Writer's Block: Little Women
Well all four sisters are truly architypes of women/womanhood. We all have a little Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy in us, don't we?
Let's put aside The Great Jo vs. Amy Debate for a moment. That's been hashed over too much. Let's discuss all four Little Women and how we relate to each.
I was the baby of the family, so I'm sure my sister would say I was a lot like Amy in some ways - devious (like all little sisters are) and able to wrap everyone around my little finger - but I never had Amy's sense of entitlement, thank God. That was the character's major flaw, which I could not abide.
Like most girls, I always identified the most with Jo. A mutual love of books, writing, theater, and tomboy-ishness drew me to that character. I was always writing plays and stories and when I wasn't doing that, I was climbing trees. But I lacked Jo's fearlessness. I was painfully shy around strangers - just like Beth - and very well-behaved - but I think that all can be traced back to my eagerness to please, moreso than any inate saintliness.
Meg was the eldest and aspired to be the perfect wife and mother. I'm not in that place yet, but I can picture myself being more Meg-like one day.
Or, better yet, more Marmie-like. Was there ever a more perfect wife and mother in the history of literature? I can't think of any.
