Written by C Hues
March 31, 2022
The 2019 film Little Women establishes its characters using names that reflect the nature of said characters. Some characters evolve and grow by making difficult choices that require sacrificing one thing for another; these sacrifices reveal to the viewer who these people are and what is most important to them. Through their interactions with one another, the characters in “Little Women” evolve and make bold choices which establish their place in or against society.
In Little Women, the main protagonist is Jo March. Jo has a habit of antagonizing her sisters, particularly Amy. Jo’s primary concern is advancing her career as a writer and publishing her book. She even brutally beats and chokes Amy when the latter burns the pages of her initial and unfinished novel.[1] She displays a pattern of arguing with her sisters, her potential publishers, and generally anyone who tries to pigeonhole her and limit the self-reliant role that she wishes to pursue (against societal norms). Her last name corroborates her fiery and confrontational nature, as “March” means to “march on, to march toward, as in protest or in preparation for confrontation or battle.”[2] Unlike most women of the time, Jo casts love aside for the sake of a career and the optimism in her gifts, talents, and abilities to provide for herself. The fact that Jo goes by a shortened version of her full name, Josephine, reveals her tomboyish nature.[3] Jo sounds exactly like the male equivalent of Joe (a homonym) and is a masculine-sounding name as opposed to a female-sounding name. Early in the film, when Jo is fixing Meg’s hair, she accidentally burns a lengthy piece of her older sister’s hair off. She does not understand grooming or hair care, which most girls from her era (such as her sisters) would typically know how to do. She also uses harsh language that is deemed unfitting for young women, and frequently uses the word “Capital” to describe her feelings of excitement or enthusiasm toward a particular subject. Jo says that Meg castigates her for her unfeminine language, telling her that she “shouldn’t use words like that.”[4] Jo also occasionally uses militaristic language to describe situations, such as when Meg hurts her foot and must be assisted home by their male neighbor, Laurie. Jo mentions that Meg is a “wounded soldier” and needs medical care. When Jo speaks of her father (a soldier in the Union Army), she says that she wishes she could fight with him against the Confederacy, but society was cruel enough to make her a woman and deny her the right to enlist.[5] Jo’s fascination with the military also seems rooted in her last name, “March”. “March” can mean “to walk with regular and measured tread, as soldiers on parade”.[6] Laurie, meanwhile, is presented as the antithesis of Jo. Laurie’s name is Theodore Laurence, but he prefers to go by the feminine-sounding “Laurie” (although Jo refers to him with the boyish nickname, “Teddy”).[7] Amy describes Laurie as “[v]ery selfish, with your money, talent, beauty”; to which Laurie wryly responds, “Oh, you think I’m beautiful?”[8] Laurie has an effeminate appearance and an equally effeminate name to match, which directly contrasts Jo’s more boyish looks and male-sounding name. Amy further criticizes Laurie’s femininity when he grabs her to prevent her from storming off during an argument, to which she contends that he should be “ashamed of a hand like that” because it “looks like it’s never done a day of work in its life”. She also denigrates him for wearing jewelry, saying that it “looks ridiculous”.[9] The jewelry that Laurie wears was given to him by Jo, ironically substantiating that Laurie is a man who enjoys things typically associated with women and Jo is a woman who enjoys things typically associated with men. Thus, the two appear to be perfect matches in that they are completely different and fulfill the trope that opposites attract. However, when a love triangle ensues between Laurie, Amy, and Jo, the choice between the two sisters is not so obvious. Amy notes that Laurie is “very selfish”, and his vanity and ego are a better match for the like-minded Amy, who is the vainest of her sisters.[10]
