I Ford Yeah, she gets a decent amount of hate too, even from her own sister jo. What's wrong with her wanting to get married and have kids? That's a beautiful dream, not every girl wants to change the world, some just want to live happily.
I'm glad traditionally feminine female characters are getting some credit. It does not empower women to constantly promote the most admirable women as those that reject femininity.
TY!! And it also be some feminist (not all) who say support all girls, but then attacks a feminine woman, and another woman for wanting to be a housewife 😂
@@Anna-bx2wm Maybe that’s true. But, I’ve seen post of women wanting to be housewives & religious women wanting to commit to their religion & feminist would say they’re oppressed or that they’re participating in the patriarchy which is annoying cause that’s someone’s lifestyle ur insulting
The "comparison thing" is Gerwig's invention, Amy never felt second to Jo in his whole life. It was just an attempt to make people empathize with her as she is regarded as the most unpleasant of the March girls.
Heck I'm the oldest of 4 and has a sister who is the epitome of perfection, I have to say, it's difficult to be compared to your own sister day in and day out.
Another thing people who hate Amy for not being what passes for a feminist kween today seem to be incapable of understanding is the historical and societal context behind Little Women. Listen y'all, at the time and place this book was written things for women were *tough.* You were a spectacle to be commented upon by everyone and people have loved to hear themselves talk at the expense of others since time immemorial. It was expected of you to maintain an image of unnatural grace and propriety at all times, then the moment you made one misstep- or what merely looks like a misstep from the outside- your reputation or that of your family even could suffer permanently. The only way you could get better things for yourself was through marriage and even that didn't necessarily guarantee your security and stability for life should something happen to your husband; any woman who didn't play by the rules and didn't get married lived as dead weight to her family and was subjected to societal damnation. Your life as a woman was a constant struggle to feel safe that hinged entirely on the whims and well-being of the men in your life; be they your father, husband or sons. So it's really odd to me that people who claim to be "all for female empowerment" take Amy- a woman who is oppressed by a deeply sexist system, is aware of how that system works and acknowledges it's sexist- and belittle her for wanting better things and thriving by playing by its rules. The problem these people have with Amy- what makes her "not a girlboss"- is that she's not single-handedly trying to challenge the status quo the way Jo does. And yes, I like Jo as much as the next person but if only these people stopped judging the past by today's standards and put themselves in the shoes of a woman at the time they'd understand that the "Amy is a regressive character" take is ignorant and severely lacks empathy. Not everyone could have been Jo, nor they should have. It's an unfair thing to demand of a woman from a very different time, living under very different circumstances. I remember when the movie came out a wave of "Little Women isn't as feminist as celebrated" internet hot takes came with it, which... *sigh.* Again, if you put it in historical context you can easily see how untrue that is. It was a coming of age story of a loving family of different women who navigated female anxieties of their time in different ways. I can easily see how it could inspire and empower contemporary female readers. Then there's also the idea of conventional femininity (as portrayed by Amy, juxtaposed to Jo) being seen as inherently frivolous, worthy of contempt and regressive which is in and of itself ironically sexist and problematic but I've met my word count for the day. So idk, maybe instead of judging works written in different eras by modern standards we could appreciate what they did for women at the time and respect the ideas they inspired in them- ideas that later turned into movements and shaped our modern world. Just an idea.
In the actual book, Jo rejects Laurie multiple times, saying she can NEVER love him. Laurie goes to Europe and genuinely falls in love with Amy and Amy falls in love with him. Amy rejects Fred who is much richer than Laurie and has an actual title in England. Amy even says that she would love Laurie even if he was penniless. Amy works within the system and learns to be generous. Laurie and her decided to be charitable with their fortune once they are married. Amy likes to be prim, proper and a socialite and that is perfectly okay, she is being ladylike, if the roles were reversed no one would complain about a man acting as a gentlemen. And thats on reading the book by Louisa May Alcott.
That scene where Jo was surprised she wouldn’t be going on the trip showed how much she overlooked Amy. Which is why it’s so empowering to see Amy see her own potential
Good point made. And if you look carefully at the scene in the 2019 movie, the moment Amy's eyes are literally gleaming with joy and excitement and she tells Jo and her mom, all the focus is on how Jo is disappointed and felt betrayed. And even her mom is silently consoling Jo rather than sharing in on the joy the little one experiences. And its so unfair because its consistent throughout the novel that Jo is always sympathized and empathized with and never Amy. Even when Amy returns after marrying Laurie, everyone's focus is on feeling bad about Jo (when she rejected the guy multiple times when he approached her but now desires him when he is married to her sister). Even all her mother is mainly focused on is silently checking in on whether Jo is alright or not. And not on celebration of the greatest moment in Amy's life when her one sided love finally got requited
I feel like everyone who talks about how Amy is handed everything are looking at it through Joe’s eyes. Amy is only handed what JOE wants/what the reader’s think joe should have. In Amy’s eyes Joe is handed everything she wants. She is this amazing writer, who has full support and respect from her family, she’s free to pursue her passion, She is free to do things like go to the theater and socialize, and she has Laurie. Everything Amy is handed she works with and I feel like that’s why it’s seen as her being let off the hook. The trip to Europe was just her opportunity to marry rich. Joe honestly wouldn’t have accomplished anything there. You see with her paintings she’s obviously discriminated against because she is a woman. She gave up her passion there and took responsibility. That’s high key admirable. Amy was handed a man she didn’t love, a trip that was about show boating her around, a love that was one sided for the longest time and her passion crushed. She was never really respected/sympathized by her older sister who we can tell she looked up to. Amy burnt the novel out of a fit of rage because if she burnt Joes clothes she’d only get made fun of and in trouble. That really was the only way to send a message to Joe.
In the novel, it’s made clear that Amy isn’t particularly gifted at painting. And Laurie isn’t a remarkable musician. Honestly, I think that detail adds realism to the characters. I dislike stories where everyone is perfect at everything - there’s just too many stories like that. If this version of Little Women chalks criticism of Amy’s art down to discrimination than that’s kind of weak.
@@janedoll3237 well luckily, it wasn’t because she was a woman. actually in the directors notes it says that when amy was painting along side a man, she realized her painting was outdated 18th century realism, and his was the beginning age of modernism and “un life-like” 19th century and her talents were already outdated by the time she made it to paris.
Amy deserved to go to Paris because she was there to find a rich husband that would end up benefitting her family. It wasn’t something for herself. She did also get to experience things like art and the high life, but that was a short lived sense of independence that would more or less be over once she married. Jo wanted to go for herself and her dream but she had no intention of marrying and I don’t see how her family would benefit from going. Amy deserved it not Jo
As a girl who has been girly and a feminist (supporting all women and their choices) her entire life, I can assure you that most people HATE high maintenance, feminine women even if she 'maintains' herself with her own hard-earned money. Most men love to glorify the 'Cool girls' or 'not like other girls' trope (Just another form of Misogyny)
True and it's especially hurtful when those come from other females...I especially hate it when other females hate on other females for wearing 'too much make up' or being too 'feminine'.
As a decidedly low-maintenance female, I can tell you I admire girls who always look put together and whose hair always looks pretty - I wear makeup occasionally, but I always envy the women who look so effortlessly beautiful and polished.
Completely agree. I feel that many times people (men, let's be honest) don't take me seriously because I'm feminine and I like to be a bit childish, it's like in their head they can't process that a traditional and feminine girl is capable of speaking for herself. Don't get me wrong, a fundamental part of feminism is supporting ALL women, feminine or not. (I don't speak English perfectly so ... sorry if something is wrong).
@@jjj2671 Nah, Amy is full Slytherin unlike a hufflepuff, she isn't like humble, yes she grows up but still has that sense of pride and unlike a Gryffindor, she is more cunning and not that reckless. She is pure slytherin and I love it *If you can't tell I am a slytherin* but I can see how she would be Gryffindor
I think that Laurie and Jo have a lot of chemistry because their characters are both spirited and play off of each other. Like a dance between two flames.
I actually like Pugh’s Amy the most of all the sisters. She’s confident and purposeful, goes after she wants and gets it. She doesn’t waste time antagonizing people when it’s not necessary.
