Top 10 Tuesday: Fictional Old People
Today is a special day in my family: it's both my grandmothers' birthday. In honor of that, I wanted to do a top 10 fictional grandparents post, but given the shortage of fictional grandparents that came to mind, I expanded the post to include non-grandparent characters who are also in a mentoring/parental relationship with characters who are at least 1 generation younger than they are.
The original Disney #GrandmaGoals, Grandma Fa is the old person many of us aspire to be. She speaks her mind, isn't afraid to sass off about the ancestors' lack of luck ("They're dead."), and loves her family deeply.
The Disney #GrandmaGoals of the latest generation, Tala isn't afraid of her reputation as the village crazy lady. In fact, she embraces it. She's also the village's storyteller, passing on her knowledge of her people's history and culture to the younger generations. She doesn't let Moana forget her past or her destiny, and she does it with verve and heart to match any grandmother out there.
The real reason I couldn't leave this list at just grandparents, Iroh is one of the best characters in the Avatar universe. He is wise, but not incapable of being foolish for those he loves. He is strong, but finds his strength in wisdom rather than force. He cares for his nephew when no one else sees anything of value in Zuko. And even when things look bleakest, he still has hope for the future.
Though they are old, unmarried siblings hoping to adopt a boy who can help Matthew around the farm, Matthew and Marilla rise to the occasion when they're sent red-headed Anne by mistake. Matthew takes to Anne right away, treating her like the daughter he never had. Marilla, once she accepts the idea of Anne's eccentric personality being a fixture at Green Gables, does much the same. By the end of the first story, you can't imagine Anne without Matthew and Marilla, or them without her. Their love for one another is as strong as can be.
Fun fact: Galadriel is actually Arwen's grandmother. In addition to her other duties as one of the most powerful Elves in Middle-earth, she takes an interest in her grandchild's romantic prospects. She gives Aragorn hope (for himself and for his future) when the Fellowship passes through Lorien. She makes certain that they have what they need in order to live long and happy lives together. (The fact that she also gives Frodo a gift that saves the quest to destroy the Ring doesn't hurt matters, either.)
While Gandalf is not (as far as Tolkien ever stated) a parent or grandparent, his interest in Bilbo, Frodo, and the younger hobbits of the story gives him a place on this list. Heart-wrenching memes connecting Fili and Kili with Merry and Pippin aside, Gandalf truly cares about his small charges; for proof, look no further than the snarky, "If you don't like my burglar, at least don't damage him!" in The Hobbit or his restrained anger at the Mouth of Sauron's words in The Return of the King. He may be a grumpy old wizard, but he's our grumpy old wizard.
Professor Kirke at first seems to be just another minor character in the backdrop of the Pevensies' journey into Narnia. But as the later book reveal, he maintains his connection with the four siblings, tutoring Peter for his exams and making sure the friends of Narnia are able to get together for moral support. He treats them like family and takes an interest in their educations. He becomes more like Uncle Digory than the Professor by the end.
If McGonagall is not your favorite Hogwarts professor, we may need to have a discussion. She's stern and sassy and cares deeply about her students, their wellbeing, and their education. She does not tolerate foolishness (looking at you, Gilderoy Lockhart), or incompetence (*cough*Umbridge*cough*). Also, she can turn into a cat. And she's portrayed by the incomparable Dame Maggie Smith. Why wouldn't she be one of your favorite old people?
Before I knew of McGonagall's existence, I had been introduced to Ninny Threadgoode. She is not the hardcore, defending Hogwarts with statuary type old person that McGonagall is. Instead, she is an older woman who takes the time to help a younger (than her) woman through some self-searching difficulties in her life. She isn't above stating the obvious and expressing concern, and she has her own insecurities to deal with. But Ninny is not a ninny. She's a faithful, caring person who doesn't stop caring just because life gets hard and things change.
This entry probably comes from the most unknown story on this list. Willy the Sparrow is an animated film from the '90s about a boy who likes to scare and torment the animals around him. As punishment, he's turned into a sparrow to see life from their perspective. One of the characters who helps him on his way is an older sparrow named Cipur. Cipur loves knowledge and the resourcefulness of humans, so much so that he'd love to be human. He's cranky and not always the most patient, but he cares deeply about those around him. It is a testament to his love of knowledge and others that when he feels betrayed by Willy and turns his back on the boy, Willy refuses to let Cipur make an even bigger mistake and helps the old sparrow get home despite the storm threatening to ground them both. Cipur, like my own grandfather, leaves his charges with the ideal to "never stop learning." And that makes him worthy of this list.
Who are some of your favorite grandparents, mentors, and other "old people"? Let me know in the comments!
Grandma Fa (Mulan)
The original Disney #GrandmaGoals, Grandma Fa is the old person many of us aspire to be. She speaks her mind, isn't afraid to sass off about the ancestors' lack of luck ("They're dead."), and loves her family deeply.
