Day 4 : Least Favourite Female Character (and why)

This was really tricky; mainly because the majority of characters happen to be male.

Now that I think about it, there are oh so many female characters I don't like. I'm not keen on Hermione for reasons I (irritatingly) can't quite pinpoint. I'm disappointed in Ginny because I think she could have been written a lot better than she was. Fleur was a walking cliché. Everyone hates Lavender. The Patil twins are hardly in it. I defy anyone not to be irritated by Trelawney. Petunia makes my blood boil but at least I am eventually presented with a reason for all her traits that rub me up the wrong way.

They are the female characters I dislike or don't warm to.

However, my dislike for all of the above is completely swamped by my hatred for this fluffy pink monster.

There's just something about Dolores Umbridge. Something that really antagonises me. I'd like to say that I hate her simply because she makes my favourite character's life hell or because she abuses Harry or because she is a bigoted, evil cow.

That's not true. That would make her interesting. In fact, all of the above are reasons I am very fond of Bellatrix Lestrange. 'What's the difference?' you may ask.

Well, Bellatrix is well written and developed. Bellatrix has reasons for doing what she does. They're not good reasons but they're hers and as a result, I can get inside her head and understand her a little better.

Umbitch is cruel for the sake of it. She seems to me to be like Filch left in solitude to go stark raving mad and then put on steroids. She has literally no redeeming traits. At least Bellatrix actually was mad. At least Bellatrix acted for the love of a man who she could never win the heart of but would die trying.

I am aware that a love of power is what drives Umbridge. I am aware that that also makes her a few psychos short of a medical unit. What I like about Bellatrix though is that she revels in it. She loves cruelty. Umbridge wears pink cardigans and collects china plates bearing the images of fluffy kittens. She lives in denial. She's a huge hypocrite and she hates Remus Lupin.

This makes me sound just as crazy and almost as much of a lunatic as she is but I suppose that's because I'm very straight-up and in your face. I'm more of a Bella than a Dolores.

That's excuse enough. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm off to shoot some kittens.