March Sisters: On Life, Death and Little Women - Review
Kate Bolick, Jenny Zhang, Carmen Maria Machado and Jane Smiley each consider one of the March sisters, and the influence Little Women, and the four sisters' characters in particular, have had upon their lives and writing. In their distinctive voices they each touch upon themes such as health, wealth, being single, vocation and talent. It should be noted that what we know as Good Wives (Alcott's second book of the quartet), American readers, including these four writers, call Little Women, Part 2.
Each writer brings her own life experience into her essay and relates it to the character she writes about. Kate Bolick writes about the oldest March sister Meg's only experience away from her family, when she stays with her friend's rich family, and she is lent a "sweet blue silk" dress. Bolick investigates the concept of "frock consciousness", a term coined by Virginia Woolf, which talks about social visibility. Meg is uncomfortable, but is made to feel ashamed of her "fuss and feathers" by neighbour Laurie who attends the same fete. Bolick recalls a similar event in her own adult life, and how rereading Little Women as an adult had thrown new light on the influence of this book on her own life.
Jenny Zhang writes about Jo, the character most readers (particularly writerly readers) identify with. Zhang, however, had some problems identifying with Jo as a young reader, in fact she was horrified by her, but as an adult has realised that we are "often hardest on the people who mirror the shadowy parts of ourselves" (p.66).
Carmen Maria Machado has written about illness and the human body before. She writes about Beth, the "perfect" sister who dies, and explores how Alcott foreshadows Beth's death throughout the novel. Beth is the only sister in the story with no plan or ambition for her adult life, which Alcott has Beth state soon before her death. Beth's character is based on Louisa May Alcott's sister Lizzie, and Machado tells readers what is known of Lizzie's story and shows how Alcott applied Lizzie's character to Beth's.
Jane Smiley, best known for her adult novel A Thousand Acres, but her favourites are her books for children, writes about Amy the youngest sister, who is portrayed as wilful. Smiley argues that Amy is the most modern of the four sisters, the only one to go to school, Amy's character develops by "constant self-awareness and observation" (p.178).
It is worth reading this little book to gain fresh insight into Alcott's work and the influence of Little Women (and Good Wives), and rereading the novels again, first published 150 years ago, to gain some insight on how books we read as children can affect the way we see the world.
Hear a talk on Little Women, and join the bookish chat: 1 December, 5.30 for a 6 pm start Catch-Up Book Club: Little Women
RSVP: 03 477 6976 or email: events@unibooks.co.nz