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Feminism and Little Women
The movie stays true to the book, which was surprisingly modern
I just got back from watching Little Women. It was worth it. I wasn’t sure, going in, if I’d like the way the director used a flexible timeline, going back and forth — yet it worked really well. However, it probably would make it harder for someone who hasn’t read the book to follow the story.
But, the movie is probably meant for those who have read the book. Which I suppose most bookish girls of a certain age have.
I read “Little Women” as a young girl. My parents came to the United States from India, yet I could relate to the March girls. The friend I went to the movies with grew up in Texas in a white family that has been in America for several generations. She also related to the book.
That is mark of good literature — it has universal appeal.
What makes the book so meaningful? It’s the story of 4 sisters. Anyone who has grown up in a family can relate. The author, Louisa May Alcott, is honest. Her girls are not caricatures. They are flesh and blood creatures, with flaws and foibles as well as courage, grace and strength.
The male characters, except for Laurie, are not as fleshed out. Which is a good thing for the movie, which used delightful actresses to play the…
