#it's not a post about lw without ranting at the adaptations

[the-other-art-blog]

Have you also noticed how in the books, we mostly have a focus on Jo and her relationship with her sisters, but we don't get to see Meg, Beth and Amy's relationship with each other? Meg was supposed to look after Amy the most, but we don't see their relationship. We also don't see Meg/Beth or Beth/Amy. Which I think is one of the reasons why Jo is the main character. How do you think those relationships were like?

I really don't think Jo is the main character. I think people want to think she is the main character, but there are 3 consecutive chapters all about Amy in the middle of Good Wives! Others about her and Laurie's relationship. And others centering on Meg and Beth, and their struggles. People tend to brush off those because they are not as "interesting" as Jo's. Adaptations make her the protagonist, but the book is called Little WOMEN, not woman. It's about the four sisters.

The sequels though, those are just about Jo really. Between May asking Louisa to stop writing about Amy because of the haters, and John's death... LMA focused on Jo.

However, I do have to give you some points because there are relationships that deserved more attention. Adaptations should focus on developing those, instead of creating fanfiction!

Meg and Amy

I think this is such a sweet relationship. Meg is a motherly figure to Amy. Whenever Amy felt sick at night, she would go to Meg first. She would happily lend Amy her dresses when she starts going to parties in Concord, and help her learn to dance. Meg would be supervising Amy's embroidery. Also, Amy would do this beautiful portrait of Meg and John. And she might have been writing letters to her from Europe, apart from the ones for Marmee. I think Meg continued to be her confident when she and Laurie were having difficulties getting pregnant. Meg would certainly be with her in the room during childbirth and she and John would be godparents to Bess (Also because of how much John did for Laurie. Another relationship that is left underdeveloped). I think Meg would be so happy that Amy can enjoy everything she couldn't, and she would be so proud of how influential her baby sister is. There is this beautiful moment in Jo's Boys where Amy is dancing and she's around 40 years old, but Meg still looks at her as if she were 18! She loves her baby sister so much!

Beth and Amy

These two had to stick together because Meg and Jo were being all grown up and they had to stay and be children for a while. And yet, they couldn't be more different. Beth is the reason why Amy begins to reflect on her behavior. After seeing how loved Beth is by all the town, she just wants to be better. I think Beth is a model for Amy. And Beth admires Amy so much for how independent she is. It will forever break my heart that Amy couldn't say goodbye to her sister. Someone else pointed out that if Amy wouldn't have married Laurie in Europe, she would have returned to sleep in the bedroom she shared with Beth! I think that in the last days of her honeymoon, Amy tried to make excuses to stay in Europe, because there at least she could pretend that Beth was still at home.

Meg and Beth

Their relationship is so peaceful. They are the ones who bring calm to Jo and Amy, so they're super chill sitting next to each other working on their embroidery/piano. Beth would love to spend time with the twins and she might play lullabies for them to go to sleep. I have to confess, not a lot comes to my mind about these two.

I'd love to see what other lw fans think of this.

#it's not a post about lw without ranting at the adaptations #little women #anon ask #amy march #meg march #beth march #jo march #march sisters