Katie Scarlett

Everyone knows Scarlett O'Hara. Most people would say she's a bitch...and they wouldn't be wrong. She's also a brilliantly crafted character.

Scarlett's driving force in life is pride - a pride that makes her cutthroat, and, on occasion, manifests itself in more human ways. Proud of her beauty, proud of her ability to make men grovel, she craves validation rather than affection, and she's the sort of girl who puts her teeth into a challenge. Ashley won't love her, and she doesn't love him so much as she needs to achieve the unachievable. Rhett does love her, but he can't be manipulated - loving him would do nothing to prove her craftiness, and thus we are left with my favorite pairing of all time.

One of my favorite things about Scarlett is that her great character flaw is the one thing that gives her the mettle to survive when so many others would have wept into their skirts. She's too proud to go hungry, too proud to leave Mellie to fend for herself, too proud to admit that Tara can't be refurbished to its original splendor, too proud to beg Rhett for money, even if it means tearing down her mother's drapes and turning them into one of film's most iconic dresses.

I could go on for pages and pages, but this is the abridged version. Scarlett is a bitch, and she's one helluva strong woman. But never mistake bitchiness for strength. Scarlett is a complicated combination of traits that make her human, and make her difficult to label.

My mom made me - MADE me - her green drapery dress for Halloween one year when I was little. I had the hoop skirt, the tassels, the little hat and everything. And no one knew who I was supposed to be. A sad, sad day for literature it was.