotion, loyalty, all the higher virtues -- which a man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/social-responsibility-above-the-level-of-family-or-at-most-of-tribe/) [Robert A. 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But, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-are-well-mannered-towards-those-whose-views-are-similar-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-is-based-on-the-conviction-that-man-has-the-moral-and/) [Harry S. 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