All the pressure on marrying rich and saving the family from poverty was put solely on Amy, when she was the youngest daughter and that pressure should have gone to her older sisters. Amy had dreams too, of marrying for love and of art, but she was willing to give them both up if it meant helping her family. That alone makes me respect her more than anyone, and I’m really glad she got a happy ending because I feel like she deserved it.
I dont think people realise the sacrifices Amy was willing to make for her family, both Meg and jo made their decisions about their future based on what would benefit themselves the most, whereas Amy makes decisions based on what would benefit her family
"At the end she gets Laurie, she gets her man". I LOVE THAT. I think Laurie confused platonic love for romantic love with Jo. He was a romantic above all and loved the idea of being in love, and more so, with his best friend, his soulmate in a way only best friends can be, his almost twin. With Amy he truly fell in love. He loved her so much he actually went (finally!) to London with his grandfather so he could be worthy of Amy and as a result of her love he became a better man.
I think Jo was the first one Laurie really felt close to and vulnerable with that way. And he misinterpreted and confused that feeling with real love--or at least it needed a lot more development and time to mature before it became anything like real love. That's a classic adolescent mistake. A few years taught him a little more about what love really could be.
It was always seen as Amy “stealing” Laurie, but everyone fails to see that Laurie actually loves Amy. People think that Jo loves Laurie but she didn’t. She was just settling because she was afraid of loneliness. It meant so much to me that in the new movie Laurie said “I love you but I love Amy is a completely different way” or something like that. At first when I saw the new movie, I was heartbroken, but after Amy and Laurie got together I realized that Jo and Laurie would never work together. My opinions are based on the new movie. I think it’s safe to say I’m waaaaaay too invested in this movie. 3k likes?! Wow thanks I was just stating my opinions
@@FullofLit Wow, wow, wow! Amazing comment! It's clearly that! But some people are just so dumb that they don't realise that Jo and Laurie are soulmates but not in a romantic way! Then they still hate on Amy for years! Lmao so stupid.
@@FullofLit Now I need to understand that scene between Laurie and Meg at that party she goes to all dressed up. Did it seem like Laurie was making a move on her too or was that just me??
This is so true in every way. The audience treats Amy horribly for her actions when she was like 12 in the books (ala Sansa Stark) and ignore her development as she grows older, saying how her age is not an excuse fir her behaviour despite other way older characters making even bigger and dumber mistakes but getting the easy way out for being fan favorites... And then there are the shippers...Who ignore Jo basically saying she does not love Laurie and how they would not work together and just blame Amy for being in the way...which she never was in the first place. Sorry for the rant hut just gotta get that one off my system.
"despite other way older characters making even bigger and dumber mistakes but getting the easy way out for being fan favorites..." just say it: JOSEPHINE MARCH. I've re-read Little Women and Good Wives before watching the movie and, for example, about the trip to Europe: when Aunt March and Aunt Carol are thinking about what sister to bring, Jo says when they visit them that she doesn't like to be given "charity" and that she isn't good with languages, and makes an ignorant comment about french and in the book even her mother and herself admit she ruined that chance herself.
@@lausommeils6668 True. I love Jo so much but that scene where she said she hated the French and didn't even like taking care of Aunt March and being in stuffy, overly sophisticated events but threw a small fit when Amy was sent to Europe instead if her was a bit ....yeah. i mean everyone has flaws but the fact that some think that their faves are perfect in every way and trying to demonize others by blowing other's flaws out of proportion is just weird for me.
@@calico_queen8976 yeah, I think it makes perfect sense to want to travel with somebody you get along more, is respectfull, and is actually interested in the culture. If Jo went, I thin she would probably behave very rudely and not pay that much attention to what her aunt says and try to do btw she wants, or say her trip was ruined because she had to acompany her cousin to balls and so on. And actually Amy even started working on her flaws around the time she was sent to Aunt March's house when Beth got sick. I think Jo needed the experience of loosing an opportunity because of her rudeness and ignorace to see that she had to behave better.
The whole manuscript burning thing...I’m a writer and I see how painful and heartbreaking that was to Jo. But let’s examine the whole chapter: 1). Jo refuses to let Amy join her and Meg on a theater date with Laurie...even when Amy offers to pay for her own admission... and says some pretty mean things to her about her not being invited and spoiling their pleasure by inviting herself... harsh things to say to a sick kid sister. 2). Jo KNOWS she mistreated Amy and feels guilty about it in the theater. But Jo doesn’t take the high road, go back to Amy, and apologize for hurting her feelings. 3). Jo physically attacked Amy (again, her younger, smaller sibling) when Amy burned the manuscript. 4). Unlike Jo, Amy IS remorseful and apologizes to Jo who in turn refuses to forgive her. 5). During the ice skating accident where Amy is badly hurt and nearly killed...Jo KNEW the ice was unstable and KNEW Amy was too far away to hear Laurie’s warning... and STILL she ignored her younger sister until she fell through the ice and Laurie ran to rescue her. 6). During Amy’s recovery, Jo admitted to Marmee that she had serious problems with anger management and wanted to do better. She STILL never apologized to Amy or acknowledged her treatment of Amy as harmful and wrong. Amy (again being the bigger person) forgives Jo without reproach. As readers, we root for Jo as the story heroine. But if you look at the storytelling in the chapter (“Jo Meets Apollyon”). Amy is the better person EVERY TIME. Amy was wrong to destroy Jo’s manuscript, but she admits it and is genuinely remorseful. Jo was actually willing to risk Amy being drowned in rotten ice (if Laurie hadn’t been with them would she have abandoned Amy?) to soothe her own hurt ego. Jo KNOWS she hurt and wronged her sister, but is only willing to take partial ownership of the fact when Amy is nearly killed. If Jo and Amy were your kids, you’d send Jo to therapy. Amy wasn’t the villain here.
People hate her?!? She was my absolute favorite!!! She's so wonderful. I was actually kind of irritated that Jo's character development was vocalized in conversations with her mother etc... but amy actually grows the most and becomes the most complex and complete. Jo gets to talk to Marmee about the viciousness inside of her when shes angry, which clearly BOTH girls get from their mother. But only jo is given the pass by talking about it. Meanwhile, becuase the book burning isnt addressed in dialogue in the same way, and so there's a linch mob of angry, rather basic, women who dislike Amy? Pft. Please. Jo was a bully.
According to me, the 4 sisters were the depiction of every girls' various forms. Meg's beauty, Jo's boyish/ childish attitude and stubbornness , Beth's sensitivity and Amy's grace and elegance. Louisa may Alcott showed that Marmie had all these qualities which I think was a depiction of how every single girl is beautiful, stubborn, sensitive and graceful in their own way. 💕
amy's speech to laurie about why she needs to marry rich because of the sexist structure of their time... hit HARD. that was the moment i decided i had to stan. also it must be said...... i believe Jo is a lesbian. anyway, great video! so many points were made.
natalie . exe Jo is most likely lesbian or bisexual, she’s based off of the author herself. And the author herself admitted to falling in love with many girls in her lifetime she also didn’t want Jo marrying in the book/movie but her publisher forced her to.
i kinda agree with that last part i mean she did say at least in the movie she wished she were a boy so if not a lesbian maybe some sort of gender disphoria going on in her head but i mean thats just a maybe
She wasnt a lesbian, just a tomboy. Not every guy who has feminine tendencies and not every girl who has boyish qualities or tendencies are a lesbian/gay. This is why so many poor kids are so dang confused
Jo is not remotely lesbian. She scorns anything related to femininity, and looks down on her female peers. Why do you think she married such a sloppy, hairy unmannered man like Bhaer? Laurie was too feminine for her, she wanted a man who encompassed masculinity as much as would allow.
I always disliked Laurie, because he says something like "I always knew I would marry a March sister." It almost seemed like he didn't mind which one he married, so as a kid, I hated that.
Read chapter 41 of the book. He began falling in love with Amy before he would even admit it to himself. He felt guilty for getting over Jo more quickly than he thought and wouldn’t let himself believe he actually was, for a while anyway, even writing Jo a letter with one last plea, to which she again declined and told him to move on (which his heart had already began to do but due to his loyalty to Jo he refused to admit it). He truly loved Amy when he married her. Don’t forget Amy was just a kid when he and Jo became best friends. He met a completely different Amy in Europe after he already proposed to Jo. He didn’t expect what happened.
