The Empowering Message of “Little Women”

My 24 yr. old daughter, Mary Grace, and I went to see the new movie version of “Little Women”.  For Christmas, along with a Kate Spade purse (that I wished I had kept for myself!), I gave her the gift of going together to see the movie (love language: quality time 😊).  When she opened the box, I saw her hesitate as she read the tickets.  I wasn’t sure, then, that she wanted to go.

She explained to me that she’d seen the trailer for “Little Women” and was concerned that the film changed up the book by Louisa May Alcott.  In the trailer, Jo makes this speech:

“Women — they have minds and they have souls as well as just hearts. And they’ve got ambition and they’ve got talent as well as just beauty. And I’m so sick of people saying that love is all that women are fit for. I’m just so sick of it…”

Jo March, “Little Women”

Don’t Mess with the Classics

We’re purists here when it comes to good literature, and find it annoying that movies sometimes portray characters from the classics with a modern moral/social slant.  The big question was would Jo, a feminist in her time, completely lose herself to worldly things in the new movie?

We had heard good reviews and decided to go and take our chances.

It was an absolutely wonderful movie in every way – visually, true to original, and message.

The interesting thing about the trailer was that it cut off Jo’s proclamation of her thoughts, talents, and ambitions right before she continues,

“…but I’m just so lonely.”

By abbreviating the quote in the trailer, it also belittles women’s hearts and beauty.

Our Hearts and Our Beauty

And there is the problem that modern women deal with – this pressure to minimize our hearts and our beauty (I consider this the feminine genius that Pope St. John Paul II spoke of) for talents and ambitions.

It makes for lonely women.  It especially makes for lonely moms.

Women have heaped pressure upon women to do more, be more, and attain status.  Motherhood is not enough, marriage is not enough, you must “be” something, “contribute in a monetary way”.  If you stay at home with your children, there must be more to your day than ‘only’ taking care of the kids and cleaning. 

Mothering and homemaking are not enough, we’re told.  You need to find fulfillment in other things, we’re told.

The Lies of Our Culture

And yet, so many women are lonely and angry – even those home raising the children.  They still hear that constant social drumbeat that mothering – giving your heart is not enough.

To minimize the importance of mothering and homemaking is demoralizing.  And whether said or unsaid in our culture, so many are hearing that message and feel like they fall short.  Their hearts tell them to connect with a spouse and connect with children.  But the world tells them, “Ok, now that you’ve had those kids…move on to something more important.”

And when a person feels they can never satisfy, never be enough – whether it’s the world’s views or their own – they get angry.

It’s true that, at times, motherhood can be lonely.  It doesn’t really matter what age we are, when we invest our hearts and souls completely in other beings, there leaves just a little space for others.  I remember being home with seven children under the age of eight.  There were many times I felt lonely – like I needed to do more to feel productive.

Finding Out What’s Really Important

We homeschooled, so that also added to the isolation.  But when I stopped seeing my children as ‘obstacles’ to what I thought I wanted to do, I began to see what was truly important.

“Children are not a distraction from more important work,

they are the most important work.”

C. S. Lewis

Jo March is living her life, making her own decisions, not answering to anyone else – independent, strong, decisive.  And yet she’s lonely.  She recognizes what she needs, and she seeks to find it.  (However, the trailer will not have you believe that.)

We are social beings, and the feminist movement, in my opinion, has taken the very essence of our beings – our hearts, our beauty, and our need for connection – and turned them to stone, creating loneliness, insecurities, and isolation.

And so, if you’re a Louisa May Alcott fan, you know that “Little Men”, a sequel to “Little Women”, is the answer to her unhappiness.  Not only does she marry and have her own children, but she dives deeper into self-giving and connected relationships and love by creating a home – a haven of love – for other children who need structure, stability, and someone to love as well.

The Empowering Message

Whether you are married, single, natural mother or spiritual mother don’t let the message of the world take away the part of you that God created for your fulfillment.  Embrace your femininity – your nurturing heart and connect with those around you.  Loving relationships are more important to your mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being than anything else the world tells you.  That’s the empowering message of “Little Women”!

And if you are a young mom at home and wonder, “Is this all there is?”, pray to see your children as the most important work of your life, and not a distraction from something bigger and better. There is nothing bigger and better than raising God-created beings – forming them and nurturing them to become loving, generous adults.

Don’t be fooled by the lies of the world!  Giving life and nurturing love with others is a privilege.

Embrace the gift!

With Affection –

Janet

Save to Your Favorite Pinterest Board to Read Later