When Carrie Fisher was cast as Princess Leia in the 1977 film “Star Wars,” she was a 19-year-old with no idea that her character would come to mean so much for so many. “You’re not just an actor in this movie,” Ms. Fisher said, “you’re a diplomat to a country you didn’t know existed.”

Leia proved especially meaningful to female fans, who found their own new hope in Ms. Fisher’s portrayal of the lone woman at the center of the action. Few movies showcased heroines who showed more guts and ingenuity than many of the men around her. Girls got a new uniform, too — instead of putting on a tiara and waving a wand, this princess wrapped her hair into a couple of practical buns and held a blaster in her hand.

Over the past 40 years, generations of female “Star Wars” fans have made the character their own, using her image and example as a tool in their own lives.

In commemoration of Ms. Fisher’s life, we asked readers to share what she and Leia have meant to them, and the lessons from the character that they will carry on. Here are their edited responses.