Leslie Knope, An Archetype

Recently, while I was proofreading my students' English essays about archetypes, I came across a familiar and favorite character of mine- Leslie Knope from Parks and Recreation (my favorite show!). SNL alum Amy Poehler portrays Leslie Knope, the heroine in the series.

Archetypes are recurring and universal themes, symbols, and characters in literary works, films, and television shows. They are the characters we remember from listening to stories and tales, having been passed down from generations.

We are fully aware of the male hero, the loyal sidekick, the villain, and the "damsel in distress." According to thousands of years of storytelling, female characters have been symbolized as the helpless and weak; they were always in danger and in need of being rescued by the male heroes. If females were to stand up for themselves, they are not viewed as assertive or heroic, but instead as sassy and feisty.

This progressive archetype is breaking barriers and stereotypes. Leslie Knope is one character positively advocating for women globally.

The heroine is the female protagonist.

Leslie Knope in Parks and Recreation (Google Images)

I was extremely thrilled my student chose this archetype and Leslie as the example. She is, without a doubt, one of my personal heroes.

One aspect I discussed with my student, which she included in her final draft, was the portrayal of men and women in Parks & Rec. For example, Leslie is a diligent overachiever. She does have the love, support, and help of her family and friends. Ben, her boyfriend later hubby, helps her campaign when she runs for office. But Leslie is not useless; she is the opposite, as she can single-handedly accomplish anything without the assistance of others. Her opponent, Bobby Newport (another hilarious character portrayed by Paul Rudd) was the exact opposite of Leslie- incompetent, uninformed, lost, unmotivated, and childlike. Clueless Bobby needs his campaign manager, Jen, to help him the majority of the time. Jen is another strong female role. She demonstrates no weakness and the need to settle down as she lives her life in the manner she desires.

Besides the behaviors and actions of these two candidates in season four, anyone watching this show can easily identify the men (except Ron Swanson) as pathetic and useless. Meanwhile, the women, although greatly underappreciated, are intelligent and stupendous. These male characters include Andy, Tom, and Garry/Jerry/Larry/Terry. They appear to be helpless and klutzy. Whereas Donna and April were powerful, assertive, dominant, and at times, scary.

Female lead characters have always appeared in film and literature. However, these female characters were often portrayed negatively. I will not name any particular roles but these iconic fictional characters were clumsy, weak, and still needed a man (usually their husbands) to help them fix the errors they had caused earlier. This new heroine archetype is profound and does not need a male (or anyone) saving them.

Heroines are empowering, thanks to Leslie Knope and other female leading characters, such as the Thirteenth Doctor (Doctor Who), Hermione Granger, Captain Marvel, and Jo March. It is time for female characters to be viewed equally.

#LeslieKnope #ParksandRec #ParksandRecreation #WomenEmpowerment #Votes4Leslie #Knope2020