Granny Weatherwax - Personality

Personality

Granny Weatherwax has a near-unshakeable belief in her own abilities, which has thus far proved accurate, and an extreme distrust of stories. She was intended by nature to be a "wicked witch" but, at an early age, realised she had to be "the good one" to balance her sister, Lily (Lilith). Ironically Lily, who became a fairy godmother, was convinced she was the good one, because she gave people what she thought they should want. Granny Weatherwax, however, gives people what she knows they really need. Witches themselves seem hesitant to use "bad" or "good" as descriptors, especially when discussing very powerful witches; as Pratchett would put it: being Good (with a capital G) and Right (with a capital R) doesn't necessarily make one Nice (with a capital N), and Granny isn't (Nice, that is). Granny prefers to be respected, and if that is tinged with an element of fear, so be it. And except for those who know her well, such as Nanny Ogg, Magrat Garlick, Agnes Nitt, and Tiffany Aching, people do respect and/or fear her rather than like her. However, very young children seem unintimidated by her because of a reputation that she won't intentionally harm them. People in Lancre know that she will always come when they need her and do her best for them, because that is Right (with a capital R).

Granny appreciates practicality and hard work over the bells and whistles of so-called "magick". She intensely dislikes witches such as Letice Earwig, who dabble in chants, pendants, and crystals. She claimed she would have liked to have met Tiffany's grandmother, Granny Aching, likely because she never claimed to be anything more than a shepherd despite commanding all the respect and power of a witch.

Granny Weatherwax feels little need for personal possessions and keeps most of them in a single wooden box. This box is known to contain a few keepsakes, including a bundle of letters (some, or all, of which are believed to be from a young Mustrum Ridcully) and a phoenix feather in a glass bottle. However, the citizens of Lancre also believe it contains the secrets of the universe, a neverending fortune in gold or a small universe. Granny has done little to discourage these rumours. Aside from these, her only other notable possessions are a clock that she inherited from her mother and a silver tea service with a cream jug in the shape of a humorous cow (later melted down to make horseshoes for a Unicorn during the events of Lords and Ladies).

It has been said that Granny Weatherwax bears some similarity to Sam Vimes, and Susan Sto Helit. All three are effectively 'good' characters, who exert a rigid control over the darkness inside themselves, which they secretly fear but (crucially to their characters) are able to conquer.

According to The Pratchett Portfolio her typical saying is: 'I can't be having with that kind of thing'. Unlike most 'typical sayings' in the 'Folio, it is actually recorded that Granny says this, or at least Nanny Ogg says something very similar when she pretends to be Granny while briefly taking over the role of...the other one, due to Granny's temporary retirement and Agnes and Count de Magpyr saying or hearing it in their heads whilst under the influence of fragments of her mind, as well as Granny saying it whilst unconscious at exactly the same moment as the count doing so, in Carpe Jugulum.

Quote: "Don't do what you will, do what I tells you."