Jo March as a New Epoch Woman in Little Women Essay

Jo March as a New Epoch Woman

In Little Women by Louisa May Alcott, according to the novel, Jo is portrayed as a new epoch woman through her role as leader of her family, relationship with Laurie, and pursuit of a career.

Jo is the second elder sister in her family, but she plays an important role as leader of her family. Jo gives out almost all of her treasures to support her family. As soon as Jos father goes to the army, her family becomes poor. As a result of this situation, Jo decides to find a job to support her family, instead of paying money to go to school. In fact, Jo loves school, she wants to learn and read more books as a bookworm. Mrs. March finds Jo, and she wants Jo to working for her. Mrs. March is actually Jos aunt. You dont have half such a hard time as I do, said Jo. How would you like to be shut up for hours with a nervous, fussy old lady, who keeps you trotting, is never satisfied, and worries you till youre ready to fly out of the window or cry? (12). Jo wants to support and to help her family to get over the hard time. That is the reason why she still works for Mrs. March, although she does not like her at all.

Another treasure that Jo gives out is her hair. One day, the March family receives a telegram from a hospital in Washington D.C. The telegram says that Jos father, Mr. March, is terribly sick, and they want his wife, Mrs. March, to go to Washington D.C as soon as she can. Mrs. March does not have enough money for the trip to Washington D.C. In the spirit of the moment, Jo runs out to find a way to contribute. Jo returns home, having earned twenty-five dollars by selling her hair. Pretty Amy is horrified that Jo has lost her one beauty. Jo, however, is not sad until late at night, when she cries a little for her lost hair.

She does her best to help her family. Jo is a tomboy, which means she prefers to be a boy, instead of being a young lady. She wants to protect her family as a strong boy. Its bad enough to be a girl, anyway, when I like boys games and work and manners! I cant get over my disappointment in not being a boy; and its worse than ever now, for Im dying to go and fight with papa, and I can only stay at home and knit, like a poky old lady (13).

Jo also publishes her first story in the newspaper so that she could get money to help her family. So I let him, and he said it was good, and I shall write more, and hes going to get the next paid for, and I am so happy, for in time I may able to support myself and help the girls (157).This quotation shows that all she thinks about is her family and puts them first in her life.

Jo has a good friend Laurie, who grows up with her. Laurie loves Jo, but Jo thinks she and Laurie only could be good friends not lovers. Jo goes back to home for Lauries graduation from college, when he returns home, he finally confesses his love to Jo. She tries to stop him from speaking his mind, but he insists on telling her how he feels. She rejects his marriage proposals, telling him she doesnt love him in that way, which breaks his heart. He worries that she loves Professor Bhaer, and speaks scornfully of Bhaers old age. Jo energetically defends the professor, but says she does not love him. Jo is pretty sure that Laurie and she have different economic backgrounds, and their characteristics are opposite. Lauries family teaches Laurie plenty of manners when he was a kid. But Jo is a tomboy who really does not care about any manners. She knows she will have a hard time if she dates Laurie.

Another reason is that Mrs. March tells Jo that she and Laurie is not a good match with each other. I agree with mother that you and I are not suited to each other, because our quick tempers and strong wills would probably make us very miserable, if we were so foolish as to---(353). When Jo knows that Meg and Mr. Brooke are falling love with each other, she tells marmee. But to her surprise, Mrs. March does not say anything to stop Meg. This time, when she talks to Mrs. March that she probably loves Laurie, mom tells her that they are not suited to each other. The contrast between this and her moms lack of comment about Meg and Mr. Brooke makes Jo realize the truth that they are not suited to each other, so that she cannot date him.

In fact, Jo loves Laurie, but too many problems prevent them from being together. Jo looked up then, quite unconscious of anything but her own pleasure in the prospect of showing them to one another. Something in Mr. Bhaers face suddenly recalled the fact that she might find Laurie more than a best friend (349).There is several misunderstand between Jo and Laurie. In the first, Jo thinks that Beth likes Laurie, so she left. She wants Laurie to put his attention on Beth. But the truth is Beth does not like Laurie, she thinks of Laurie as her older brother. Absolutely, Jo cares about her families feelings more than cares about Lauries feelings.

