American literature....strong female characters?

Question

Okay so i am doing an american lit paper about how strong female characters seem to die alot like in the last of the mohicans, cora dies, then in blithesdale romance zenobia dies, in the great gatsby myrtle gets killed...where as in books by female authors like jane austen (i know not american but still) the strong female character lives happily ever after...most of the time that is...
MY QUESTION IS....
Can you help me find at least two more pre 1960 books by american male authors where a strong female character either dies or has something terribly bad happen to them???

PLEASE AND THANKYOU ....YOU WOULD BE A LIFESAVER!!!!

Answer 1

Best Answer - Chosen by Voters

April Wheeler in Richard Yates excellent novel (not so excellent film) suffers a pretty horrendous death, but that is 1961.

Anne Frank is a good character - but not American..

Edith Wharton's Lily Bart (America's answer to Jane Austen?) is also a great character who dies in House of Mirth... but that would be a female author...

I suppose the strongest female protagonist in American lit: Scarlett O'Hara is the exception to the rule, but Melanie Wilkes - if you can argue that she IS a strong character - would be another good choice.

I haven't been of much help, but I hope you have ideas spinning.

Answer 2

The African Queen
Gone With The Wind