I did not like one bit when Laurie says that he has changed himself and will do anything to get Jo to like him. No one should change themselves for someone else.
@@Line... People should not try to change themselves for someone else because it becomes disingenuous. A person should only change themselves for themself because that is truly how they want to be. It rarely ends for the better when trying to change for someone but is more rewarding when it is done for their own personal want.
@@Line... That one's complicated. I think it's very healthy to use emotional bonds to help with one's self improvement. A real friend is someone who helps you be the best version of yourself. But that's different than someone insisting that if you don't change, they won't love you anymore. That kind of thing happens also. So, basically, that could be approached in a positive, inspiring way, or a negative, manipulative way.
Preach sister! Amy is a realist and ambitious. And because she’s not ambitious in this “I need no man, I will do my own thing” way, but rather understands the reality of her situation and operates from there, people hate her. I think this hate comes from the modern perspective of “love conquers all” and that money (stability) should never be a concern to chose a life partner, as it somehow shows that the “love” is not pure and with that undeserved. Which is ridiculous.
In Jo's Boys Mr. March lives with Amy and Laurie. By marrying Laurie she is able to provide a happy home for her dad. None of the other girls are thinking, who is going to take care of the old folks one day. Only Amy is thinking about that "one of us must marry well, Meg didn't Jo won't and Beth can't right now."
People hate Amy because they project all their feelings for conventionalists who insist you should be one too. Amy is a practical romantic driven by self interest. She is not that different from others in her family who are also driven by self interest of a different nature. But people of our times are used to a lot of conservatives forcing women to do things *against* their economic or self interest. This is the hate being projected on to Amy.
Agreed. I think this is the key to why people dislike Amy, even more than the burnt manuscript or her marriage to Laurie. She conforms to the social conventions and gender expectations of her day and is rewarded for her conformity while Jo has to struggle because she doesn't conform. And sometimes (not always, but sometimes; especially regarding the Europe trip) it feels as if the book holds Amy up as the role model whom Jo needs to learn to be more like, which is galling to readers who identify with Jo and would rather die than be forced into a conservative mold of womanhood. I like Amy in and of herself, but I'll admit to feeling slightly ambivalent about her, because her adult self embodies a conventional ideal that I (an autistic person who identifies first of all with Beth, secondly with Jo) will never live up to. This is no fault of her's as a character; as you said, it's all projection.
I’ve as loved Amy as well because I identified with her more. I also understood that she was the youngest and they’re more spoiled but not by their own fault but she also grow into her own version of what a strong woman was.
I actually loved this version of Amy. Except one thing: I really don’t think Florence Pugh is believable in any way as a 12 years old. She looks and sound way too old for the childhood part of Amy. But when she comes to the adult part, on the trip to Europe and her interactions with Laurie, she is amazing and it makes you see the maturity Amy gained with time.
Ii think its her voice that is so deep and raspy and she has those faces that make you look older than you actually are, cause i think her acting was phenomenal
my mum and sister yelled at me after the little women movie for saying that Amy was my favourite, purely because they found her to be unlikeable. I’ve always liked Amy and understood her as the youngest child, but seeing the film really just gave a whole new insight into Amy.
I honestly wish they would make a film from Amy’s prospective, I would like to see how things were for her. She had changed so drastically and spending so much time with aunt march made me think she was being conditioned to fit the criteria from that time, it would be interesting to see.
Another thing that stood out to me in this movie is that Amy never really had the liberty to make her own choices. She was the youngest sister, yet all the pressure was on her to marry rich and save the family from poverty. Meg married poor and for love, Jo was out following her dreams and not making much money, Beth was sick - their mother spending her days caring for her. That really just left Amy. She had her dreams of being an artist, and we could see she was really good, but she never pursued them and even convinced herself not to because it wouldn’t be enough. She was willing to marry Fred, even though she was not in “love” with him. I really do admire her for that and I’m glad by the end of the movie she did find true love (yes, I believe her and Laurie are true love don’t come @ me) and she deserved it.
Firstly, Jo didn't want Laurie. She rejected him. She had her chance. However I think Amy deserves better than Laurie. My feeling is that Laurie wasn't really in love with Jo nor was he in love with Amy. He was in love with being part of the Marche family and he would have "fallen in love with" and married any of the sisters in an effort to solidify himself a place in the Marche family.
If you read the book and still believe Laurie wasn’t truly in love with Amy while still being fiercely loyal to his feelings he had for Jo to the point that he refused to believe he could be anything but heartbroken, go back and read chapter 41 again.
StrangeViolette laurie didn’t deserve amy. he “fell in love” with her out of nowhere, as soon as she was unavailable and jo wanted nothing to do with him
Listen to Morgan. The movie is easy to misunderstand but if you read the book, I think there is no doubt he felt in love with Amy deeply and it was not out of the bat, it was a process; he even tried to deny his feeling but in the end, he couldn't help but embrace his love for Amy.
I don't think there is a sister we are supposed to dislike. Louisa obviously loved her sisters very much, so why would she ever throw one of them under the bus like that? I have always struggled with the character of Amy, even when she was grown up, because of how un-March-like she felt. What's the difference between the chapter "Meg goes Vanity Fair" and when Amy is grown up and wears frilly gowns and marries a rich man? However, my friend explained to me that Amy is a gentlewoman. There is nothing wrong with money or liking fine things, as long as that is not your end goal in life and you still carry yourself with humility. I think this adaptation nailed that.
i think one of the difference is that Amy never pitied herself- she is shown as resourseful in fashion (coloring herself her stuff to look like new), she may not be rich but she never called herself "poor" and never pitied herself- while Meg do often-i like all sisters btw
@@ukelicious123 I agree with you, mostly. Amy fell into self-pity as a child, but you're right that when she became the same age as Jo and Meg (in the first half of the book), she's much more resourceful than either of them. Like Jo, she's artistic and intellectual. But, unlike Jo, she can apply those qualities in socially pleasing ways. Like Meg, she is loving and graceful. But, unlike Meg, she thinks about her choices in a practical way, using both her head and her heart.
Un-march like. Bingo. She just feels so unmarch like. I can't exactly put my finger on why or how but she just a does. never hated her never liked her. every sister has her shortcoming. I just found Amy's most annoying. Jo's close second.
Fantastic analysis. It’s unfortunate that every film except the 1994 version cast an adult as 12yo Amy. Amy’s antics are completely understandable if you see that she’s a 12yo kid trying to keep up with her big sisters. Those antics come off as pathetic and catty when an adult plays the role. Greta Gerwig wrote young Amy in a way that an adult could convincingly portray her, and she didn’t dwell on the famous childhood scenes. That gives the audience time with adult Amy where we can appreciate her character growth.
I wish they did like this for every sister. A younger version and an adult version. Because they all change so much and people forget they're almost all just teenagers in the first part!
Except that in the source material she only wanted to go for Laurie. She only came for jo because she was going to hang with Laurie, & she wasn’t. Frankly, if a character needs to be “made likeable” they’re not all that great to begin with.
I've always thought that the only reason people hate Amy so much it's because she is the opposite of Jo, Jo invented the "I'm not like other girls" thrope which it's popular, but people CAN'T accept that a woman can be beautiful, smart and ambitious without being "not like other girls" lol Amy is my favorite sister bc she is a queen who deserves and reach everything 🤭
People that say Laurie didn't love Amy also like to ignore the opera scene!!! When laurie is writing his opera and his main character is supposed to be modeled after Jo, who he is still convinced he is in love with, but when he begins writing more of the character, it slowly shifts to become more to Amy's likeness. They're in love!!! They both love each other so much!!! They would love each other if the other didn't have enough money or status to compete in high society!!! I love them so much and will defend them tooth and nail.
I think people don’t realize that the Louisa based the characters off of her own sisters. And that Amy is based on her sister May. Louisa and May were quite close, close enough that may names her only child Lulu after Louisa. Louisa obviously felt jealous over how she perceived everything coming easily for May but they loved each other none the less. I think people take that sibling jealously and go this means she’s awful when in reality their both imperfect very similar people.
