I would hope by now that all of you are familiar with Louisa May Alcott`s Little Women. A film adaptation came out December of 2019 and I saw it because Emma Watson, Saorise Ronan, and Timothee Chalamet are cast in it and I simply adore all of them.
All of that being said, during quarantine I decided to listen to the audiobook which both increased my love for the film, and surprised me with a deep respect, and profound admiration and love for the novel.
Here is a little summary/recap, set in the picturesque town of Concord, Massachusetts during the American Civil War, it tells the tale of four sisters, and a devoted mother. Meg, the eldest and traditional, Jo March, the second eldest and tomboyish, Beth, the second youngest and extraordinarily selfless, and Amy the youngest and a bit high-strung. I broach this subject because I`ve decided and accepted that I am Jo March.
You see, Jo March is a writer, tomboy, and dreams of traveling and defying everything society tells her she should be, and making enough money so her family can live comfortably. Definitely ahead of her time and very aware of that, but beneath her rather hard exterior Josephine March is a passionate thinker, and a deeply loving soul. She is worried about keeping her family together in the midst of financial hardships, their father away at war, and all of her sisters being out in society. Jo also wrestles with her own loneliness and pressure placed on her by herself to take care of her family. Now, there are so many more and amazing reasons I identify so deeply with her but I would urge you to read the book if you haven`t already, as I could never do Ms. Alcott justice with all of my mindless babbling.
Throughout my newfound, deep love of this story, I have heard it described as a sacred text by Greta Gerwig, the director of the December 2019 adaptation and I can`t help but agree, but not in the traditional sense of the word sacred, in terms of religion at least, more of a deeper version of the word special.
Among my identity in Jo March, it raises the idea that in a lot of ways all of the March girls represent some aspect of personality, among Alcott`s other incredible characters in the novel. Everyone can identify with them. I raise that because I can`t talk about Little Women without talking about some of the other characters.
Marmee: the backbone, matriarch of the March family. She represents exactly the kind of mother, wife, and woman I strive to be as well as have had the pleasure of seeing represented in all of the strong women in my life.
Meg: The eldest and most traditional of the March sisters, she represents that it`s completely okay for women to yearn for things you don`t have and want to become a homemaker and dedicate yourself to building your own beautiful home.
Laurie: Called “Teddy” by Jo, represents how valuable it is to for women to have a male best friend who sees and accepts you for who you are. Yes, he falls in love with Jo, who doesn`t reciprocate, but if you`ve read and watched, he finds love elsewhere. Laurie also represents spontaneity and a sense of adventure with a knack for trouble and fun. A non-romantic soulmate to Jo if you will.
Amy: The youngest of the March women. Amy is a creative soul, who yearns for more than the cards she and her family have been dealt. Sometimes to the annoyance of her sisters. Amy gets the opportunity to travel to Europe with her Aunt and study art. As the novel progresses we see her step into her own and carry herself with grace and confidence, which is groundbreaking for her time in history.
And lastly, sweet, kind, and gentle Beth, the second youngest of the March sisters who constantly puts others before herself. She represents how beautiful and graceful kindness is whilst also highlighting the importance of self-care and boundaries because, you can`t pour from an empty glass. An incredible talent at piano and music, she really only lived to make others happy and represents how damaging that can be.I firmly believe that in a lot of ways the world needs a little more of Beth, and to not be afraid of being a Beth to some of your friends who may share her kind of selfless tendencies. She deserves so much more, and reminds me a lot of some of my friends.
It`s fair to say, that this is my longest post thus far, so thank you for reading through it all and reaching this point, I appreciate it more than you will ever know. So for now, I say I`ll see you in the next post.
Best,
Maggie
A Beautiful Mess 