Leslie Burke

Leslie Burke is a character in the film Bridge to Terabithia, based on the book by Katherine Paterson¹. She is an intelligent, creative, courageous and kind girl, who becomes friends with Jesse Aarons and creates an imaginary world called Terabithia with him². Leslie Burke's personality can be described in detail and at length as follows:

• Intelligent: Leslie is an exemplary student, who likes to read, write and learn new things. She demonstrates a good vocabulary, good reasoning ability and curiosity about the world. She is also able to solve problems and help others with their academic or personal challenges. For example, she helps Jesse improve his writing and self-esteem, and also helps Janice Avery, the school bully, deal with her family problems².
• Creative: Leslie has a very fertile imagination, which leads her to invent stories, characters, scenarios and adventures. She is responsible for creating Terabithia, a fantasy kingdom where she and Jesse are king and queen, and where they face monsters, witches, giants and other magical creatures. She also likes to express her creativity through her appearance, her style and her clothes. She doesn't care about other people's opinions about her way of being, and is proud of her originality²³.
• Courageous: Leslie is a girl who is not afraid to face her fears, her obstacles and her enemies. She is able to defend herself and her friends from school bullies such as Scott Hoager and Gary Fulcher. She is also able to venture into unknown places, such as the forest where Terabithia is located, and overcome the dangers she encounters there. She is a natural leader, who inspires Jesse to be more confident and bold. She is also courageous to express her feelings and opinions, even if they are different from others².
• Kind-hearted: Leslie is a girl who has a big heart, who cares about others and who tries to do good. She is a loyal friend, who supports Jesse in his dreams and in his difficulties. She is also a loving daughter, who has a good relationship with her parents, who are writers. She is generous, sharing her books, her toys and her gifts with Jesse and his family. She is also understanding, forgiving of others' mistakes and trying to help them become better people. She is a girl who values life, nature and freedom.