Top Five Characters that Share My Name

Today I thought I’d do a post all about characters with my name. After reading ‘Northanger Abbey’ by Jane Austen, I got thinking about other characters that share the name “Eleanor”- and there aren’t a lot!

Below are the top 5 characters from books I’ve read that share the name “Eleanor”

‘Eleanor and Park’ by Rainbow Rowell

I love this title character so much! This Eleanor is like me in that she is a bit clumsy, and she is very awkward. I love this about her character, and I think that her slight imperfections make her the perfect character for the book. The fact that Park is equally awkward makes their romance brilliant.

‘Eleanor The Queen’ by Norah Lofts

This is probably a cheat one! However, even though this character is based on Eleanor of Aquitaine, queen of both France and England, the book that I am talking about is a fictionalised account- and so technically she acts as a character for Norah Lofts.

I love Eleanor of Aquitaine, and I think her strength and power comes across so well in this book. Lofts follows Eleanor’s life when she is locked up by her husband, and her real inner strength and willpower comes through in this book.

‘Northanger Abbey’ by Jane Austen

I’m currently reading this book, and throughout probably the first half, one of the characters is referred to as ‘Miss Tilney’, as in the time Austen was writing, no one used their first names. But then suddenly her brother calls her by her first name- Eleanor!

So far, I really like the character of Eleanor Tilney. She seems pretty down-to-earth, still grieving the passing of her mother- and I love the way that she holds her own when having banter with her brother. I also despise the character of Isabella Thorpe in the novel, so I think Eleanor Tilney was a welcome change from the two-faced Isabella.

‘Sense and Sensibility’ by Jane Austen

I’ve never read ‘Sense and Sensibility’ by Jane Austen– but I’ve watched the film. One of the main women featured in the book is called Eleanor (spelt in this case different to me, as Elinor). She is the “sensible” sister of the family, and her character is interesting- but flawed.

I really liked this film. As always, there was a wealth of characters- do-gooders and wrong-doers- and I love the depth to Austen’s characters.

‘You Learn by Living’ by  Eleanor Roosevelt

Okay, so I know this one is a bit of a cheat as well, and I’ve not actually read this book yet. It is a non-fiction novel all about having courage in your convictions, and how to live a better life. I just think Eleanor Roosevelt was such an amazing woman, and the fact that she shares my name is particularly special.

Eleanor Roosevelt stood against many of the accepted rules of the 1930s and 1940s during her husband’s presidency, and she took part in events such as hosting a tea party for poor African American girls- in order to show the world the problems with the current system.

Unlike other first ladies, she stood against her husband on certain issues, choosing to stand against him when her opinion differed to his. All this shows her courage and gut, and makes her a strong and brilliant role model for girls and women today.

What do you think of the 5 characters that share my name? Have you read these books? What characters share your name?

Let me know all your thoughts in the comments below 🙂

Happy reading x