Pippy longstocking
By Charlotte Stace
At this festive time of year, the CCCB recovers two episodes of Pippi Longstocking set at Christmas, based on the stories written by Astrid Lindgren in the 40s.
In recent years, the feminist movement has salvaged this classic childhood series and its mischievous protagonist for their cause. And no wonder! While the vast majority of princesses in films and children’s series of the last century were completely dependent on the love of their prince, Pippi showed that you didn’t need a man’s validation to be happy. Quite the opposite; she showed that happiness can emerge when we question the established norms.
Sleeping with her feet on the pillow, having superhuman strength, living under the same roof as a monkey and a horse, and always wearing a patched dress and mismatched stockings are small actions that show us that Pippi’s essence lies not just in her iconic plaits, but in going against what is considered the done thing.