Once I understood that Laurie was Amy’s childhood dream crush... it became so sweet. Just think of if you were 12 and there was a older family friend that looked and acted like Laurie... you would be head over heels. And it’s so sweet that he seen her become a woman... that she became the kind of woman to hold him accountable for how he fell off... because she always admired him. That’s special And Jo... Jo was never in love with him. Yet she took on look at the professor and there connection was on a whole different level. Jo was never Laurie’s to begin with. Why must we always invalidate friendship because of “ you must be in a relationship for this to be right” Sometimes it is right... but right in another way
This is such a well thought out argument. I love how you say Jo rebels against the society she lives in while Amy works within it. In the novel, Aunt March was considering taking Jo to Europe, but Jo embarrassed Aunt March in front of a high society friend, so she takes Amy instead because she believes that Jo won’t behave properly. As a result Jo gets her happy ending much later after struggling and trudging on.
Amy is so realistic and I love her for it. She takes it upon herself to provide for her family instead of going after her dreams because she knows no one else in her family can. And she realizes that though she’s a good artist, she’s not a genius one. And if she isn’t the absolute best, or worth noticing, than she can’t make a living off of it, so she has to abandon her ambition. She’s under so much pressure and I was so happy when she and Laurie ended up together. The film did such a good job portraying how their relationship matured and why they loved each other.
I've always hated people's animosity towards Amy. Finally! Finally, we get justice for Amy! You can really tell that the people who directed all the other little women adaptations hated her. They kept only scenes that made Amy look bad, only showed a scene or two of Amy and Laurie and highlighting the romance/friendship of Jo and Laurie because they didn't agree with Louisa May Alcott's decision for them (Jo/Laurie) not to end up together. Because of this the audience who watched the movie didn't understand how they got together. Greta Gerwig understood Amy and the relationship between Amy and Laurie. As a big fan of fan fiction, I always hoped that I could sooth my shipper heart of Amy/Laurie there but nooooo there is almost none (of the like twelve of them I found a few years ago, most were of Laurie cheating with Jo behind Amy's back and I'm just like NO). Now, with this movie getting such success and showing Amy in such an unbiased light, hopefully there will be some good fan fiction of Laurie and Amy arriving.
Jo has literally shipped Laurie with all her sisters in the books and said quote on quote she did not love Laurie but everyone blaming Amy for Laurie and Jo not getting together 🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️
Actually, the 1994 version -- which has Amy played by two different actresses to account for the age spread -- we do see the scene where Kirsten Dunst, as the younger Amy, is sent off to Aunt March's when Beth comes down with scarlet fever. She's the only one of the sisters who hasn't had the illness, so she has to be removed from the home. She's taken in a carriage by Laurie to Aunt March's and she confesses to him that she doesn't want to go away and that she's afraid of Aunt March. He promises her that he'll visit her everyday and she won't be alone. And, if Aunt March is unkind to her, he'll come and take her away. She asks, where will they go and he says, Paris -- which is great foreshadowing. Then, she outlines to him who should get what of her treasures if *she* should catch scarlet fever and die, and then laments that she doesn't want to die, as she's never been kissed. She's waited her whole life to be kissed. He responds, I tell you what. I promise I'll kiss you before you die -- which, again, is great foreshadowing of where their relationship ultimately ends up. There's a little clip of this scene on TH-cam.
Basically how I see Jo and Laurie relationship is like that of true parabatai in the Mortal Instruments. They're basically soulmates, but in a platonic way
Truth? I’ve always disliked Jo most of all. Her goals are admirable but she’s so prideful and stubborn and kind of mean. Amy grows to be the best of them all.
l like all of the sisters i don't think any sister shoud be disliked they are ALL spacial in their own way yas they all have flaws but this make each of them good persons l love and all the sisters and pick a favorite would just be impossible.
I think both Jo and Amy are the characters that grow and mature the most in the book, which means that we also get to see them at their most petty, childish, and immature selves too. Amy has a very complete character arc in the first book, while I feel that we actually get to see more of who Jo truly matures into as an adult in the second book, Little Men (although the focus is on the second generation rather than the March sisters in that one.)
I was always most intrigued by Amy. She's an imaginative, ambitious girl stuck in a stupid boring town while poor. Her ambitious nature is to know what the Hell she wants and I like that
When I reread the book, I was struck by finding that Jo never regretted rejecting Laurie, as she does in the movies! And I think Amy might well be better for him. I was impressed by the depiction of Amy's gift for tact in the book, for getting along with a variety of people in a variety of situations. Like Jo, I don't particularly possess this gift, so I definitely don't take it for granted! I admire Amy.
I remember the first time I read the part when Amy burns Jo's book and she tells her she knew that's what was gonna hurt her the most, and I remember just FEELING her anger so much, OF COURSE that's a horrible thing to do and OF COURSE AMY KNOWS IT AND SHE REGRETS DOING IT and I honestly never hated her for that because that's just how GIRLS ARE, I never had sisters but I grew up with my first cousin who's 8 years older than me, and I tried SO HARD to be like her and for her give me validation because I felt she was the coolest person ever, and when she excluded me or embarrassed me like Jo often did with Amy, I would ball my eyes out feeling like shit, and guess what? I broke her stuff, I stole her music which was basically her identity when she was a teenager because I KNEW it would piss her off, we don't fight like boys fight, we go for the things that hurt, because we really understand each other's feelings and honestly that's just how we bond as sisters, we don't always fight, we care, we listen, and so did Jo and Amy, their sisterhood is amazing and I honestly don't care for what Amy haters think
Amy and Laurie's relationship makes sense! I think it's so important in Jo's turning him down in the 2019 version, she says "I tried" but she still can't love him back and unreciprocated love is unfair.
Dude Amy LOVED Jo, it always made me so sad that Jo would always be really dismissive and actively antagonistic towards her because Amy thinks shes so cool
So, true. All she wanted was her approval. Never anything else. She wanted a sister who cared for her. Beth was too young to give Amy the kind of 'attention' she wanted and Meg was more on the motherly side.
Finally!!! Someone who understand the relationship between Laurie and Amy and doesn't see it as Laurie just going after another March sister. I loved the movie with Wynona Ryder in it but one thing they did absolutely wrong was the way they treated Laurie and Amy's relationship. All their character development and relationship development dissapears...so i'm really excited for this
True! They paid so much attention to Bhaer and Jo that they rushed Amy and Laurie. I think it's because critics hated Bhaer and Jo together because of the large age gap based from previous adaptations.
I always thought Amy and Laurie was right for each other. I felt like Jo and Laurie, even though they were nice together they never truly in love. Maybe I have missed something from the book or from this movie but I never thought that Laurie just jumped to another March sister.
YES! I also read Little Women for the first time this year, and I didn't understand it when I heard people hated Amy. I think people have definitely been influenced by "the main character should get the boy" trope and all the movie adaptations that portray Amy poorly. Like, JO DIDN'T WANT LAURIE. She didn't want anybody! The book makes that abundantly clear! (Plus in the movie there's the nod to Jo's romance being added in after getting pressure from the publisher). I do think that the movie did one thing to add to the Anti-Amys-when Jo finds out that Laurie and Amy got married, in the book, she's legitimately happy for them and doesn't begrudge them at all. In the movie, you can tell she's surprised and hurt and then gets over it. I wish the movie didn't do that. But it does show how good Amy and Laurie are for each other! I love the moment when she's like "Laurie what are you doing standing there can you get the carriage PLEASE we have matchmaking to do."
i love amy march. florence pugh displayed her so beautifully, and i'm glad she got an oscar nomination !! i feel like the amount of hate amy got was undeniably unfair. the growth she goes through as a character and as a person is not acknowledged by so many people. i loved her from the start to the end. the movie was outstanding and incredible. definitely one of my favorites, and if you haven't watched it, i recommend it sososo much !
