KASIBULAN: LITTLE WOMEN: MODERN REPRESENTATION AND IMPACT ON FEMINISM (2021)

LITTLE WOMEN: MODERN REPRESENTATION AND IMPACT ON FEMINISM

“Women have minds and souls as well as just hearts, and they’ve got ambition and talent as well as just beauty. And I’m sick of people saying love is all a woman is fit for.”

-Jo March

Introduction

Little Women, a heartwarming classic novel turned film, features family, friendship, and feminism. Greta Gerwig’s Little Women (2019) is the seventh film adaptation of the classic novel of the same title written by Louisa May Alcott. The film was released on the 25th of December and was nominated in six categories in the Academy Awards. Alcott wrote Little Women in 1868 when the publisher asked Alcott to write a book about girls. Despite being reluctant at first, she poured her dedication and creativity into the first volume of Little Women, which gained success and recognition. She finished part one in just six weeks, and she didn't rewrite it as she usually did with her adult fiction. Greta Gerwig is an actor and director who debut in directing with the film "The Lady Bird” which features feminist recalibration. The two women – Louisa May Alcott and Greta Gerwig – continue to prove that women are capable of professions that only men are recognized for. By definition, feminism is the belief that women should have complete social, economic, and political equality. Feminism originated as opposition to limited women's rights and opportunities. Little Women, a narrative that advocates for feminism is a great product that is produced (in novel and film) by these women. The March sisters in Little Women are the best representation of feminists because it examines the heroines’ life and struggles, breaks gender stereotypes, and advocates for equality.

Critique

The film Little Women, adapted by Greta Gerwig, features a non-linear structure, with childhood episodes cut into adulthood sequences and vice versa. The primary storyline is chronological, but scenes from a secondary plot are intercut throughout the narrative. The film stays true to its original material, Louisa May Alcott's book Little Women while adding its unique twist to the story. The book's format changes as the girls grow from children to teenagers to adults while this non-linear movie shows the characters as both women and children, highlighting the difference between their childhood and adult lives.

The characters are performed exquisitely by the star-studded cast: Saoirse Ronan (Jo March), Emma Watson (Meg March), Florence Pugh (Amy March), Eliza Scanlen (Beth March), Timothee Chalamet (Laurie), Laura Dernn (Marmee March), and Meryl Streep (Aunt March). Saoirse captured the blunt and boyish traits of Jo, Emma portrayed Meg’s vanity, sisterly love, and motherly care, Florence delivered the pettiness and ambitiousness of Amy, and Eliza showed purity and love for the music of Beth. The majority of people who are part of the Little Women are women that are in line with its message of telling the inspiring story of women.

Dialogues in the film fleshed out the characters' in-depth that the viewers experienced and revisited the story in a fresh and contemplative perspective. The lines completely summarized the characters’ personalities, ambitions, and relationships. It is also empowering as it resonates with the feminist ideal.

Summary

Little Women, a film adaptation of the novel by Louisa May Alcott, tackles the remarkable journey of the March sisters towards their eagerness to become politically, economically, and socially equal. Each of the girls possessed exceptional abilities and interests that they used to pursue their careers. The imperishable sisterhood of the four attaches to them despite having personal hatred, ego, pride, and jealousy.

Examines the heroines’ life and struggles

The story of the Little Women demonstrated that women are more than just a lover or a romanticist, they can be ambitious too and be content in their liberty to pursue their passion. The heroines, Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy, shared a strong bond which makes their relationship pure, complex, and intimate. In the movie, the characterization of the March sisters was clarified as the movie progresses, as the scenes from their past and present would occasionally overlap to express the polarity of their old selves and their younger selves.

As the eldest sister, Meg, portrayed the role of the gentle, kind, and responsible for her younger sisters, she's also the one who was portrayed as more feminine and likes to please others from her appearance, thus explaining her likes for dressing up or fancies girly luxuries. Aside from that, she represented romanticism among the sisters, she ended up falling in love and committing herself as the wife of her husband who was even referred to as cheap or poor. "Just because my dreams are different than yours, it doesn't mean they're unimportant," a quote from Meg to Jo. She chose to love and to have a family of her own as the dream she wanted for her life. Although it was also shown that she ultimately failed to have the luxury life, in the end, she was still glad that she chose to have a family.

