Little Women

"I am not a poet, I am just a woman"

Now this book is as known as Pride and Prejudice, but I really want to explain the story a little. 

In this novel, we can discover the story of the four daughters of Doctor March : Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy.

Their story takes place during the American Civil War, in which their father is serving as an army chaplain. Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy are therefore raised by their loving mother, Marmee, who is presented as a model of kindness and forgiveness. They grew up in a little village in Massachusetts, in genteel poverty, in a big house with a long attic.

Now for the interesting part. This book is one of my favorites (I know, I say that about every book I write about, but they're all so good !!!) because it honors femininity in all its forms. 

Meg perfectly embodies the gendered expectations of a 19th century woman. Jo is, perhaps, the antithesis of Meg. Headstrong and stubborn, Jo rebels against every gendered expectation. She is passionate about writing and fights for women's rights through it. Beth is shy and quiet, the kindest of the sisters. She is loved dearly by her family, especially Jo, of whom she is the inspiration. And finally Amy, the youngest sister of the March family. On the surface, Amy appears capricious, vain, and immature. But then, through her story, both as a child and an adult, we discover a talented and multifaceted character.

I could write a whole essay on this book (I in fact did for school) that made me think "Oh I love being a woman !" while shattering my heart into a million pieces. 

Finally, because I couldn't not quote it, here's Jo's monologue : "Women have minds and souls as well as just hearts, ambition and talent as well as beauty and I am sick of being told love is all a woman is fit for. But...I am so lonely."

(By the way, as a fellow fan of Taylor Swift, I must say Amy is the personification of the song 'mirrorball' while Jo is definitely a 'this is me trying' girl).