FINALLY! This is first time I've seen so many people come together in defense of Amy. She was always one of my favorite Little Women and for years I had to watch everyone else despise her for no reason other than petty jealousy. Jealousy because she was the "pretty" one (I never got how she was "spoiled", she was young and silly but I don't recall anywhere in the book where she was shown favoritism or special treatment - Marmee was a fair mother), she went to Europe (deservedly), and - horror or horrors! - married Laurie (whom Jo rejected). Frankly the Jo and Laurie shippers are some of the most obnoxious in all of literary fandom. It's like they didn't even read the book or have a basic grasp of the characters. Amy and Laurie were childhood friends and suited each other perfectly. Amy was never supposed to be this hated, she was never the Bad Guy. All the sisters were flawed and of all of them, Amy grew the most. Not sure why it took til Greta Gerwig's movie to prove her value, when some of us saw it all along. Still, high time she was appreciated. Thank you for this video! ❤
This is also why it makes sense that Jo calls him Teddy, symbolizing a childhood friend and it also being his first name, so a more immature, childlike petname that suits their friendship which wants to remain in that "childish" state. Amy calls him Laurie like everyone else which is more mature and draws upon his last name so a more grown up version of him.
I've always felt that people who didn't like Amy just didn't fully understand her motivations and/or didn't fully understand her relationship with Laurie. In a good relationship, both partners need to not just support but let them be the best version of themselves- only Amy could do that for him (And Laurie, her)
This video is everything. I’ve always identified as an “Amy” and have had to defend my love for Amy March. Also think that the people who hate Amy the most don’t have sisters, or healthy relationships with their sisters. Because Jo doesn’t hate Amy, they love each other. Sisters fight, and sisters know how to stick the knife exactly where it’s going to hurt most. ie Jo won’t let Amy go to the theatre and Amy burns Jo’s book. It hits them in the same way, but it’s told from Jo’s perspective so you don’t get Amy’s feelings. Bravo for this analysis! 💕💕💕
Laurie actually was the one who bought the tickets.... So he was the one Amy should have been mad at.... I do wonder what would have happened if Jo had distroyed one of Amy's paintings... You can bet Amy would have been as ticked as Jo was about her manuscript ..
In this movie version it’s made super clear that from a young age her Aunty drilled into Amy that she would be the only person who could save her family from the future poverty that would eventually befall her parents and even her sisters. Other adaptations have of course included this. But for some reason this version really hit home with how Florence reacted to being told this information. She looked like she took the weight of the world on her shoulders after her Aunty spoke with her then told her to go back to her little paintings. Even though Amy did want the finer things in life, you could also tell it burdened her as well. The thought that if she didn’t marry well her family would be destitute would make her possibly accept a proposal that would be for convenience and not love. But the same could be said for a lot of wealthy marriages across the ages. Eventually love did win, but she was close to marrying someone she would have liked, but not loved.
Omg you described my feelings on this perfectly! One thing that always sticks out to me as well is even though Jo read to aunt march and everything, Amy spent a lot of time with aunt march because she was sent there when beth was sick. So aunt March's decision makes a lot of sense in so many ways. It's frustrating ppl hate the character so much. Why can't ppl appreciate each character for their unique and wonderful traits?
LOVE this! Amy has always been my favorite character from the novel and movies and the latest adaptation did her the most justice. She’s so misinterpreted so often and you nailed exactly why! My one critique of the film is that I wish they had shown more of Laurie and Amy as children since their bond was so strong too. I loved how he would visit her each week at Aunt March’s etc. and I think it explains why Amy always loved him and that he always loved her too but it took Jo rejecting him to recognize what had been in front of him all along. I find their relationship far more romantic. Greta did a brilliant job and the casting was :chefs kiss:
Completely agree with everything you said. Also, I remember in a cast interview they were saying that Jo and Laurie are almost so similar that they are like two halves of the same person. Similar to how Jo would always butt heads with Amy because they are both so headstrong, passionate, quick tempered, stubborn, etc, I think she would also have had that experience with Laurie. They wouldn’t grow each other the way in which Amy and Laurie do.
This movie I think plays more emphasis on everyones dreams, motives, and morals, which made me honestly like Amy more with Jo and found Jo a character whom I would not like in real life just because of her morals and traits.
lo l I just personally disagree with her morals and don’t agree with several things she says in the books and movies is all. I don’t like her personality as well, with her quick temper and loud personality.
Jo is an amazing character, but the movie adaptations often highlight her virtues and forgets about her flaws. The trip to Paris is one of the greatest examples of the above: Amy and Jo visit aunt March and while Amy is all politeness and amiable (indeed Amy’s greatest strength is how to move in society), Jo is crossed and rude. Jo says in her own words that she doesn’t want favours and that she hates French. The next chapter in the book called “consequences” reveals that during that visit aunt March was thinking about inviting Jo to Paris, but because of her rude behaviour, and, in contrast, the pleasant attitude of Amy, she invites Amy instead. So, no, Amy did not take that opportunity from Jo, Jo did that to herself because her disregard for societal “norms/politeness”.
YESSSSSSSSSS Amy always gets so much crap for who she was when she was like 10, and then everyone hates her forever even though she grows up to be pretty likeable!
Thanks for this trenchant video. The whole "Amy stole Laurie from Jo" gripe has always been a complete mystery to me. When I was reading the book as a young girl, I actually found it thrilling when Amy and Laurie finally connected. I wonder if the reason so many people claim to be aggrieved over it is that Laurie is such an attractive character. The reader is attracted to him and if the reader also "identifies with" Jo, then therefore Laurie and Jo must end up together. But if a reader does that, aren't they actually disrespecting Jo as a protagonist? Remember, Jo says, very clearly and firmly, after sober contemplation, that she doesn't love Laurie romantically and that he's not right for her. Should the reader just declare that Jo doesn't know her own mind? Isn't Jo's journey to self-discovery and truth one of the themes of the book? The reader is free to deplore her decision; I remember when I read it as a little kid thinking something to the effect of 'Wow, I know Jo wants to be different, but I think she's carrying it a little too far! I'd take Laurie in a heartbeat!", but it is her choice to make. Amy and Laurie seem much more suited to each other; for one thing they are both much more sensual than Jo is.
I didn’t really like Amy in the book, but Florence Pugh did an amazing job portraying her; the movie made me love her so much! Little Women is about so much more than Jo’s love story, it’s about the sisters, the ways they are all different, and the ways they are all the same. Louisa May Alcott never wanted Jo to marry, and made Amy end up with Laurie to make the point to her readers that a woman’s life doesn’t culminate in a marriage. If anything, I’d rather Jo didn’t marry at all.
Thank you for this!!! I’ve never understood why anyone who read Part 2 of the book hates Amy, or thinks Jo was devastated by Amy marrying Laurie. Did they really read it or just ignore the story and development of Amy’s character as an adult because they had already made up their mind bc she was, no doubt, a spoiled bratty kid. Also, in the book Jo tells her mother, that after Beth died she might have said yes to Laurie but it would have been bc she was lonely, not bc she loved him more. She did, however, fall in love with the professor, in a way that she never loved Laurie. In the book, I never felt Amy would have been anything but happy for Jo and Laurie had they gotten married. The book tells of Amy and Laurie’s falling in love in a beautiful way.
This is a great video and you hit the nail right on the head. But, the thing about Little Women is that most people (I got this from a review and its true for my own experience) love the story because of the beginning. Those happy days when Jo and Laurie where wild and inseparable, Beth was healthy, Meg was pining after John, and Amy is up to her childish antics. Pt. 2 of the story is just the reader having to watch these magnetic personalities be ironed out. I honestly don't know if people would care about the second half of the story if we weren't already in love with the characters from their childhood days. The sequels don't even seem to be nearly as popular.
Dynestee Fields ohhhh. I can totally see how this must be super frustrating to people. I haven’t read the sequels only Volume . Should I give it a read???
@@marinaluna3252 I would. It might be an interesting experience for you. The sequels aren't awful. I get the sense though, that it would have been better to read the sequels with the whole crew as adults first. Then read Little Women/ Good Wives as a prequel to see how they got to the point. It would ease the shock out of the leap from Little Women to Good Wives.