Gramma Tala (Moana)
The Disney #GrandmaGoals of the latest generation, Tala isn't afraid of her reputation as the village crazy lady. In fact, she embraces it. She's also the village's storyteller, passing on her knowledge of her people's history and culture to the younger generations. She doesn't let Moana forget her past or her destiny, and she does it with verve and heart to match any grandmother out there.
Uncle Iroh (Avatar: The Last Airbender)
The real reason I couldn't leave this list at just grandparents, Iroh is one of the best characters in the Avatar universe. He is wise, but not incapable of being foolish for those he loves. He is strong, but finds his strength in wisdom rather than force. He cares for his nephew when no one else sees anything of value in Zuko. And even when things look bleakest, he still has hope for the future.
Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert (Anne of Green Gables)
Though they are old, unmarried siblings hoping to adopt a boy who can help Matthew around the farm, Matthew and Marilla rise to the occasion when they're sent red-headed Anne by mistake. Matthew takes to Anne right away, treating her like the daughter he never had. Marilla, once she accepts the idea of Anne's eccentric personality being a fixture at Green Gables, does much the same. By the end of the first story, you can't imagine Anne without Matthew and Marilla, or them without her. Their love for one another is as strong as can be.
Galadriel (The Lord of the Rings)
Fun fact: Galadriel is actually Arwen's grandmother. In addition to her other duties as one of the most powerful Elves in Middle-earth, she takes an interest in her grandchild's romantic prospects. She gives Aragorn hope (for himself and for his future) when the Fellowship passes through Lorien. She makes certain that they have what they need in order to live long and happy lives together. (The fact that she also gives Frodo a gift that saves the quest to destroy the Ring doesn't hurt matters, either.)
Gandalf (The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings)
While Gandalf is not (as far as Tolkien ever stated) a parent or grandparent, his interest in Bilbo, Frodo, and the younger hobbits of the story gives him a place on this list. Heart-wrenching memes connecting Fili and Kili with Merry and Pippin aside, Gandalf truly cares about his small charges; for proof, look no further than the snarky, "If you don't like my burglar, at least don't damage him!" in The Hobbit or his restrained anger at the Mouth of Sauron's words in The Return of the King. He may be a grumpy old wizard, but he's our grumpy old wizard.
Professor Digory Kirke (The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe)
Professor Kirke at first seems to be just another minor character in the backdrop of the Pevensies' journey into Narnia. But as the later book reveal, he maintains his connection with the four siblings, tutoring Peter for his exams and making sure the friends of Narnia are able to get together for moral support. He treats them like family and takes an interest in their educations. He becomes more like Uncle Digory than the Professor by the end.
Professor Minerva McGonagall (The Harry Potter books)
If McGonagall is not your favorite Hogwarts professor, we may need to have a discussion. She's stern and sassy and cares deeply about her students, their wellbeing, and their education. She does not tolerate foolishness (looking at you, Gilderoy Lockhart), or incompetence (*cough*Umbridge*cough*). Also, she can turn into a cat. And she's portrayed by the incomparable Dame Maggie Smith. Why wouldn't she be one of your favorite old people?
Ninny Threadgoode (Fried Green Tomatoes)
Before I knew of McGonagall's existence, I had been introduced to Ninny Threadgoode. She is not the hardcore, defending Hogwarts with statuary type old person that McGonagall is. Instead, she is an older woman who takes the time to help a younger (than her) woman through some self-searching difficulties in her life. She isn't above stating the obvious and expressing concern, and she has her own insecurities to deal with. But Ninny is not a ninny. She's a faithful, caring person who doesn't stop caring just because life gets hard and things change.
Cipur (Willy the Sparrow)
This entry probably comes from the most unknown story on this list. Willy the Sparrow is an animated film from the '90s about a boy who likes to scare and torment the animals around him. As punishment, he's turned into a sparrow to see life from their perspective. One of the characters who helps him on his way is an older sparrow named Cipur. Cipur loves knowledge and the resourcefulness of humans, so much so that he'd love to be human. He's cranky and not always the most patient, but he cares deeply about those around him. It is a testament to his love of knowledge and others that when he feels betrayed by Willy and turns his back on the boy, Willy refuses to let Cipur make an even bigger mistake and helps the old sparrow get home despite the storm threatening to ground them both. Cipur, like my own grandfather, leaves his charges with the ideal to "never stop learning." And that makes him worthy of this list.
Who are some of your favorite grandparents, mentors, and other "old people"? Let me know in the comments!
My first thought was Mr. Miyagi from Karate Kid. Uncle Iroh is an essential figure on this list!
ReplyDeleteMr. Miyagi would be a good one!
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