Dragonsong

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes descriptions of animal death, bullying, mental illness, gender discrimination, child abuse, physical abuse, emotional abuse, and death.

Menolly is the novella’s main character. The “tall and lanky” (1) girl is 14 when the story begins and 15 by the end. One of her primary traits is her creativity. An unappreciated musical prodigy, Menolly can “play any instrument as well as the old Harper” (1), and she composes her own songs as well. Because of her parent’s misogynistic and oppressive beliefs, she finds her life at Half-Circle stifling, and she is deeply curious about the world beyond the Sea Hold’s confines. For example, her mind teems with questions about the fire lizards after her first encounter with them, and she muses, “Did fire lizards really understand people, even when they kept away from them?” (65). 

Menolly proves herself to be independent and resourceful by fleeing from Half-Circle and building a new life for herself among the fire lizards. Later, during her time at Benden Weyr, many people want to know the “secret” that allows her to bond with nine fire lizards, but she explains that the creatures flock to her simply because she is “affectionate and kind” (178).