Roald Dahl’s Matilda tells the story of a young girl of great intellectual ability who is born into a family that does not understand her.

From the time she is small, Matilda suffers neglect and ill-treatment at the hands of the people who should love her more than anyone.

In her isolation at home, she develops a love for knowledge. She spends her early years cultivating her intellectual capabilities.

When she starts school, she develops an immediate rapport with her teacher, Miss Honey. Together they work to take back control of their school from the evil principal Miss Trunchbull.

Along the way, Matilda discovers what it means to have friends you can count on. She also discovers that sometimes you aren’t born into your true family. Sometimes, you pick your family.

Matilda also discovers that she has telekinetic powers, and she uses them to help Miss Honey set things right at the school. Once everything is in order and Matilda is finally enjoying the sort of education that challenges her, she finds her powers have disappeared.

What makes Matilda a particularly good role model — not just for young girls, but for anyone, really — is her independent spirit.

This is a girl who thinks for herself and follows her own path. She doesn’t change who she is to accommodate the people who don’t understand what a gifted person she is.

Matilda actively seeks to better herself and her situation in life. Rather than accept the unfortunate circumstances she has been born into, she makes an active choice to improve her lot.

That’s incredibly empowering.

So often, people adopt a defeatist attitude when times are tough or things aren’t going their way. They accept their lot because they feel as if they have no choice.

Matilda shows that there is always a choice. If she had never found the inner strength to pick up that first book, her life would have turned out very different.

She also teaches us that, if you are true to who you are, the right people will see your value and they will love you just for being yourself.

Note: Obviously, March is almost over. But, Women’s History Month will continue, as far as this blog is concerned. So stay tuned!