I am Woman | Little Women (2019)

The inspiration, thanks to Angela Hepworth:

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The March sisters have been a part of my life since I was about six years old, maybe older, maybe younger. For the longest time, I thought I was Jo March - an independent, outspoken tomboy devoted to family and writing. As I got older though, I started seeing myself in the others.

Meg's vanity turned to sensibility,

Beth's reservedness, and

Amy's mischievous and intelligence.

It wasn't until I watched the 2019 version of Little Women, which to me, undoubtedly is the best one, that the idea of seeing myself in all of the March sisters was solidified.

As a newly minted adult - I turned 21 in August, and if you listened to my mother, that was when you were really an adult - I still was trying to figure out me. More importantly, what type of woman I was going to be.

By the way, still figuring that out. If anyone wants to tell me what age that happens let me know.

But what this book, this film, life, taught me is being a woman isn't restricted to who you are in a moment or a personality. The concept of women is ever-changing with the tides of society, shaped by the world's perceptions, how we are raised, and how we ourselves define being a woman.

As far as my writing, Little Women helps me see that characters should always be complex. Even characters who are made up species deserves more than a two-dimensional workup; they have layers and growth. Another thing I've learned is a correct way to balance flashbacks with the present. The way it's done in the movie doesn't feel jarring and adds to the tale, like when we see Jo holding the post office key in the present. It then goes back and tells the story behind it.

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To say that Little Women (2019) is one of my favorite films of all time would be an understatement and to anyone who knows me, as a surprise. I'm not typically a fan of books I've read turned into movies because the movies don't live up to the hype of the books for me. There has also been times when I've watched the movies first and dawdled on reading the books because I feared the books would dull in comparison.

I am very glad to say that this movie does not disappoint.