Amy’s name means “beloved”,[11] and despite her conceitedness, she values love above all else. From the moment she first meets Laurie, Amy develops an infatuation with him, which blossoms into love as his quick thinking helps to rescue her one day from drowning in a lake. However, Laurie’s love is initially unrequited, and Amy is left to yearn for him in the way that he desires her older sister, Jo. Whereas Jo is primarily focused on her career, but will compromise to make some room for love, Amy is primarily focused on love, but will compromise to make some room for her career (as a very skilled painter). Jo sacrifices the ending of her book to make it end with a traditional love story because her goal is to get the book published (even at the cost of a sappy ending that she detests). Amy, meanwhile, shows promise as a painter but abandons her ambitions as she thinks it will make for a more successful (and traditional) marriage with Laurie.[12] Amy’s name, meaning “beloved”, is a perfect fit for her character as she defeats Jo in their competition to win the heart of Laurie. As Jo prepares to finally accept Laurie’s marriage proposal, Amy has already secured it and won Laurie’s affections with her tenacity and the revelation that it is better to be with someone like yourself than someone vastly different. In this way, Amy represents a woman of tradition and comfort whereas Jo represents a woman of rebellion and independence. However, Jo and Amy can be looked at as two sides of the same woman. Both women are incredibly talented artists (one a writer and the other a painter) with a fiery temperament, but the key difference lies in the choices that they make to determine their values. Amy chooses love first and becomes the “beloved” of Laurie. Jo chooses her career first and becomes a published author (and later finds love anyway with a scholar who shares her interest).
Beth and Meg also have names that are symbolic of their personalities. Beth is short for “Elizabeth”, and the name means “oath”.[13] Beth dedicates her life as if she has an oath to others, to serve others, and to help others even at the cost of her own life. This is best demonstrated when Beth goes to help a family who is deathly sick, and then ends up infected with a fever.[14] She never complains or regrets her decision despite falling ill, and she is content with herself because she did the right thing simply for the sake of doing the right thing. Unlike Jo or Amy, Beth lacks cunning and slyness, but she is a talented artist like Amy and Jo. Beth is a skilled pianist and musician,[15] and this also relates to her last name of “March”. “March” can mean “a piece of music with a rhythm suited to accompany marching”,[16] and thus her last name connects to her musical talents. Meg, meanwhile, is short for “Margaret”, and Margaret is a name meaning “pearl”.[17] Pearls are typically associated with wealthy people and folks from an old money background. When Meg marries, she is soon disappointed to learn that her husband cannot provide financially for her (at least not to the extent that she would like). She frequently complains about how they need more money to live a truly fulfilling life, and only until it is nearly too late does she realize that love is more important than wealth.
Ultimately, the names in Little Women reveal the dispositions of the characters and serve to foreshadow the roles that they eventually play in the story. Jo and Amy are both extremely similar and yet very different; they have similar personalities and passions for art, but their values separate the kind of women that they end up becoming. Laurie, as the center of the love triangle between Amy and Jo, plays an essential role in the choices that make these two sisters who they are. Beth and Meg also have names that reflect their personalities and the desires that they have in life. Lastly, the sisters in Little Women have the surname March, which is also Women’s History Month and reflects the protagonist Jo’s feminist drive and desire to be an independent writer in the world.
[1] https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/little_women_2019. Rating: PG (Thematic Elements|Brief Smoking) Genre:Drama Original Language: English Director: Greta Gerwig Producer: Denise Di Novi, Amy Pascal, Robin Swicord Writer: Greta Gerwig Release Date (Theaters): Dec 25, 2019 Wide Release Date (Streaming): Dec 25, 2019 Box Office (Gross USA): $108.1M Runtime: 2h 15m Distributor: Sony Pictures Entertainment, Columbia Pictures Sound Mix: Dolby Atmos Aspect Ratio:Flat (1.85:1) Cast: Saoirse Ronan, Florence Pugh, Emma Watson, Eliza Scanlon, Timothee Chalamet, Laura Dern, Meryl Streep, Bob Odenkirk.
[2] https://www.dictionary.com/browse/march. Accessed March 31, 2022.
[3] www.behindthename.com. “Jo”. “Short form of Joan, Joanna, Josephine, and other names that begin with Jo. Accessed March 31, 2022.
