Little Women
| Fandom | |
|---|---|
| Name: | Little Women |
| Abbreviation(s): | LW |
| Creator: | Louisa May Alcott |
| Date(s): | 1868-1886 |
| Medium: | Books |
| Country of Origin: | United States |
| External Links: | |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
| Needs Updating: This page is out of date. Editors are encouraged to add more recent information. |
Little Women is a novel by American author Louisa May Alcott (1832–1888), loosely based on the author's childhood. It follows a year in the lives of four teen-aged sisters in New England while their chaplain father is with the Union Army of the northern States during the American Civil War. The book, published in 1868, was an immediate success, and was followed a year later by a sequel, originally entitled Good Wives, which follows the sisters into young adulthood. (Since 1880, the two have usually been published in a single volume.)
The most popular of the sisters, the next-to-oldest, Jo(sephine) March, is based on Alcott herself. The first volume sees her evolve from a tomboy into a strong-minded young lady, while the second follows her to a job in New York, where she meets Prof. Friedrich Bhaer, whom she eventually marries. A sequel, Little Men (1871), focuses on the students at the boys' school they establish. The final volume, Jo's Boys (1886), follows these students' adult careers.
Most recently Greta Gerwig's 2019 adaptation of Louisa May Alcott's beloved novel Little Women was Presented. With the movie itself being absolutely beautiful and filled with emotionally charged scenes. The film offers a deeper exploration of each sister's personal journey, with Gerwig bringing fresh perspectives to their individual stories. By delving into their unique ambitions, flaws, and inner lives, Gerwig allows audiences to see the sisters from nuanced angles, revealing layers of complexity that make each character feel both timeless and newly relevant. With the four sisters being showcased as follows:
Jo March (played by Saoirse Ronan) – The ambitious, headstrong, and independent writer. Jo is fiercely determined to pursue her literary dreams and defies traditional expectations of women in her time.
Meg March (played by Emma Watson) – The eldest sister, Meg is gentle, compassionate, and dreams of a family and a simple, happy life. She represents traditional domestic aspirations and is a loving presence for her sisters.
Amy March (played by Florence Pugh) – Amy is artistic, fiery, and passionate, with a desire to achieve her dreams of becoming a painter. Her journey includes personal growth and maturity, making her one of the most complex characters.
Beth March (played by Eliza Scanlen) – The shy, sweet, and selfless sister, Beth is deeply devoted to her family and has a love for music. She struggles with illness but remains as stronghold emotionally for the rest of the family
Fanfic in Little Women
Chapter 10 of Little Women shows the March girls writing fanfiction for Charles Dickens' Pickwick Papers.
Fandom
The book is well-loved among fans of classic literature, and has been wildly popular since its publication. Jo is the most popular character with Amy being the least, while Beth is either beloved or despised for being a sweet, quiet, tragic figure. Beth's death is considered one of literature's biggest tearjerkers.
Shipping
The most popular noncanonical pairing is probably Jo/Laurie, in which Jo hooks up with rich-boy-next-door, Theodore Laurence. The fandom is notably the host of possibly the world's oldest shipping war; many fans demanded Alcott marry Jo off to Laurie, and she ardently declined, pairing Jo with Bhaer and Laurie with Amy instead. This has led to widespread hatred for Bhaer and Amy that continues to this day among fans of the book.
Websites
Archives
- Little Women on Fanfiction.net
- Little Women on Yuletide Treasure
- Little Women on Archive of Our Own
- Alcott Fanfiction Masterlist