Empowering Female Lead in 'Little Women'

Introduction

When Louisa May Alcott published “Little Women” it became a hit around the world for children and adults alike. At the time it was published in 1868, it was instantly unique in the sense that it had characters that broke conventional gender roles, which ultimately rewrote the ideology of typical womanism of the time period. Louisa May Alcott was known to challenge gender roles herself, not many women in the mid 19th century were publishing works that reached the level of popularity that Alcott’s did. Little Women was set in the same time period that Louisa May Alcott wrote in, so it can be assumed that these gender roles were the same in “Little Women” as they were in Louisa May Alcott's life. Louisa May Alcott within her own life challenged typical “lady like” gender roles which may have had an impact throughout Little Women, where Jo March constantly challenged the typical gender roles set on her by society which ultimately starts a new progressive ideology for what women should and should not do.

Jo March: Challenging Gender Standards

At the beginning of the novel, there is one character that stands out from the rest. Jo March set the basis for not conforming to societal standards. One of the most substantial examples of this is her attitude which is brought to attention on page 5 when the sisters are taking and Meg says “...Well, I think we are [happier]. For though we do have to work, we make fun of ourselves, and are a pretty jolly set, as Jo would say.”

“Jo does use such slang words!” observed Amy, with a reproving look at the long figure stretched on the rug. Jo immediately sat up, put her hands in her pockets, and began to whistle. “Don’t, Jo. It’s so boyish!”

“That’s why I do it.”

“I detest rude, unladylike girls!”

“I hate affected, niminy-piminy chits!”

It is obvious here that Jo is not like her sisters in this sense because she explicitly says she does not want to be “ladylike,” so it is implied she wants to be boyish. This perfectly sets up her tomboy attitude for the rest of part 1. The other March sisters know their place in society, but just like Louisa May Alcott challenged her gender roles and did not want to be “lady-like”, Jo refuses to let anyone tell her how to act and conform to being genteel like her sisters. This allows for a change in how the world viewed women's roles in society. Little Women was, and is today, one of the most beloved books in history. Its social impact is undeniable and therefore it could be easy for some to say that Jo’s defiance to social cues and gender rule could have had an influence on young people and starting the movement on changing the way gender roles were seen throughout society.

Alcott's Gender Role Rebellion in 'Little Women'

Alcott continuously breaks numerous stereotypes throughout Little Women. One of the most obvious rifts is when she gave two of the main characters, Laurie and Jo, first names that would typically refer to someone of the opposite gender. Another example of Alcott challenging gender roles comes from the death of Beth March. Throughout the novel, Beth was a symbol of “the perfect woman” and her death symbolized the end of the need to be a “perfect woman.” By doing this, Alcott was going against the idea that women had to fulfill this way of life in order to be successful. Another aspect of Alcott breaking gender norms and stereotypical gender expectations with Laurie and Jo, besides giving them what would typically be opposite gender names, she writes Laurie with more typically feminine characteristics and gives Jo more masculine characteristics. What really ties this together is when they both meet each other neither one of them mentions or acknowledges the others name.

Looking more into her most influential, written contribution to society: “Little Women.” Jo March, as mentioned previously, continues to be one of the most influential and important characters within this story. In chapter 14 when Alcott says “...Jo’s breath gave out here, and wrapping her head in the paper, she bedewed her little story with a few natural tears, for to be independent and earn the praise of those she loved were the dearest wishes of her heart, and this seemed to be the first step toward that happy end” (Alcott). Jo March greatly disliked the expectations set for her by society and she consistently tried to get around them “for to be independent… [was] the dearest wis[h] of her heart.” (Alcott) She spent the majority of the first part of “Little Women” with this mindset, that she could not be controlled, and then later on in the novel, in part two, Alcott gives Jo the opportunity to make the socially correct choice and marry Laurie. Laurie being well off and coming from a family of higher social class, would have been the proper choice, but because Jo March is Jo March she rejected this proposal only do to a complete 360 and give in to marrying Professor Bhaer instead. This ending for Jo was extremely unconventional at the time, especially because for young adult novels it was assumed that the prominent female lead was to be married to the matching prominent male lead and not a short-lived side character. This final act along with everything else was so significant and noteworthy that it paved the way for new writers to be able to create strong female leads without the fear of total rejection from society and its standards. Without “Little Women” the progression from women in stories who were not able to advocate for themselves to powerful women who are not afraid to stand up for what they want and what they need to thrive would not be possible without Louisa May Alcott's literary influence.

Conclusion

Louisa May Alcott within her own life challenged gender roles which may have had an impact throughout Little Women, where Jo March constantly challenged the typical gender roles set on her by society which ultimately starts a new progressive ideology for what women should and should not do.

Works Cited

1. Alcott, Louisa May, and Anne Boyd Rioux. Little Women. Penguin Books, 2018.
2. “Louisa May Alcott Biography.” Encyclopedia of World Biography, https://www.notablebiographies.com/A-An/Alcott-Louisa-May.html.