[4] https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/little_women_2019. Rating: PG (Thematic Elements|Brief Smoking) Genre:Drama Original Language: English Director: Greta Gerwig Producer: Denise Di Novi, Amy Pascal, Robin Swicord Writer: Greta Gerwig Release Date (Theaters): Dec 25, 2019 Wide Release Date (Streaming): Dec 25, 2019 Box Office (Gross USA): $108.1M Runtime: 2h 15m Distributor: Sony Pictures Entertainment, Columbia Pictures Sound Mix: Dolby Atmos Aspect Ratio:Flat (1.85:1) Cast: Saoirse Ronan, Florence Pugh, Emma Watson, Eliza Scanlon, Timothee Chalamet, Laura Dern, Meryl Streep, Bob Odenkirk.
[5] Ibid.
[6] https://www.dictionary.com/browse/march. Dictionary.com. “March”. Accessed March 31, 2022.
[7] https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/little_women_2019. Rating: PG (Thematic Elements|Brief Smoking) Genre:Drama Original Language: English Director: Greta Gerwig Producer: Denise Di Novi, Amy Pascal, Robin Swicord Writer: Greta Gerwig Release Date (Theaters): Dec 25, 2019 Wide Release Date (Streaming): Dec 25, 2019 Box Office (Gross USA): $108.1M Runtime: 2h 15m Distributor: Sony Pictures Entertainment, Columbia Pictures Sound Mix: Dolby Atmos Aspect Ratio:Flat (1.85:1) Cast: Saoirse Ronan, Florence Pugh, Emma Watson, Eliza Scanlon, Timothee Chalamet, Laura Dern, Meryl Streep, Bob Odenkirk.
[8] Ibid.
[9] Ibid.
[10] Ibid.
[11] www.behindthename.com. “Amy”. “English form of the Old French name Amee meaning “beloved”. Accessed March 31, 2022.
[12] https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/little_women_2019. Rating: PG (Thematic Elements|Brief Smoking) Genre:Drama Original Language: English Director: Greta Gerwig Producer: Denise Di Novi, Amy Pascal, Robin Swicord Writer: Greta Gerwig Release Date (Theaters): Dec 25, 2019 Wide Release Date (Streaming): Dec 25, 2019 Box Office (Gross USA): $108.1M Runtime: 2h 15m Distributor: Sony Pictures Entertainment, Columbia Pictures Sound Mix: Dolby Atmos Aspect Ratio:Flat (1.85:1) Cast: Saoirse Ronan, Florence Pugh, Emma Watson, Eliza Scanlon, Timothee Chalamet, Laura Dern, Meryl Streep, Bob Odenkirk.
[13] www.behindthename.com. “Elizabeth”: “my God is an oath” or “oath”. Saint Elizabeth of Hungary, daughter of King Andrew II, was renowned because she “used her wealth to help the poor”. “Beth”: “Short form of Elizabeth, or sometimes Bethany.” Accessed March 31, 2022.
[14] https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/little_women_2019. Rating: PG (Thematic Elements|Brief Smoking) Genre:Drama Original Language: English Director: Greta Gerwig Producer: Denise Di Novi, Amy Pascal, Robin Swicord Writer: Greta Gerwig Release Date (Theaters): Dec 25, 2019 Wide Release Date (Streaming): Dec 25, 2019 Box Office (Gross USA): $108.1M Runtime: 2h 15m Distributor: Sony Pictures Entertainment, Columbia Pictures Sound Mix: Dolby Atmos Aspect Ratio:Flat (1.85:1) Cast: Saoirse Ronan, Florence Pugh, Emma Watson, Eliza Scanlon, Timothee Chalamet, Laura Dern, Meryl Streep, Bob Odenkirk.
[15] Ibid.
[16] https://www.dictionary.com/browse/march. Dictionary.com. “March”. Accessed March 31, 2022.
[17] www.behindthename.com. “Meg”. “Margaret.” Accessed March 31, 2022.