Lady Business

That's funny - I've only seen themovie, never read the book! We'll have to trade someday :D. I wonder if par tof the reason that the whole trope is more common is because part of the poignancy of these stories is that, in the end, the world is too much and the manic pixie dream girl dies - and the character has this subconscious struggle that they couldn't protect them. That protectiveness is a power structure much more acceptable in the man to woman way, culturally, than in the reverse. Women are not encouraged to protect men. Protection is one of the last remnants of old-fashioned chivalry (for better or worse). I wonder if 'My Girl' would fit this category, though?