Jo, the second sister, also the main heroine, is quite the opposite of Meg. Her character was more boyish, she was outspoken, daring, brave, and hot-tempered, and her passion was to pursue being a writer. Jo also showed her stubbornness and attachment to her younger years, as she quoted "... We will be interesting forever," where she could keep pursuing her creativity, rather than being out in the world as a practical adult. She was outright about pursuing her passion more than achieving the fit standard for women, which was to be pretty and get married. "I intend to make my own way in this world," she claims. As the main character, she played important roles in their family, particularly in their struggles, she was the one who cut off her hair so she could help their parents, which significantly points out her responsible but rash behavior, as she was seen crying over it later. As a writer, she was presented as someone talented but writes about graphic content, which was unfit for a ladylike standard and doesn't sell in the writing industry in their setting. This goes to show her pride in breaking societal norms and doing what she wants, but then she faces a wall as a writer. Since she was used to being praised about her talent, she faced a struggle when someone critiqued her work harshly but truthfully nonetheless, she burst in temper. Her character also strays from common roles for female protagonists, as she did not feel the need of having a significant other, or rushing the romance in her life, she prioritized herself, her family, and her calling in writing. But later on in her life when she realized after her younger sister passed away, with whom she had a closer relationship, that she felt lonely and wanted to be loved. Women, she claimed, have thoughts and souls in addition to hearts. They're also ambitious and talented, as well as just being beautiful. And she's tired of people telling her that love is the only thing a woman is capable of. She disapproves of it, but she's also lonely. Admitting that she wanted to be more than just a woman who is fit for love, a woman who pursues her ambitions, she ended up wanting to be loved too.

The meek and quiet third sister, Beth, like Meg, is constantly trying to please others, and she, like Jo, is anxious about keeping the family together. Beth has small flaws, like animosity at the housekeeping she has to do. Among the sisters, her pureness and sensitivity for others enable her to be their calm amongst the chaos, while her sisters bicker and complain. Her character's humbleness was also portrayed in the movie when she visited the Hummels, and when she was invited to play the piano at Mr. Laurence's. In her misfortune, she was very sickly which led to her deathbed. Beth's character held their family's relationship as a supportive role, she wasn't shown as someone who often makes mistakes, her wisdom, held her sisters together, especially Jo in which despite her writer's block, she praised her talent and pushed her to write at least for her, stating that "I'll be homesick for you. Even in heaven."

The last sister, Amy, is artistic and ambitious. As the youngest, she is self-centered and a bit spoiled, she fancies pretty things and enjoys dolling herself up. She was selfish, but she did develop her character into a fine woman who matured to know her worth and became wise, as she did say that she has always matured, her flaws were just more picked on. She also pursued her ambition, just like Jo, when she was given the opportunity by her aunt March to become an artist in Paris. But then she realized that her talent is not genius and is not cut out for her to become what she truly wanted, to be great. As much as Meg was a romanticist, Amy was practical. She was almost ready to marry a man for his money, but changed her mind because of Laurie, her real love interest. Her character was wise enough to understand that she was just a woman, which means that her marriage would only mean as an economic proposition that would enable her to live a well off life for her and her family. She knows that just being an ambitious woman is not enough for her to be independent and to earn her living, much rather support her family. And when it comes to her worth, she knows how she should be treated, which is not a second choice. Her character highlights that there is sibling rivalry in the dynamics of the March sisters. Amy and Jo's rivalry was mentioned specifically from Amy's line that said "I have been second to Jo my whole life in everything," and although they had fought, they made up since their sisterhood is too intimate, and from Jo's words herself, "Life is too short to be angry at one's sisters."

Breaks gender stereotypes

Gender stereotyping encloses someone to act as expected in his/her sex. Greta Gerwig’s spin according to Crimson includes the engagement of queer subtext of Alcott’s work emphasizing gender fluidity and undertones of bisexuality. Thus, this film is a breath of fresh air to not be enclosed in a box of so-called femininity and masculinity. Jo’s character proved that women are capable of providing for the family, which at that time is a task delegated to men. The director chose to put emphasis on gender fluidity in Jo and Laurie’s noticeable exchange of vests and clothing items. Laurie also questions the stereotypical expectation for a man by wanting to pursue music, which at that time was considered feminine. The director also wanted to highlight bisexuality undertones in Jo by featuring moments Jo expresses that her desire to love who she loves without bounds. The scene where Amy called Jo boyish when she expresses her playfulness raises the question of whether or not boys are the only ones who can be playful, and it demonstrates that women during that period must be feminine and modest to be considered a lady. The character of Jo is the heroine that breaks the mold of what a conventional woman is. That concept of the female protagonists shattered the formula that women should be feminine, dependent, and freedomless.

