It’s that time of the year again when the world is filtered through screens of dusky purple and ambery orange when the air is constant, wet, and sad. Oftentimes, the rain would linger throughout the day, with darts of droplets decorating the windows like small diamonds. It’s that time of the year again I feel the most alive.
Nothing makes the last quarter of the year like autumnal movies. Something that makes me want to curl inside the warmth of a fuzzy blanket, and simply exist.
Little Women is a novel written by Louisa May Alcott more than 200 years ago. To this very day, it remains to be some of the most adapted literary works in forms of movies, series and even graphic novels. It seems that there is always something for the new generation of young girls. The 90’s had Winona Ryder and Susan Saradon with the importance of family loyalty. Just a few years ago, Gerta Gerwig came out with her rendition of the story. This time focusing more on feminism and outgrowing childhood dreams.
Growing up with four sisters, we were immediately assigned to one March sister that matches our personality. I have always wanted to be Jo. The rebellious writer that would do anything for her small family. Unfortunately, I was branded as Amy, the artistic yet vain youngest sister. With her small nose and light hair against the sad reality that their lives will not get better than what it is.
As I grow older, I have come to embrace the characteristics of Amy and myself. I see her confidence reflected in my being. Her artful hands in my everyday sketches and most importantly, her ambitiousness to get whatever she wants no matter how impossible it can be. It may come off as selfish, but every character is misunderstood at some point of the plot, as we all are.
What makes this movie a quintessential autumn watch is the nostalgic theme and the loneliness of growing up. A scene that really stood out to me: the monologue by Jo March about being loved or ending up alone.
“I’m so sick of people saying that love is just all a woman is fit for. I’m so sick of it. But I’m so lonely.”
To this day, these lines still play at the back of my mind reminding me that it is normal to feel lonely and to long for companionship – that never ending fight between love or life. At this point of early adulthood, I have always chosen myself. I have the privilege of finding love in everything that I do. Somehow fate made sure that I would never be alone. Friends and lovers. With a little bit of determination, everything fell into place. Afterall, I am Amy March.
I believe every woman should experience a form of Little Women at a point in their lives. May it be snippets of scenes on TikTok, or random quotes in their daily Pinterest scroll, we were and always will be little women.
By Ms. Alia Nasution