After Reading "Little Women"

"Little Women" is a novel written by the American writer Louisa May Alcott in 1868. It is a semi-autobiographical novel emphasizing feminism. The novel is set in the American Civil War telling the story of life between four sisters in an ordinary family. Recently this book has been adapted into a movie again polishing the characters from a modern female perspective.

This new version of mama retains her docile and housekeeping. While at the same time, the director arranges a scene for mama to state her real thought. Although mom seemed peaceful all the time, she said "I have been trying to cure my rage for 40 years.” Her confession actually make her image more real and respectable. In the current society, there is a fear of marriage. No matter how much you love your mother, you will regret to find out her’ life contradicts your self-fulfillment. This kind of thinking is also reflected in this book, that is Joe’s free soul keeping her away from traditional marriage.

The author's letter to others mentioned that she wanted to keep Joe single until death. But owing to her readers’ request, she had to make a compromise. To express her reluctance she made a funny match for Joe. While in the movie, the director added a play that Joe discussed with the publisher, which seemed to finally fulfill the author's original wish. “The ending of female works is either that she marries or she has to die.” The director deliberately designed a dramatic reunion that seems to be a mocking response to those stubborn readers: the story is generally told this way in your impression, so I will generally say so. But this is never going to happen.

The most outstanding thing about this edition of "Little Women" is the reshaping of Amy March. Amy has long been the most unpopular character in “Little Women”. Amy is mainly used as the reverse side of Joe. However, in this movie, the director presents Amy's choice more rationally, giving Amy the opportunity to defend herself.

Amy presented in the movie is a character who has a clear understanding of her future. She is ready to go abroad to study painting and pave the way for her ideal. But with the intention of supporting her family, she listened to her aunt marrying a rich man. She actually completed the process from girl to woman. “This society gives women no choice but to marry rich people, but I am not ashamed of my path.” From my point of view, this sentence well conveys Amy’s concept. And it do make sense.

There are many touching lines in this movie which deeply impress me. “Women have minds,and they have souls,as well as hearts. And they've got ambition,they've got talent,as well as just beauty.And I' m so sick of people saying that love is just all the the fit for. I'm so sick of it! But I'm...I'm so lonely!” It contains the truth that life is always unsatisfactory. Amy wanted money so she must be prepared to give up true love. Meg wanted love so she has to endure her poverty. And Joe want independence that she had to accept the loneliness. While you want to pursue something great, you have to give up something precious in your life. This process is always full of sorrow and joy. Perhaps this is the normal way of life.

There are different versions of the little woman in each era. We will choose to interpret the stories that are more in line with the value in the new era, but the core of the little woman has not changed. What makes it become “Little Women” is its female narrative without male worship.

2020-06-27

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