After the release of the 2019 film Little Women, many obsessed over the story due to the myth that is Timothée Chalamet, but my love of the novel preceded this. In honor of Women’s History Month (and my birth month), I thought the perfect choice for my reading suggestion is none other than Louisa May Alcott’s classic, Little Women. This book holds a special place in my heart as it is what started my love of books, reading, and writing. When I was young, my mom used to read this book to my sister and me every night before bed, so much so that I can even recite the very first page.
Even though it may seem easy to simply watch the movie, I promise the experience of reading this novel is incredibly beautiful in a different way than that of the film. Little Women follows the lives of four sisters, the March sisters (Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy), as they navigate from childhood to adulthood. From looking solely at the plot description, the story may seem generic and dry; however, it is anything but. This is a story of love, not romantic love (although there are some of those too), but of family and of self. Four sisters with quite different personalities and their journey of what it means to be a woman in a society that tends to depend much upon the successes of the men in one’s family.
This book ultimately defines women’s empowerment. Despite the historical realities of stability based on men in the 1860s, this novel primarily focuses on women. Without spoiling, I can guarantee that this book will simply allow you to fall in love, not just with the characters, but with yourself as well. Louisa May Alcott allows readers to feel as though they are members of the family and to celebrate their triumphs as well as despair in their times of grief and sadness.
Although the novel was first published 153 years ago, the story still resonates with many people in the contemporary world. Alcott was inspired by the true story of her life with her sisters and what it truly meant to defy the expectations set out for women by society. Many people that watch the film and read the book tend to focus on the romantic relationships within the novel, but that is simply missing the point of the novel. Author, Louisa May Alcott, is trying to address that these romantic relationships are not the ones that define them, but rather their passions and interests are the things that do.
Having read this book more than once, I can honestly say that it takes my breath away every single time. Reading it at different moments in my life, from childhood to adulthood, in a way mirrors the growth and development seen amongst the characters. This book means more to me than I can possibly put into words, so I may be a bit biased, but it is one that changes your perspective and allows for some personal reflection. In the last year, things have changed, we have been stripped from all that we have ever known and have had to learn more about ourselves than ever before. In a way, we too are redefining ourselves and rediscovering what it means to truly fall in love with ourselves. For these reasons, I hope you will take the time to read this classic novel and truly fall in love with it as I have.