My Favourite Literary Character

Sophie Hatter from Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones

It's very rare that a film outshines the book, but in this case, I believe the book was written with the screen in mind. Having seen the film first, I was initially apprehensive about reading the book. While I do think the film was better in some ways, the character of Sophie was almost entirely different in the book, and I felt as though my eyes had been opened to a whole new story.

What I admire most about Sophie is that when she sees a problem, she fixes it. Simple as that. She doesn’t care whose problem it is — she’ll find a solution regardless. In the book, we gain much more insight into her thoughts. She’s portrayed as a timid, insecure young girl with hardly any self-confidence. This aspect isn’t explored as deeply in the film, which is why I was so surprised by how much effort the author put into showing just how little Sophie thought of herself.

Although lacking confidence isn’t necessarily a positive trait, I still admire Sophie. She may have needed a wicked witch to disrupt her life and spark some excitement, but from that moment on, she began to fight for herself. She stepped out of her comfort zone, figured out what she wanted, stuck her foot in the door and forced it open, invited herself in for breakfast, and made new friends along the way.

Even while undergoing her own transformation, she fought to protect her sisters, showing how much she values family, something many people take for granted. It’s not always easy to get along with family, and it’s even harder to put their happiness above your own. Sophie does this, albeit with some hesitation — and that’s what I love about her. She hesitates. She has the thought that helping her sister might come at the cost of her own happiness. She pauses. Then she chooses to help anyway. That hesitation, followed by action, makes her feel so human, and it’s what elevates her above other characters for me.

I wouldn’t say Sophie shaped me as a person, but she certainly had a strong influence. She showed me that it’s okay to hesitate, to be shy and unsure of yourself. Even those who are overlooked at first can have their moment, be pushed out of their comfort zone, and step into something greater.

Sophie taught me that it’s okay to be who I am — that I change constantly, and that change isn’t something to fear. She also taught me to hold tightly to the people I love, whether they’re far away or just in the next room.