To everyone who dislikes Amy or of any of the sisters, I will justify that you shouldn’t and you’re greatly misunderstanding. Each sister had their own flaws and strengths. Alcott wrote this novel at a time women were commonly misrepresented, low status in society, and seen nothing more than a love interest or someone to produce the next generation. Through this novel, the author wanted to show that women were more than society thought of them at the time. They were capable, well rounded people and had depth. This we are shown through the four sisters, despite being raised in the same household, they were all different. That’s because women create different choices for themselves and we see how each develop throughout the movie or the book. - Jo is known to be quick tempered, stubborn and have metathesiophobia, which means having fear of change. Her temper is what she hates the most about herself and throughout the novel, she struggles to fix it with the help of Marmee. She most importantly worked on it after she regretted not forgiving Amy earlier, when Amy had a near death experience when she fell through the frozen river. “‘I let the sun go down on my anger, I wouldn’t forgive her, and today, if it hadn’t been for Laurie, it might have been too late!’ As if she heard, Amy opened her eyes, and held out her arms, with a smile that went straight to Jo’s heart. Neither said a word, but they hugged one another close…” Although she has a bad temper and is stubborn, those traits are what make her independent and career driven. Jo was boyish and ambitious, which were at the time not ideal in women. She didn’t like those standards imposed on her and refused them. It is why she is a natural feminist, and her character speaks of the author of this novel Louisa Alcott, who created Jo to portray herself. - Meg is known to be materialistic and has a great longing for luxury. That was not attainable due to her family circumstance since they were particularly poor. She dreamed of being in the “lap of luxury”. During the time Meg was married to John Brooke, a penniless man, she bought an expansive silk fabric, which was out of their budget. Meg had a little moment in the movie where she was in despair, talking about the fact they couldn’t afford the fabric. But later, she sold the fabric away. “But I don’t want you to be unhappy.” said Brooke, insisting that she can have the fabric taken to the dressmaker. “I couldn’t be, John Brooke is my husband, and I am his wife.” Meg acted as a role model to her sisters, and took responsibility of them as much as she could. She had a chance of marrying herself into high society because of her beauty and ladylike manners. That meant her being able to get the luxury she always wanted. But she didn’t do that and instead married John Brooke out of love, despite him not being rich. - Amy is a combination of her sisters. I cannot figure her particular flaw yet and I think she doesn’t have a notable one. Maybe hers is also a combination of her sisters flaws. She is the youngest of the four sisters, therefore she sees how different they all are, the decisions and mistakes they made, and she absorbed all that. To conclude, her mindset was raised upon how she saw her sisters grow. She has elegant and gracious manners like Meg, is equally ambitious as Jo, and shares her innocence with Beth. Her good nature and development is already described in the video. - Beth is known to be coy, and out of all the sisters, is the least ambitious. She didn’t have any dreams in the outside world. All she ever wanted was to be with her whole family, and to be able to play music in a decent piano. When that was achieved with Mr March coming home, having the family complete, and Mr Laurence having given Beth a beautiful piano, she died afterwards. I think that is why she died early, because she was already contented and happy. She’s found peace with herself when she finally had all the simple things she wanted. Therefore there was nothing left of the world for her for which she wanted. “Alcott gives each of the four sisters particular idiosyncrasies that signature their personalities and generate advantages and disadvantages for them. Thus they are each known four being vain, quick tempered, coy and selfish…Alcott though, was writing at a time when people held deeply Christian values, where the ideal person was the opposite of all those traits: modest, level-headed, outgoing, and giving. The idea was to pretend to be that ideal, albeit an unattainable synthesis. It was all about being virtuous and wholesome in the eyes of the Christian God.” Four sisters with different motives and perspectives, altogether with their own flaws. This novel wants to teach us that women can take different paths, which made each of the sisters unique. Despite their differences, all the sisters were good natured, loving to one another, and throughout the novel, worked to mend their flaws. I hope you no longer despise any of the characters, because they were all equally good and unique. If you managed to make it this far which I think hardly anyone will, I highly commend you. Other than that, this is the reason of why Little Women will always have a special place in my heart. :))
I have literally never hated Amy I’m shocked to learn people don’t like her I never new that . I’ve always liked her and that probably has to do with the fact I’m much more of an Amy then a joe I’ve always related well to her
i think my hatred for amy was definitely stemmed out of her burning jo's book as i've felt that kind of behavior done towards me by my younger brothers. they were petty & insensitive & it's true that she was young but i also think u find yourself hating your younger siblings in a way. you love them but you don't necessarily have to like them. i never had much of a problem with her ending up with laurie. that bit i had a bit of a frustration with with jo but beyond that i didn't really care for amy & laurie's new found relationship. i think the problem that also fueled the dislike for amy is that most scripts were pretty much centred on jo & the other characters who were very much central to the book were treated... like supporting characters indeed. greta offered more care & love for these characters rather than make you forget them or hate them. she redeemed them whether from poor acting choices from then or from the scripts that forgot that little women is not just about jo but all these girls.
Damn right. I read the unabridged version for the first time recently. Previously, I had only read a children's version as a kid, so all I could remember was hating Amy for ending up with Laurie. When I read the book this year, I didn't understand the hate for Amy. Jo and Laurie, as stated in the book, are both hotheads. If they were together, they would have clashed constantly. It wouldn't have been a happy marriage and Jo didn't love him. Laurie and Amy got to know each other outside of the expectations of their families and realized that they really complement each other. The notion that Amy "stole" Laurie from Jo is incredibly sexist and untrue. As you said in the video, both Amy and Jo wanted to navigate their place in society and they went about it in two very valid and different ways. Amy found her place by adhering to the expectations of her society and trying to make it work in her favour. Jo didn't want to conform and wanted her identity to pave her path for her. Both make sense for their characters and neither is a villain. It honestly worked out for the best and after 150 years we need to stop demonizing Amy. Sorry for this huge paragraph. I didn't think I had so much to say
This was PERFECT!!! Amy is my favorite sister and I am so happy she's matched with Laurie, and that Jo is with Friedrich. I can't understand why people hate Amy either. She was a child when she burned Jo's book, and Jo ended up forgiving her. Also, if Jo could find it in herself to be happy for Amy and Laurie, why can't everyone else? Thanks for the vid!
the reason the amy/laurie thing was so upsetting to me is bc amy felt like a second choice. the story makes the point that you shouldn’t just want to be loved, you should actually love someone, when it concerns jo, but then completely goes against it in lauries case. i personally thought amy deserved better. not that she should have been with fred, but someone who loved her for who she was and not as a second choice to jo. which i guess it could be seen how laurie did eventually, but it’s like he did a 180 after being devastatingly in love with jo since the day he met her. also “amy kept laurie in line” i guess shows why they are good together but i also dislike the fact that it feels like laurie never really grew up and just kind of used amy as a crutch in more ways than one. i don’t hate them together but it doesn’t feel completely right to me
In the book, Laurie tries to stir up his old feelings for Jo but keeps thinking about Amy. After they marry, he tells Jo that he will always love her, but love is altered, and they will be brother and sister now. Amy and Laurie falling in love in the book is rather touchingly done. Although I'd still like a version where Jo and Laurie get together after Volume I. Maybe I'll write it someday.
josski32 I got this too from watching the film but I need to read the book as it sounds better there. also I didn’t see any chemistry between Florence Pugh and Timothee Chalamet
Say that!!! You're completely right. Also that one part where Laurie is talking about some dude and thinks "and when he couldn't have one sister he took the other, and was happy." made me want to scream. The absolute disrespect to both Amy and Jo?? I was pissed off even though I loved Laurie throughout the book but i felt Lousia did adult Laurie dirty
@@pinksuiteheart6974 This, 100%%!! I just read it and was like: WTF?? This is my problem with Amy/Laurie; I can actually totally see them as a couple, IF THERE WAS NO JO (and I don't say that because I'm a Jo/Laurie shipper, I never was and I'm 100% behind Jo's decision). What I mean by that is that they are well matched, he is everything Amy wanted in a man, beautiful, rich, elegant, a good and decent man, she loves him for who he is, plus she can 'keep him in line', and Laurie would also benefit greatly by their union, because she is the realist to his dreamer, but they still share creative and charitable interests, plus he would become officialy a part of the March family that he loves so much, but I really can't see Laurie really falling in love with her 'on her own': in the book he keeps thinking about the two of them almost interchangeably, as if either 'will do' as long as he marries one of the March sisters, and at the same time comparing the two of them, so that Amy never quite feels separated from Jo, which is super unfair to both of them but especially Amy since she marries him, imho she deserved better. I also had the bad feeling that (in the book) he would have married ANY of the March sisters, including Beth and Meg, since many of his interactions with either of them were quite ambiguous. That book quote was absolutely dreadful (btw, the 'dude' he was thinking about was Mozart), and I agree that in the end Lourie's character was't sufficiently developed. In the book it does feel like Amy was a second choice, even with all the chapters dedicated to Laurie's heartbreak, so I liked that in the 2019 film Greta added Amy saying that, but at the same time in the book more time passes so, even if not explained, one can imagine that in the one/two years they spent together in Europe they fell in love at one point, while in the movie it all seems so sudden (which makes sense since they were united by the great loss of Beth's death, and probably quite realistic, but still, it's understandable why so many people are upset). P.s. Am I the only one a little disturbed by the fact that he was Amy's childhood crush and he knew her since she was a child and actually saw her grow up? Four years difference is not a lot as adults but it's massive at that age.
