Being the youngest sibling can be simultaneously the best and the worst all at once. Then add being the youngest
sister, and the play is set—sit back and let the drama unfold.
In honor of National Siblings Day, I am paying tribute to the famous literary
sisters. These women taught me everything I know about the important things in life. You know, like being mom and dad’s (secret) favorite, hiding in wardrobes, journaling, and of course, making sure my sisters see their exes at every family gathering for the rest of time.
Okay, okay—maybe not the last one, but what is it about being the youngest? As the youngest of seven kids, I get it. The family baby is entitled to nothing, eternally seated at the kids table, and an expert in self-entertainment. We are always the token middle seat occupant (not my fault the bucket seats were already “claimed”
before I was born). No wonder youngest siblings have a reputation for being vain and selfish.
Youngest sisters, both IRL and in literature, are in an uphill battle to prove themselves. Street cred is hard to come by, but the girls below all display a certain creativity and tenacity in their journey that only comes from being at the bottom of the sibling totem pole.
Famous Literary Sisters: Babes of the Family edition
Amy March of Louisa May Alcott’s
Little Women is a great starting point – not because she is my personal favorite. She also somehow encapsulates the full range of youngest sister complexes. Vain. Selfish. Spoiled. Defiant. She feels older than she is because she only ever hangs out with older humans. However, she still gets pigeon-holed into the role of the immature little sister who isn’t old enough to understand romance, heartache, loneliness, and rejection.
Everyone @ Amy.
While her sisters are busy thinking she’s forever frozen in time as a 12-year-old, she grabs life by the horns! She grows up, travels the world, flourishes into a sophisticated and educated young woman, and wait for it… Marries her sister’s ex! I’m not saying that it’s the best way to get people’s attention, but also, you go, sister!
Okay, raise your hand if you
also think Lydia Bennet is the worst. Jane Austen’s
Pride and Prejudice would be incomplete without her, but girlfriend has zero redeeming qualities IMO. Like Amy, she is also selfish, lacks self-awareness, is a terrible judge of character, and basically lives up to every negative stereotype possible for a youngest sibling. Unlike Amy, however, Lydia never progresses past these unbecoming traits. Sister just takes and takes and takes.
Even so, she is still her mother’s favorite child and consistently gets all sorts of special treatment. And did I mention that she also marries her sister’s ex? So, further proof youngest sisters can basically get away with murder.
Without Lucy Pevensie, C.S. Lewis’s
The Chronicles of Narnia would just be a short story about four siblings playing hide and seek. The end. However, Lucy’s fateful decision to hide in the wardrobe completely changes the lives of the Pevensie children. Then, classic younger child problem: she discovers a magical kingdom and her siblings don't believe her! Even after following her into the Wardrobe and seeing Naria himself, Edmund dismisses Lucy’s story as the silly imaginings of a little girl. He saw it! With his eyeballs! In the end, Lucy’s continued determination and courage ends the age White Witch and the Long Winter, ushers in a new Golden Age, and transforms the lives of all three of her siblings forever. Youngest sister FTW!
Ginny Weasley of the Harry Potter series
The woman. The myth. The legend. An article about siblings would be incomplete with mention of a Weasley, and it just so happens that J.K. Rowling gave us an amazing youngest sister in Ginevra Molly Weasley *Potter*. Ginny displays some of the best youngest sibling traits – she’s independent, compassionate,
brave, and confident, with a mind of her own. Her strength and competency sometimes seems to come as a surprise to the rest of her family
(don’t know what that’s like), especially her doting but over-protective Mrs. Weasley
(wouldn’t know anything about that). Ginny also taught us that the best way to cope with having a major crush on your brother’s best friend is to get a good journal, write all your feelings, and lure said crush into a secret underground to save you from a murder snake. And then get married eventually. Obviously.
Happy siblings day! Who are your favorite literary sisters?
Grace is part of our stellar Corporate Comms team, which is like dress code but for your words. She likes Justin Bieber
and Sebastian Bach, because life is about balance. She likes reading cookbooks, watching cooking shows, and sometimes actually cooking.
HarperCollins Christian Publishing, Inc., operates Page Chaser. HarperCollins Christian Publishing, Inc., is owned by HarperCollins Publishing, Inc., the publisher of Little Women, Pride and Prejudice, and The Chronicles of Narnia.
