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Almost everybody, at least to some degree, is familiar with Louisa May Alcott’s iconic novel, Little Women. The classic story of the March girls has been remade over and over again, whether in the format of film, comics, or television. Sometimes these remakes hit the mark, pushing the iconic tale into the spotlight for a little bit. Sometimes, they fail and miss the goal that all remakes should hold – to connect with their current audience. Greta Gerwig’s 2019 movie remake is one of those that hits the mark perfectly.
Through the use of spectacular characters, visual style, and dialogue, Gerwig’s Little Women proves that classic tales matter now, more than ever.
A Reinvention Of Characters
Little Women (2019) is full of wonderful, classic characters that most know and love, played by some of the most incredible actors of modern Hollywood. Saoirse Ronan plays the iconic Jo, Florence Pugh plays Amy, and Emma Watson plays Meg, to name a few. Older actors joined them as well, including Laura Dern and Chris Cooper. They bring this version of the story perfectly to the screen. However, the cast wouldn’t matter if the characters were bland and tasteless. Gerwig’s version of Alcott’s character proved the importance of each and every “old-fashioned” role in 2020.
Jo
Let’s begin with Jo Marsh, the main character and protagonist of Little Women. Jo is a headstrong writer, determined to live life the way she wants to and defy the love-based expectations that seem to surround her and her sisters. She scoffs at the desire for love that other women pursue and seek definition in. She agonizes at the thought of basing her life around someone else, around a man, and losing her freedom and independence.
Jo was a true feminist in 1868 and the time doesn’t change, it is still as true now as it ever was. According to an online article, “Jo March is the original feminist icon that a new generation deserves to meet” (( Wade )). She explores all aspects of love, from loneliness to heartbreak to fierce independence in order to demonstrate the raw power of women. By the end of the film, she also delves a little deeper into the matter and grows as an individual. She reveals that, although fiercely independent, it’s okay to be lonely and seek companionship. Wanting a partner doesn’t damage your ability to be a strong and successful individual.
Jo March fits in perfectly with modern society’s idea of the feminist, this idea of ultimate choice that women still fight to possess. She can easily be empathized with in a time where so much has changed, and yet simultaneously things are very much the same. Gerwig even states that “It’s impossible for me to tease…if Jo March was like me, and that’s why I was drawn to her…or if I liked Jo March, and thus I made myself like [her]” (( Gerwig )). Any woman who has ever fought for a glimpse of the spotlight in a male-centric society can understand Jo.
Marmee
Marmee is the mother of the little women, taking care of her family, income, and livelihoods of the household members while Mr.March is off at war. Marmee is the clear and obvious head of the home, even when her husband returns from war for brief visits.
Marmee is an INCREDIBLY strong female figure. Although she is not technically a single mother, much of her time is spent being both father and mother to her girls in the absence of their dad. Strong mothers have permeated throughout history, and Little Women does a great job of displaying her strength and resilience in raising her daughters to be good people while missing her husband and the life that could have been. She isn’t perfect, which we slowly come to realize through Gerwig’s contrasting scenes. However, she’s fighting for her family and putting herself second in a critical time of growth in her girls’ lives. She teaches them to be smart, kind, and courageous.
According to a recent statistic, nearly one out of every four children born today is raised without a father (( Guide )). None of these mothers could relate to Marmee March, struggling to stay positive but striving to give their children the best life possible. In a society where single mothers are quite common, Marmee has become that much more important since her initial creation.
Amy
Amy is essentially the physical antagonist in the books, the one that acts as the foil to all that Jo March claims and aspires to be. She gets everything that Jo subconsciously wants, and isn’t punished for tormenting her sister. She’s a character that is generally hated, or at the very least strongly disliked, the most within the story. That is, until Gerwig’s brand-new portrayal of Jo March’s rival sibling. According to a source, ” [Gerwig gives] us a look into Amy’s life that we’ve never seen before. They approached Amy not as a secondary character, but as Jo’s (Saoirse Ronan) fellow protagonist” (( Abad-Santos )).
Initially, Amy was entirely unlikable. However, as she grows and matures, we understand why she is how she is. Greta Gerwig chooses to portray Amy as a rational, flawed character. She’s an artist. She’s GOOD. She loves it. But she knows that her success in society, her life, will be dictated by the man whom she chooses to marry. Rather than fight a system like Jo’s, Amy chooses to embrace it with all that she is – something that Jo cannot stand. She refuses to be second to her sister. In the end, despite their differences, Jo and Amy clearly love each other very much. The message of family above all, even amidst tragedies and arguments, is one that resonates through all of time.
Meg
Meg is a character that simply loves the idea of falling in love. She has incredible talent as an actress, but she knows in her heart that she wants to marry the love of her life and raise a family, even if that means becoming dirt poor.
This idea of true love is so different in today’s society. It truly varies from person to person, and that’s okay. Some women dream of being a housewife, or of having a family. This may be their ultimate goal, instead of becoming CEO of a company. This is feminism – the right of a woman to choose. Gerwig’s choice to include this in her version of Little Women is important. All too often, feminism is depicted as a one-way road, but its ultimate goal is to allow women to have the choice to live as they want – whether that’s becoming President, or being a stay at home mom. Everyone has a different dream.