Advocates for equality

The author, director, actor, and characters who gave life to the story of Little Women shared the same ideal – to advocate for equality.

Jo and Amy are the two characters who explicitly express their idea of a society where men and women should be given the same rights and opportunities as their male counterparts. For the plot, the director offered three endings:. The first one is about Jo and her sisters building a school where girls and boys are allowed to learn without discrimination or bias. The second one is about her publishing her book entitled, "Little Women." And the resolution to Jo's character finally committing to marriage, and so did the conclusion of her book's heroine, Jo fought for her royalty in her stories and eventually published a book where the protagonist is a woman, which the publisher believed is only fit for marriage or death. Amy, on the other hand, questions the unfair treatment of their teacher to girls and delivered the monologue on money and marriage that discussed that she despises the idea of women being subordinates to their partner. Marmee, their matriarch, is the reason why the girls grew up to be strong and unapologetically true to themselves because she supported and guided them throughout their journey.

The author, Louisa May Alcott, who brought these characters to life is also a feminist in her time. In 1879, she was the first woman to register to vote in Concord, Massachusetts. “I’d rather be a free spinster and paddle my own canoe,” she wrote in her journal, “Girls write to ask who the little women will marry, as if that was the only end and aim of a woman’s life…” This shows that she firmly believes that a woman’s worth is more than being a wife and in Jo’s words, “Women have minds and souls as well as just hearts, and they’ve got ambition and talent as well as just beauty. And I’m sick of people saying love is all a woman is fit for.”

The director, Greta Gerwig, is also a firm believer in equality and is reflected in her works, which feature stories of women in a remarkably raw and unrestricted way. She portrayed Little Women as the frustrations that women feel towards the limitations and pressures of society. She said that she writes female characters possessing the traits of both vulnerability and strength, the ability to encourage independence at the same time recognize the value to love and being loved. She is truly a beacon of hope to aspiring female filmmakers who will continue to emphasize the importance of sharing women’s stories.

The actor Emma Watson, who portrayed Meg, is Goodwill Ambassador UN Women, which advocates for feminism that emphasizes equality of men and women to be who they are. Her project HeForShe Campaign aims to clear the misconception about feminism that it is synonymous with man-hating or anti-men and to invite both men and women to perceive gender as a spectrum and not as opposing ideals.

Conclusion

To conclude, the film’s recurring theme is feminism, which focuses on life, challenges, gender stereotypes, and equality for women. In the modern world, we can compare the four sisters to the youth feminist today, like Emma Watson, a famous British actor and humanitarian that empowers young women and promotes gender equality and education for young girls. Amandla Stenberg is an American actress and singer that promotes the Black Lives Matter Movement. Lastly, Rowan Blanchard is an American actress, who uses social media to publish an essay about intersectional feminism. At the age of 13 years old, she had the opportunity to speak at the United Nation's annual conference for gender inequality. They may have different personalities, ages, cultures, and nationalities, but they all have the same aim of promoting feminism and advocating for rights and equality for all sexes, like the girls in the film did.

The world has progressed in terms of attaining equality since the story Little Women was published. Representation always matters and that is the role the film has played from its writer, director, the character of March sisters, and the majority of its cast. It has proved that the women’s narratives are worthy of being showcased on a pedestal, the danger of being enclosed in a conventional standard of what is masculine and what is feminine, and the importance of fighting for equal rights and opportunities for men, women, and even LGBTQIA+ community. This film asks the viewers to be involved and take action because just like what Emma Watson said in her speech, “If not us, who? If not now, when?”

"Girls have to make it to the world and make up their own minds about things.”

-Marmee

REFERENCES:

https://www.boston.com/culture/entertainment/2019/12/19/little-women-movie-review/

https://www.studocu.com/ph/document/pontifical-and-royal-university-of-santo-tomas-the-catholic-university-of-the-philippines/reading-and-thinking-skills-for-academic-study/critique-paper-little-women/12875232

https://www.britannica.com/topic/feminism

https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/304916578.pdf

https://bookriot.com/little-women-is-a-feminist-novel/

https://thetalonohs.com/opinion/2020/01/30/little-women-is-a-feminist-movie-and-thats-not-a-ba

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https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/specialfeatures/little-women-7-surprising-facts-about-loui

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