After Jo refuses Laurie, Laurie travels to France. In France, Laurie meets Amy. Soon he finds out that he likes Amy and Amy likes him as well. So although Jo loves Laurie, she will never tell him. They are kind of missing each other. But you are right in one thing: I am lonely, and perhaps if Teddy had tried again, I might have saidyes, not because I love him anymore, but because I care more to be loved than when he went anyway (422). Jos mind is different with other women at that time. She is not selfish and she chooses to remain lonely by herself. Alcott writes Jo as herself. There is also a Laurie in the real world, whose name is Laddie. In the real world, Alcott and Laddie do not become lovers; which is one of the reasons why Jo and Laurie do not go together (23).

Jo is not only a bookworm but also a writing fan. She loves reading and writing. When she works for aunt March, she reads books from aunt Marchs house when she is sleeping. The moment Aunt March took her nap, or was busy with company, Jo hurried to this quite place, and, curling herself up in the easy chair, devoured poetry, romance, history, travels, and pictures, like a regular bookworm (44).

Meg and Jo are invited by Laurie for a show. Before they leave the house, Amy wonders if she could go with them. Jo refuses Amys idea, and leaves with Meg. During the play, Jo feels some remorse for her bad treatment of her little sister. When the older girls arrive home, Amy gives Jo the cold shoulder. The next day, Jo finds her manuscript missing, and discovers that Amy has burned it. Jo says she will never forgive Amy, because that book was her pride and joy. Amy apologizes, and Marmee warns Jo not to let the sun go down upon [her] anger, but Jo is not ready to forgive Amy. The next day, Jo and Laurie go skating, Amy follows them, but by accident, Amy falls into freezing water. Jo unable to forgive Amy, fails to keep close eye on her sister when Amy tags along to go skating. Amy does indeed accident fall through in to ice water and after her melodramatic rescue, Jo is overcome by an excess of self-recrimination (63).

Jo writes a story, submits it, and wins. With the money, she sends Marmee and Beth to the seashore for several weeks to improve Beths health. Jo keeps writing. She makes more money, providing for herself and the family. Finally, she decides to finish her novel, which is a romance. The publisher tells her to cut it down, and, after long consideration, she does. When the novel is published, it earns her $300, as well as mixed reviews from critics. You said, mother, that criticism would help me. But how can it, when its so contradictory that I dont know whether Ive written a promising book or broken all the ten commandments?cried poor Jo. (266). Jo feels so upset when she is asking to cut her book down. She cannot understand the reason why the publishers want her to cut it. She still has a long but rough way to go in the rest of her life.

Jo leaves home and starts her journey to New York. In New York, Jo begins to write sensationalist stories for a publication called the Weekly Volcano. She is not proud of these stories, as they are not moral or profound in any way. They do, however, provide her with a lot of money. Later, she witnesses Mr. Bhaer defending religion in a philosophical conversation and is more impressed with him than ever. When he finds out that she writes sensationalist fiction, she is even more ashamed, and quits writing the tales. After listening to Professor Bhaers advice, she finds a simpler writing style.

Jo has a dreaming of growing up, but she does not want to become into a young lady. She is an original woman writer in US history. She pursues of her career, and she does it in the end of the book. But Janeway claims that the tomboy, Jo, is not a male-identified girl, either. Instead, she argues that Jo represents the dream of growing up into full humanity with all its potentialities instead of into limited femininity. (1). Of course, Jo is a feminist, she fight for her career, she fight for her family. She is a model for women at that time.

After reading over the book, Jos spirit encourages many people. They start trying their best to achieve their dreams. Jos love of her family and her attitude towards her career are good examples for people to copy. The book is easy; Alcott uses simple language to tell the story, but the truth taught in the novel calls for deep thought. Jo as a new epoch woman still influences many people right now.

Works Cited

Alcott, May Louisa. Little Women. New York, NY: Barnes & Noble, Inc., 2004

Karin, Quimby. The Story of Jo. Louisa May Alcott. North Carolina: Duke University Press, 2003. A Journal of Lesbian and Gay Studies. Karin Quimby, North Carolina: Duke University Press, 2003. 1-22.

Foote, Stephanie. Louisa May Alcott. Resentful Little Women: gender and class feeling in Louisa May Alcott. West Chester, PA: College Literature, 2005, 63.