 |
| Source: Screencrush.com |
For most of the show's run, she serves as Deputy Director of the Parks and Recreation Department of the fictional city of Pawnee, Indiana. An over-achiever, Knope believes the government should serve the people.
The character has evolved greatly over the seasons, initially portrayed by Poehler as an exaggerated scatterbrain before gradually shifting to a more subtle performance. Poehler's performance as Knope has been nominated for several awards, winning a 2014 Golden Globe.
Character Information
First appearance• "Pilot"
Last appearance
• "One Last Ride"
Portrayed by
• Amy Poehler
Occupation
• President of the United States (Implied)
• Governor of Indiana
• Deputy Director of Operations at United States Department of Interior
• Regional Director of National Park Service Midwest Region
• City Councilor
• Deputy Director of the Pawnee City Department of Parks and Recreation
Family
• Marlene Griggs-Knope (mother)
• Robert Knope (father, deceased)
Spouse
• Ben Wyatt
Children
• Wesley Knope-Wyatt (son)
• Stephen Knope-Wyatt (son)
• Sonia Knope-Wyatt (daughter)
Nationality
• American
Character Overview
 |
| Source: Bustle.com |
Knope was born on January 18, 1975 (S4: E3) in Eagleton, Indiana due to a raccoon infestation in Pawnee, and has lived in Pawnee, Indiana since infancy.
According to the show's timeline, her father died in 1985 (S5: E14). She was inspired to pursue a life of public service by the community programs she enjoyed as a child.
While attending Pawnee North High School she served as Co-Vice President of the student body and participated in several student organizations including the Model United Nations, Debate Club, Mock Trial, Young Republicans, Young Democrats and Young Independents, which she founded.
She graduated in the top five percent of her high school class and summa cum laude from Indiana University's School of Public and Environmental Affairs (SPEA).
In the first three seasons, Leslie is the Deputy in Pawnee's Parks and Recreation Department, a mid-level bureaucratic position; in season 4, she successfully campaigns to become a member of the city council.
In her role as Deputy Director she serves on several committees, including the Equal Opportunity Committee, the Fun in the Sun Committee, the Clean Restroom Task Force, the Handicapped Restroom Task Force, and the Task Force to Reduce the Number of Public Restrooms.
She hopes to improve her town and to advance her career (possibly aiming to become the City Manager). She has also stated her ultimate goal of becoming the first female President of the United States.
Knope proudly displays in her office images of Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden, Madeleine Albright, Condoleezza Rice, Dianne Feinstein, Janet Reno, Nancy Pelosi, and Larry Bird.
Leslie also has a love for sweets, especially waffles (which she frequently orders in large quantities at J.J.'s Diner) and whipped cream, which she puts on coffee, waffles, etc.
On November 10, 2016 a member of the Parks and Recreation's writing staff wrote an open letter for Vox from the fictional character Leslie Knope on the election results.
Character Personality
Leslie Knope is extremely cheerful, ambitious, hard-working and optimistic. She is firmly committed to the belief that government should provide a service for its people, and regularly goes above and beyond for the benefits of Pawnee's residents — a belief that regularly clashes with her superior Ron Swanson, a staunch libertarian who feels all government should be dissolved and privatized.Although somewhat naive at times, she is intelligent, well-read, and has good intentions, but is not always successful in executing her goals.
She repeatedly tries to put a positive spin on failure, even to the point that she will occasionally distort the truth in her own view. For example, she does not get discouraged by angry residents who complain or yell during her public forums, but instead prefers to think of them as "people caring loudly at me".
Many of her co-workers do not share her enthusiasm, but Leslie commands their respect nonetheless. Her ambition occasionally annoys her colleagues and leads to ribbing against her, especially from her subordinate Tom Haverford.
She has an outsized love for the waffles at a local diner and her best friend, Ann Perkins, as well as an untempered hatred for public libraries, salads, and the wealthy neighboring town of Eagleton—which Leslie found out, to her sheer horror, was actually her birthplace instead of Pawnee.
Leslie views herself as a budding political star in the style of Hillary Clinton, Nancy Pelosi, and Condoleezza Rice. She has been widely lauded as a positive figure for advancing gender equality and feminism because she represents a strong woman who encourages others to empower themselves and support the women around them.
Although she is shown to be running for the city council as an independent, she joins the Democratic Party at some point, as she is approached by "Janet from the DNC" about a potential gubernatorial bid in the final season.
Related to Parks and Recreation
• How Many Seasons Of Parks and Recreation• List of Parks and Recreation Characters
• List of Parks and Recreation Episodes
• Ann Perkins from Parks and Recreation
• Tom Haverford from Parks and Recreation
• April Ludgate from Parks and Recreation
Article Source: Wikipedia