Meg’s actions also instigate the largest turning point in the story – the point where all of the sisters realize that perhaps the time has come for them to grow out of the home they have grown up in. A source revealed that Meg “leads the charge into adulthood as the first in the family to get married” (( Sheikh )). Anyone with siblings, whether older or younger, can recall the moment things started to change. the moment the world of childhood shrank into oblivion, and the world either opened up or shrank before their eyes.
A Quality, Unique Style
The style of Gerwig’s Little Women is completely different from all of the other versions that have been created. It takes advantage of a unique, time-based style that clearly emphasizes the messages wrapped up inside.
Greta Gerwig chose to use a flashback approach in order to emphasize the change between the sisters with the death of their sister, Beth. She chooses to contrast certain scenes with each other in different orders than they appeared in the book in order to emphasize certain points that other adaptations, and perhaps even the original, did not. These moments are intended to speak to their modern audience, and do so well within this format. There are many excellent moments that are highlighted by the scene before or after it, and together they become one incredibly strong piece.
One of the best examples of this is when Gerwig chooses to cut directly from the funeral of Beth to Meg’s wedding. One source cited this moment as stating that “marriage is a kind of death” (( Blackwood )). To marry is to essentially give a part of oneself away, and that can be a good thing or a bad thing. It’s a rebirth, and it’s something that modern relationships should take into consideration before they make that decision. It’s a commitment. It’s a casual commentary that, even if unnoticed, is intended to slide into the viewer’s mind regardless.
Gerwig also places several scenes opposite of each other involving Beth’s initial recovery from Scarlett Fever, her submission, and ultimate death the second time she develops it. By doing this, Gerwig is able to show the characters learning and growing amidst the increasingly frail state of their sister. We are able to see their growth as they realize just how fragile life is, and how important it is to enjoy life with the people you love while they are still here on Earth. It’s a theme that resonates within all of us – how much time do we have left with those we love?
Pertinent Dialogue
Although it may not be realized, the choice of dialogue from the adapted book can have a huge impact on the movie. There are several lines in Little Women that push its relevance even further, carefully selected from the novel.
Just because my dreams are different than yours, it doesn’t mean they’re unimportant.
A quote by Jo’s sister, Meg, as Jo is arguing with her as to why she should give up on her fiancé and move to New York to pursue life as an actress. Jo and Meg are both artists, but both have different ideas about what women should do with their talents. It’s an important commentary on modern feminism. Many believe feminism to be the desire for independence, for separation.
In reality, the definition is this- “the theory of the political, economic, and social equality of the sexes” (( Merriam-Webster )). Feminism is about providing women the choice to live life as they want, whether that means becoming fiercely independent and self-serving or taking up the duties of a housewife. Meg and Jo simply have different dreams, and Jo must learn to be okay with that.
I believe we have some power over who we love. It isn’t something that just happens to a person.
An iconic Amy quote. This is the quote that absolutely separates Amy from Jo and Meg. Meg believes in true love. She believes in finding the person that will make you happy for the rest of your life. Jo, on the other hand, doesn’t not believe in love, but simply doesn’t think she needs it to thrive in life. Amy believes that love is a business proposition. She believes that you can choose who you love in life, that will get you the furthest in life.
She believes, to some degree, that it’s one of the few abilities women get in their time. Amy believes love to be an occupation, a civic duty that will allow her to be seen as a person. Like Amy, many relationships nowadays are not for love at all. They’re for the followers. For the money. For the looks. Marriage isn’t about who one loves, it’s about who the world loves for a lot of people.
Jo, don’t let the sun go down on your anger. Forgive her. Help each other. And you begin again tomorrow
This is a Marmee quote, and one that makes sense in all kinds of relationships. Going to bed angry isn’t something that helps in any situation. This is a line that is almost always included in any version of Little Women, as it is one that stands the test of time. Anyone can relate to the all-too-common feeling of anger, particularly feeling it for a loved one or someone close. It always gets better, the faster it is fixed.
I am angry nearly every day of my life
According to The New Yorker, Gerwig’s adaptation is “only the second adaptation ever to commit the incredible line to [Little Women]” (( Blackwood )). This incredible line manages to depict the true feelings of the seemingly always calm, always happy Marmee. She’s angry at the war for taking her husband, angry at the world for taking her daughter, angry at her mother for judging her position in life. It’s how many women feel in this day and age, but must hide it.
They must be strong amidst the chaos that’s happening around them because the structure of their family depends on it. This quote is critical to include in the environment we live in today. We are all angry, all frustrated, but must control it to some degree to keep life rolling forward at a normal pace. Through protests and movements, anger fuels change, and growth.
The Story Lives On
There is a high chance that Little Women will be remade, in some format, yet again. Whether it’s a comic book, a TV show, or another movie, Alcott’s characters will be translated in another unique way to fall before awaiting eyes who perhaps have never heard the story of the March women.
However, it will be difficult to top the masterpiece that is Gerwig’s Little Women. The relatability to its modern audience makes it a timeless classic, and it will be hard to make another that does that quite as well. Whether the film will continue to relate to audiences will reveal itself over time, but to current audiences in a day of constant social change, Gerwig’s movie matters more than ever.