“Just because my dreams are different than yours doesn’t mean they’re unimportant.” A quote from the pages of Louisa May Alcott’s late 1800s classic “Little Women,” as well as spoken aloud by Emma Watson, who plays the eldest March sister, Meg, in the 2019 film adaption directed by Greta Gerwig.
“Little Women” as a novel has a way of capturing the reader’s attention through the authentic storytelling of the childhood and adulthood of the four March sisters. Readers gain insight into the triumphs and struggles the family endured as well as get the chance to appreciate each sister and their individual stories.
When Gerwig decided to take her interpretation of this novel and direct her own film, it came as no surprise that she was able to create new art out of this story. Reading the quote stated above was impactful enough, but hearing it spoken allowed room to perceive this story in a different light.
As a child, I was taught about the seven female archetypes: the mother, the queen, the maiden, the sage, the huntress, the lover and the mystic. After watching this film, it clicked that somehow there is a character from this story to represent each archetype and represent it well.
Immediately, I thought of Meg as the mother. As the oldest of the four March sisters, Meg shows a level of maturity that fits the eldest stereotype. Multiple sides of Meg’s personality are shown, but the main characteristic that radiates through her is nurturing energy.
While each sister has different wants and needs, Meg’s dream is to have a family and to be a wife. When she gave us the iconic quote stated above, Meg taught every viewer and reader that no matter how traditional or seemingly ordinary their dream is, it will always be just as important as someone who dreams of excitement and adventure.
This differs greatly from the dreams that are portrayed loudly by Jo March, the second eldest. Jo represents the huntress. Independent, driven and free. Jo wants nothing more than to live her life by her own rules and expectations. She is a writer who wants to make an impact on the world while living in an era of people who refuse to take her seriously. She fought to have her story told, and in the film, she is shown as the author of “Little Women.”
I would argue that Amy, the youngest sister, in her later years represents the huntress, but represents the lover in her earlier years. In Amy’s younger years, she displayed the personality of a young girl who loved to cause a ruckus and had endless desires for marriage and creating relationships. She was fascinated by beauty and creativity while also being youthful and carefree.
This changed once Amy joined her Aunt March in Paris and began to focus on her painting classes and her wealthy suitors. Amy began to show this ambitious side of her that wanted nothing more than to be one of the great artists.
“Talent isn’t genius, and no amount of energy can make it so. I want to be great or nothing.”
Through this quote, Amy shows that she is no longer the young girl who loves prancing around, playing dress up and dreaming about marrying rich. She shows that she is an established woman who knows what she wants and what she has to do to get it, therefore representing the huntress.
Beth March, the third eldest, resembles the mystic with her introverted character. The sounds that come from her piano speak on her behalf, given that she keeps most of her thoughts and opinions to herself. She gained the attention of Mr. Laurence because of her shy nature.
She reminded him of his late granddaughter and he gifted Beth the piano that once belonged to her. Diving deeper into the maiden archetype, Beth sadly has a tragic ending when she dies from scarlet fever at the age of just 23.
Beth also resembles the mystic. She is eternally youthful and compliant. Often, Beth is not comfortable stepping out of bounds or straying far from the rules. She rarely, if not ever, argues and she keeps her head down. She allows her soft and youthful spirit to guide her through many situations. “Beth was the best of us.” Was not a quote in the novel, but was added to the film to show the true impact Beth had on her sisters both before and after her death.
Each March sister has a unique sense of individuality that puts them under one of the seven archetypes. Other characters in the “Little Women” story do a great job representing some of the other archetypes, as well. For example, Aunt March is the perfect character to represent the queen.
Aunt March is an older woman who occasionally visits the family. She is very wealthy and has a very classy sense about her, and she holds herself and her family to a very high standard. Aunt March takes Amy with her to Paris and mentors her as she meets with suitors to find a rich husband to support the rest of her family. Aunt March shows the queen archetype through her guidance, confidence and personal power.
Through the timeless story of “Little Women,” Louisa May Alcott and Greta Gerwig give us a rich story of femininity, showing the trials and triumphs of womanhood through each of the seven archetypes. Jo’s independence, Meg’s devotion, Beth’s quiet grace and Amy’s relentless ambition all remind us that there is no one right way to be a woman, only the way that feels the most genuine to you. As readers continue to find themselves in these characters, “Little Women” endures as a testament to the ever-evolving, multifaceted nature of femininity.