One of the most consistent themes throughout Louisa May Alcott’s novel, Little Women, is the value and practice of independence within the lives of the four March sisters. In the novel, independence means vastly different things to each of the sisters, and Alcott uses each sister to highlight the importance and consequences of embodying independence as a woman during this time period. For the March family, independence never came in the form of money or endless opportunities provided to them; and for the March sisters, independence revolved around the roles they chose to play in society as women. This important theme was highlighted when Amy was chosen by her Aunt Carrol to accompany her abroad. Both Jo and Amy were spending time with Mrs. Carrol when she asked them if they were planning on volunteering their time at a local carnival. Jo responded, “I’m not… I don’t like favors; they oppress and make me feel like a slave; I’d rather do everything for myself, and be perfectly independent” (297). To the same question Amy declared, “I am willing to work -- and I think it is very kind of them to let me share the labor and the fun” (297).
These drastically different responses became a pivotal part of the novel. Shortly after the March sisters left, Mrs. Carrol made the decision to take Amy abroad instead of Jo. Having the opportunity to experience the outside world at the favor of Aunt Carrol is something that had appealed to Jo for so long. In class, we discussed the strong correlation and similarities between Jo and Alcott’s lives in terms of their independence and intellectual curiosity. When reading this passage at first, I was confused why Alcott would portray Jo’s independence as such a negative consequence that is holding her back from this incredible opportunity. However, I believe Alcott is warning readers who relate with Jo about how independence can be seen as a fault by others and that women especially have to be careful in the ways they balance and portray independence in their life. Independence for Jo in the novel is deeply rooted in her intellectual independence in her writing and in her will to defy various social norms of women. For Amy, independence is rooted in upholding social norms for women and having a selfless mentality in terms of her time. While Alcott does value independence, she also values selflessness and being agreeable throughout the novel which can cause many contradictions, one being this example itself.
Alcott ultimately warns readers what happens when you practice independence outside of your role as an agreeable woman when Jo is met with the reality of the situation from her mother. “I am afraid it is partly your own fault, dear. When aunt spoke to me the other day… she writes as if quoting something you had said, - ‘I planned at first to ask Jo; but as ‘favors burden her,’ and she ‘hates French,” I think I won’t venture to invite her” (308).
Throughout this novel I have been struggling to adapt my mind to think in terms of the nineteenth century's ideals, and what it meant to be an independent woman 150 years ago compared to what it means now. As you mentioned, at the time of the novel Amy was seen as more independent than Jo because Amy developed further into what a traditional lady at the time should be: elegant, kind, and agreeable. She demonstrated grace and poise when she was moved from the illustrious art table to the much less enticing flower table at the fair. Instead of seeking revenge or starting a fight, Amy focused on “conquering her enemy with kindness” (Alcott 285). Had Jo been in Amy’s shoes, the situation probably would have gotten quite ugly.
ReplyDeleteIf Amy and Jo were living in today’s America, they would both be seen in much different lights. There is still a place for women like Amy, but women as a whole in modern society are becoming more and more independent and following the traditional ideals of being “ladylike” less and less. The model of a young woman like Amy is seen as outdated, whereas Jo’s personality would be commonly accepted and embraced today. 3 million women recently marched in protest of who they see as (at the very least) an outdated model of a president, and if Jo March were in this world she definitely would have been among them.
Marmee preached to all of her daughters regarding the importance of the Christian values and expectations to be “beautiful, accomplished, and good” that would allow them to become good wives when the time came; however, she also instilled in them the value of independence as she was “ambitious for you [the girls]” (97). Jo and Amy March both took this advice to heart, found a sense of independence, and married happily. The paths they took to find these things contrast sharply beginning with the decision that Amy would go abroad instead of Jo. I agree with Madison. It temporarily seems like this decision will negatively affect Jo’s life, but she too follows the life plan laid out by Marmee. Her time in the city seems to fuel her own sense of independence which for a time made me believe that she would truly be happy without a husband, rich or poor, but my feelings began to change as Jo started to acknowledge the presence Mr Bhaer played in her letters home “[the letter] strikes me as rather Bhaery” (339). By the end of the book when Jo agrees to “make a little place in [her] heart” for Bhaer and his family, I could no longer see Jo not getting to go abroad as a negative episode in her life (474). Instead of Alcott holding Jo’s intellectual curiosity against her, I prefer to draw from the novel as a whole and see that Amy and Jo both ended up happily married just as Marmee saw fit.
ReplyDeleteBased on the definition of independence from dictionary.com, an independent person is someone that has “freedom from the control, influence, support, aid, or the like, of others.” I interpret this as meaning that freedom can come from all of those factors combined or just one. I further think that independence doesn’t just have to come with physical actions, but within the thinking and decision process. In the United States people have the freedom to make their own decisions. Their decisions might be influenced by others, but in the end individuals decide what they do. It is also valued in today’s society that people take responsibility for their actions because their actions are the result of individual decisions. This is especially seen in the workplace.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Madison that there is a value of independence, but that it can come with some consequences. This is portrayed by Alcott in Little Women but with a slightly different mindset than the working world of today. I think this is more of social independence, as women are first testing the waters of independence. When Jo says “I’d rather do everything for myself, and be perfectly independent” (297), she makes the first step in being “perfectly independent” by deciding that’s what she ultimately wanted. By making this comment though, she lost the opportunity that Amy was willing to work for, going abroad. I also agree with Allison that Jo goes down her intended path, but I think she also has to deal with the consequences of a missed opportunity. Because of the fact that she declares herself as wanting to be “perfectly independent” she needs to be accepting of taking full responsibility for the comment and the consequences.