Welcome to our blog Girl Talk! with Arista Brozovich and Sam Poyner. In this blog we will be discussing some of our favorite complex female characters that are seen in film and television. We want to provide an outlet toward understanding these characters for their quirks and flaws, as opposed to dismissing them for their unconventionality. We believe that there isn’t enough recognition for complicated women in film/tv in comparison to men, so we feel it is important to shine a light on some characters we have grown to love, despite the choices they have made, whether we agree with them or not, because complex characters can’t exist without their own imperfections.
This week we will be focusing on the character, Carrie Bradshaw. This post will contain spoilers of Sex and The City
From the beginning of the HBO original hit series, Sex and The City, we see that Carrie Bradshaw lives a lavish lifestyle full of friends, fashion, and feuds. She is often accompanied by her best friends Miranda Hobbes, Samantha Jones, and Charlotte York, as she moves through the chaos of New York City one cigarette at a time. Carrie is known for her undeniable charm and wit, but also for her devotion to those closest to her, including her Manolo Blahniks high heels.
As a writer, she explores the world of sex and relationships, learning from her personal experiences, as well as her friends, by sharing her thoughts and questions in her weekly column titled, Sex and The City. Through this column we are introduced to her deepest reflections on the men of her life, the most prominent of all being Mr.Big.
In her time with Mr.Big, we see Carrie at her highest and lowest points. We see what she is willing to do for love, even if it hurts her, or unfortunately others, as the mysterious Mr.Big is known to keep her at arms length, despite his incontestable affections for Bradshaw.
Throughout all six seasons, Carrie and Mr. Big always find their way back to each other, despite every argument had about Big’s commitment issues, or Carrie’s possessiveness. So, We’ve found ourselves wondering, what makes these two always come back for more? Perhaps they’re showing us the long game, and how the right person can truly be in your life at the wrong time, and if you’re meant to be, they will find their way back to you. However, we (unfortunately) don’t believe this is why Carrie and Big always find their way back.
Let’s dissect this in tandem with Carrie and Aidan’s relationship. The two met shortly after her breakup with Mr. Big, and they had a healthy relationship for a few months. However, this changes when Carrie decides to cheat on Aidan with Mr. Big, even though she liked the stability of this relationship, as opposed to the guessing games she would play with Big. Then, after some time apart, she and Aidan get back together, and she seems ready to commit to the stable relationship, without any distractions, for the long haul, but still she couldn’t find it in herself to marry him. Now, any viewer in their right mind has been wondering how she could fathom giving up a relationship where there was mutual respect, trust, compromise, and understanding shown between the two of them. But Carrie’s heart just wasn’t in it, noting that these healthy behaviors she shared with Aidan, we never saw with Mr. Big.
Thus, we think that the appeal of Carrie and Big’s relationship isn’t necessarily the way they work together, but in the game itself that is what keeps them together. There is a lack of general understanding of what both of these characters want fundamentally for themselves. They don’t know if they do or don’t want to be married; if they do or don’t want the other. However, it seems that they both appreciate the fact that there will always be the other’s door to knock on. They both find comfort in the chaos, and when all else fails, they still have each other to be with. The appeal isn’t in the love they have for each other, but rather how well they know each other, and how often they had played the game by the end of the series, so they always return for more (even though we all wanted her to be with Aidan).
Aside from her relationships throughout the show, Carrie is an honest, and imaginative person, who has a strong sense of herself, and her independence. She is a strong, and truly empowering female character, whose life was being shown at a time where our culture was becoming more open to this kind of unashamed, fierce archetype of woman. Her oppositional identity traits, like being independent but reliant, honest but unaware, is what helps to create the beautifully complex character of Carrie Bradshaw.
Thank you for reading Girl Talk! We’ll see you for our next complex female character! 
Arista Brozovich – Poetry Editor & Blogger: Arista is a Junior at Lewis University. She is currently working towards obtaining her Bachelor’s degree in English Studies, with a concentration in general writing. From there, she wishes to continue her studies into a Master’s degree, and hopefully earn a career in editing. She hopes to improve upon her writing and editorial skills while at Lewis to apply in her future career. When not in class, she can be found listening to music, reading, or writing, or at her job as a barista!
Sami Poyner – Poetry Editor & Blogger: Sami is a junior at Lewis University majoring in English with a concentration in Writing. While studying at Lewis, she hopes to expand her creative and professional writing skills. When she isn’t at school, she works part time at her local Menards. She also enjoys painting, listening to Harry Styles, and watching movies and tv. Some of her favorites to watch are That 70’s Show, Good Will Hunting, and Spider-Man: Far From Home.