First of all, Amy's been one of my fav characters since I was 8 years old when my mum gifted me Little Women for children's day. So thank you for making a commentary about her, because with each new adaptation, there's always people saying shit about her and I get so tired of that. I think that part of why Amy also wanted to marry well was because she never got to live or remember living like Meg and Jo did when they were younger and her family had money (they were rich but lost their fortune when their father decided to help a friend). And even in the book they, specially Meg, say multiple times how things used to be. And Meg was kind of Amy's advisor, and Jo was Beth's, so I do believe Meg used to tell Amy all about what they used to have. Also, Amy is practical, that's why she admits she won't have a carreer through art, because talent isn't genious. And even in the book, when she thinks Fred will ask for her hand in marriage, she admits she doesn't love him, but that one of them has to marry well. Which is realistic, Meg married a poor man, Jo at first didn't want to marry at all and none of them knew how much or how well her stories would sell, and Beth had been sick and in bad health for a long time. I was discussing with a friend the other day that people also hate Amy like they hated Sansa in Asoiaf/GoT. Because both of them don't reject their feminity, and use them as a tool. Jo and Arya, are the versions of "Not like other girls" and people like them because it's also like saying "being like a man is so much better than being a women". And I think that people hate Amy so much because they also find it easier to blame about everything that goes wrong with Jo's life than admit that some of the things, Jo brought for herself. About the trip to Europe, it's pretty clear in the book that Jo fucked up that chance for herself. " By her next speech, Jo deprived herself of several years of pleasure, and received a timely lesson in the art of holding her tongue. "I don't like favors, they oppress and make me feel like a slave. I'd rather do everything for myself, and be perfectly independent." "How are you about languages?" asked Mrs.Carrol of Jo. "Don't know a word. I'm very stupid about studying anything, can't bear French, it's such a slippery silly sort of language" was the brusque reply. The letter they receive when Amy is invited says (and I'm quoting the book because I've re-read it before watching the movie): I planned at first to ask Jo, but as "favors burden her", and she "hates French", I think I won't venture to invite her. Amy is more docile, will make a good companion for Flo, and receive gratefully any help the trip may give her" I'm sorry for the testament, but I'm so happy to be able to talk about Amy and I'm so excited to see a movie that makes justice for Amy, and also Amy/Laurie.
Well said, really. I think Jo was the character that I kinda liked less when they became adults, although many times I resonated with her. Maybe because she is very close to the majority of girls struggling in modern society, where there is more freedom to pursue different scenarios or alternatives, but in reality we maybe are still so dependent from the marriage-to-socially-success concept. I just had this feeling that while loving her family to guts, Jo has been quite selfish, focused on her own growth and struggles her whole life and so lacks in deeply understanding the ones she loves (Laurie's feelings rejection, so brutal and direct, really explains her way to deal with the situation only from her perspective, without considering the place she was putting her best friend in). I think she fully matures only after Amy and Laurie’s marriage. She has to face the consequences of her rejection to Laurie, but also to realize Amy really pursued her goals and saved the family (I really found super annoying the way she was down-looking at Amy's travel to Paris to find a rich marriage). The little sister became a woman too, so Jo has to get her life together once for all. Amy is really my favorite character. She is such a conscious and strong woman, totally aware of reality, of herself, of what she feels, what other feel, and what it is convenient to show or not show around others.
The Greta Gerwig Little Women was the first version of this story I had ever seen and I was honestly surprised to come out of it and found that most people generally don't like Amy's character. Amy's biggest "fault" was simply that she wanted the same things as Jo. But while Amy was willing to put in the time, work, and effort to achieve them, Jo tended to take just expect everything to be given to her exactly the way she wanted it. Aside from burning the manuscript, I honestly don't see any reason why we're not supposed to like Amy? As a youngest sister of 3 I completely identified with Amy's character right off the bat and I was pleasantly surprised and excited that she got the things she thought were impossible because her older sisters always got first dibs on everything. This was a great video though, really well done!
This is so well done! I only wish that Gerwig's version had shown Laurie's maturation after spending so much time with Amy just a bit more. His endeavor to deserve her, if you will :)
Yes!!!! YES!!! Louder for the people in the back! Not only you said incredibly true things but you shed lights over one of the most well-constructed characters to ever exist. I believe so many people forgot that what makes a character good and realistic is the flaws the one character has. Her irrationality, her childish anger (because she is, in fact, a child through most of Little Women lol) are exactly the things that make her unforgettable. Again: thank you for this video!
Nope! And this kind of snarky gatekeeping is what this whole video is trying to discourage. I could say everyone who likes Amy is a shallow bitch, but that is wildly speculative and totally inaccurate! You can like or dislike a fictional character without being a stupid or mean person. As females (and especially as feminists) we need to detach ourselves from that kind of zero sum thinking about female characters
Many comments are saying that Amy got to go to Paris because of marrying rich and though that's true, we have to point out that she EARNED the trip to Paris. She was always composed and educated with her aunt and her aunt's friends, even when she was sure that Jo would be the one going to Paris, she listened to the old women, when Jo showed rejection to them, even the book said something along the lines of Jo regretting her actions and actitudes because it had been her doom in terms of the trip. Amy worked for everything she got, she wasn't handed anything, that's why Amy March will always be my favorite character from this book, thanks for the video
I was interested to see what you had to say because I was one of the ones who didn’t like Amy very much either, but you made such wonderful points! You made me think of things in a way I hadn’t yet and I’m sure I’ve changed my mind! I’m going to watch it again tonight in a new light.
I think one of the major reasons why people don't like Amy is not just because she "takes" Laurie from Jo, but because it's seen as a betrayal of her sister. The sisters and their love for each other are at the core of the book and Amy constantly is framed as someone who only cares about herself (though that is not true), not her family. Sisters aren't usually supposed to "compete" for the same man even though Jo was never running that race to begin with. She is seen as vain and selfish for wanting what is "not hers" and was always supposed to be Jo's even when she never wanted it in the first place.
@@FullofLit I totally agree on what you are saying, I'm just more trying to explain what a lot of the Little Women "fandom" has consistently said about Amy and Amy/ Laurie's relationship. Though I'm glad through Greta's film that Amy is being looked at as a fully realized character and not just a bratty sister who always gets what she wants. While Amy is still not my favorite character in the series, I have never disliked her and found her treatment to be unfair. She needed someone to expand on her intentions like Greta did for the public opinion on her and her relationship choices to change.
I have no issue with Amy & Laurie being together, Jo was clear she’s not into him so I could care less. What I’m not ok with is how Amy treats Jo because of a boy. The reason she burned the book, is because of Laurie, it was never about looking up to jo or w/e the reason was given in the video. The source material shows that she only wanted to go for Laurie & obviously jo is the one who gets her wrath because she’s close with Laurie. And then the secret wedding thing, it came off a lot like she was trying to go behind her sister’s back. I just find her so untrustworthy & shady, she’s the kind of person who will do anything to get her way, even screw over her sister.
