Little Women: A Review
Photo from IMDB.com
When I was a kid, everyone knew I loved to read, so I received books every Christmas and every birthday. One Christmas I received two books from the Great Illustrated Classics series: Black Beauty by Anna Sewell and Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. I can't say I remember much about Black Beauty, but I do remember paging through Little Women and the illustrations on every other page. I remember reading captions like "Oh no, what has Jo done with her hair" and "Amy meets Laurie." I remember reading the book over and over again (alongside all those Baby Sitters Club and Sweet Valley High books of course) and revisiting the characters with friends throughout middle school and high school. Unfortunately, I don't know what happened with my copy of Little Women, but when the movie directed by Greta Gerwig came out this Christmas season, I was happy to be reacquainted with the story.
A week and a half ago, on a snowy January day, I went along with some friends to see the movie for one of their birthdays. As each scene appeared across the screen, I remembered what it was like to flip the thick pages of that Great Illustrated Classic. The beautiful costumes and talented actors came alive in a way that the black and white illustrations couldn't, and I settled myself in for a beautiful, classic story. I have to admit that it took a moment to keep the flashbacks and present day scenes straight until I noticed that Amy's hair went from braids to a more sophisticated updo. From Meg who sought out a classic love story of her own to Jo whose aspirations included fair compensation for a story she has poured her heart and energy into; Amy who went overseas only to realize that her true love started at her New England home and the heartbreaking story of Beth who was "the best of all of them," Little Women remains a story that's not just about what it's like to be a woman but what it means to be family above all. In the midst of emerging careers and blossoming romances, the one reliable constant in the story is the relationship of the four March sisters and their beloved mother, Marmee. The women journey to new homes with devoted husbands, Europe for new artistic adventures, New York for a liberating education and career only to return to their childhood home when the ailing heart of their sweet youngest sister calls to them.
The movie is filled with beautiful scenes between the sisters, from their fights to their embraces, but for me, the pinnacle is reached when Jo makes the following declaration to her mother:
“Women, they have minds, and they have souls, as well as just hearts. And they’ve got ambition, and they’ve got talent, as well as just beauty. I’m so sick of people saying that love is all a woman is fit for. But I'm so lonely!”
While this particular line isn't included in the actual book, I think it captures the spirit of Little Women quite accurately. While romance and sisterhood aren't the only things that women are built for, this line reminds us that women ARE meant for community. A career that gives us the ability to pay the bills and the freedom to pursue academic endeavors are exciting adventures, but they can't fill us up the way that authentic relationships do. We need authentic relationships to help us thrive and stay grounded, and there is something special about a family that reminds us of who we are, who we are meant to be, and our purpose in life. Even beyond the ambition and the talents we are given, we are often reminded that loneliness is an unworthy companion to success and recognition.
I had the benefit of watching this movie with three wonderful friends, and writing this post makes me wonder what I would have thought if I had watched it alone. In all honesty, the first thing I probably would have done is tell my friends about how much I loved it...and then begged them to go see it so I could share the story with them because no matter how good a story is, it is also better when it is shared, especially with other women.
How I "write." Other writers will understand.
On a side note, there's a really great scene in the movie where Jo is preparing her literary masterpiece. She is seen arranging pages of her manuscript in a dark room. Ink stains cover her hands, and she falls asleep with pages on her chest. I have to say that as a writer, this was by far the most unrealistic scene in the whole movie. Everyone knows that writers write with a cup of coffee and a snack with not a single sheet of paper within a 10 foot radius.