Judi Gemini that’s most sisters for you though. We get jealous of each other and react in immature ways. My sister has destroyed my art, I’ve destroyed items that she loved, just because of jealousy. And it’s not just us it’s most, if not all sisters. We all have that low moment
Judi Gemini also I personally feel as though Amy didn’t fully understand how important Jo’s writing was to her or the relationship between Jo and Laurie
Yes! I love Amy. Being the younger sister who never got to do anything growing up, i identify with her so much. her character development was amazing, as well. she knew what she had to do for her family.
I got into the story when I was little, I never knew people hated Amy especially for those reasons; maybe because I was around her age and Im the youngest so I seen how she acted as a child in a different light. I also never blamed her for being with Laurie actually quiet the opposite I used To see his action of falling for her as weird because he was much older than her and it felt like he still loved Jo or at least felt that way to younger me and in the fact it had felt like he was using her to become a part of the family. Aunt March choosing her for the trip was understandable because her behavior was different from Jo, she had the ability to go into that type of society and blend in to the society in which Jo rebelled against.
I can't imagine the amount of pressure that Amy was under. Being told by your aunt at a young age that you had to support your whole family by marrying rich is wild. Because of that she is by far the most pragmatic sister. I also do not think that Jo was fair to her by saying she didn't have to deal with the hard parts of life
Amy March was a realistic 12-year-old. I don't get people who hate her so much, because she obviously has a lot of character development as an adult.
Fourth time coming across your comment on youtube. Dude who are you and why are you everywhere
@@MrBug-qp1zz I hate to break it to you but the person is obviously your soulmate since you watch the same videos xD
Star girl this comment has me dying😂😂😂
Society hates teenage girls
Fr
If any sister didn’t get enough attention, it was Meg. I wish we got to see more of her story.
I Ford yes! And her relationship with her husband. All her children too. That was so ignorant in the book.
I really wish we could have seen more of her life! In all three books and the movies!
I Ford
Yeah, she gets a decent amount of hate too, even from her own sister jo.
What's wrong with her wanting to get married and have kids? That's a beautiful dream, not every girl wants to change the world, some just want to live happily.
R Lemon but not in the sequels I think 🤔
Tyna Kat Roberts jo just likes putting down her sisters 🤷🏼♀️
I'm glad traditionally feminine female characters are getting some credit. It does not empower women to constantly promote the most admirable women as those that reject femininity.
Thank you for that.
Thank you thank you thank you
TY!! And it also be some feminist (not all) who say support all girls, but then attacks a feminine woman, and another woman for wanting to be a housewife 😂
@@saigie3908
Those aren't real feminists
@@Anna-bx2wm Maybe that’s true. But, I’ve seen post of women wanting to be housewives & religious women wanting to commit to their religion & feminist would say they’re oppressed or that they’re participating in the patriarchy which is annoying cause that’s someone’s lifestyle ur insulting
people who hate Amy clearly don't have successful older siblings that people constantly compare you with and it shows
The "comparison thing" is Gerwig's invention, Amy never felt second to Jo in his whole life. It was just an attempt to make people empathize with her as she is regarded as the most unpleasant of the March girls.
Heck I'm the oldest of 4 and has a sister who is the epitome of perfection, I have to say, it's difficult to be compared to your own sister day in and day out.
I have a successful younger sibling and it makes me feel the same way
That's exactly what i suffer from i have an older sister people always compare us and say; see your sister, you have to be like your sister
Another thing people who hate Amy for not being what passes for a feminist kween today seem to be incapable of understanding is the historical and societal context behind Little Women. Listen y'all, at the time and place this book was written things for women were *tough.* You were a spectacle to be commented upon by everyone and people have loved to hear themselves talk at the expense of others since time immemorial. It was expected of you to maintain an image of unnatural grace and propriety at all times, then the moment you made one misstep- or what merely looks like a misstep from the outside- your reputation or that of your family even could suffer permanently. The only way you could get better things for yourself was through marriage and even that didn't necessarily guarantee your security and stability for life should something happen to your husband; any woman who didn't play by the rules and didn't get married lived as dead weight to her family and was subjected to societal damnation. Your life as a woman was a constant struggle to feel safe that hinged entirely on the whims and well-being of the men in your life; be they your father, husband or sons.
So it's really odd to me that people who claim to be "all for female empowerment" take Amy- a woman who is oppressed by a deeply sexist system, is aware of how that system works and acknowledges it's sexist- and belittle her for wanting better things and thriving by playing by its rules. The problem these people have with Amy- what makes her "not a girlboss"- is that she's not single-handedly trying to challenge the status quo the way Jo does. And yes, I like Jo as much as the next person but if only these people stopped judging the past by today's standards and put themselves in the shoes of a woman at the time they'd understand that the "Amy is a regressive character" take is ignorant and severely lacks empathy. Not everyone could have been Jo, nor they should have. It's an unfair thing to demand of a woman from a very different time, living under very different circumstances.
I remember when the movie came out a wave of "Little Women isn't as feminist as celebrated" internet hot takes came with it, which... *sigh.* Again, if you put it in historical context you can easily see how untrue that is. It was a coming of age story of a loving family of different women who navigated female anxieties of their time in different ways. I can easily see how it could inspire and empower contemporary female readers. Then there's also the idea of conventional femininity (as portrayed by Amy, juxtaposed to Jo) being seen as inherently frivolous, worthy of contempt and regressive which is in and of itself ironically sexist and problematic but I've met my word count for the day. So idk, maybe instead of judging works written in different eras by modern standards we could appreciate what they did for women at the time and respect the ideas they inspired in them- ideas that later turned into movements and shaped our modern world. Just an idea.
In the actual book, Jo rejects Laurie multiple times, saying she can NEVER love him. Laurie goes to Europe and genuinely falls in love with Amy and Amy falls in love with him. Amy rejects Fred who is much richer than Laurie and has an actual title in England. Amy even says that she would love Laurie even if he was penniless. Amy works within the system and learns to be generous. Laurie and her decided to be charitable with their fortune once they are married. Amy likes to be prim, proper and a socialite and that is perfectly okay, she is being ladylike, if the roles were reversed no one would complain about a man acting as a gentlemen. And thats on reading the book by Louisa May Alcott.
Couldn’t have said it better
And Jo literally said she doesn’t love him. She’s a lesbian
kishiakai k how does that make her lesbian?
@@alanacastillo5773 perhaps because louisa may alcott is a lesbian, and jo's life is based on her
Also her being prim and proper is just who she is and who she wants to be (I think)
If Jo and Laurie married, they would be “Marriage Story”. 💁🏻♀️
Green sam yesss that is exactly how it would be
Green sam 100%
👏🏼
Marmee is also in that film Lol
I didn't get it😅
That scene where Jo was surprised she wouldn’t be going on the trip showed how much she overlooked Amy. Which is why it’s so empowering to see Amy see her own potential
How did she overlook it exactly? Im not being ironic, just genuinely intrigued to see your opinion
Good point made. And if you look carefully at the scene in the 2019 movie, the moment Amy's eyes are literally gleaming with joy and excitement and she tells Jo and her mom, all the focus is on how Jo is disappointed and felt betrayed. And even her mom is silently consoling Jo rather than sharing in on the joy the little one experiences. And its so unfair because its consistent throughout the novel that Jo is always sympathized and empathized with and never Amy. Even when Amy returns after marrying Laurie, everyone's focus is on feeling bad about Jo (when she rejected the guy multiple times when he approached her but now desires him when he is married to her sister). Even all her mother is mainly focused on is silently checking in on whether Jo is alright or not. And not on celebration of the greatest moment in Amy's life when her one sided love finally got requited
@@mariaefstratiou7427 I think it was the fact that she never considered that Amy might get the trip
I think it's more because Aunt March promised Jo first, but then suddenly Amy replace her.
I always felt that was a moment where we were supposed to see how Jo could be quite entitled and bratty herself.
the eloquence 👏 the flavor 👏 the cold, hard facts 👏
I love you kat
I feel like everyone who talks about how Amy is handed everything are looking at it through Joe’s eyes. Amy is only handed what JOE wants/what the reader’s think joe should have. In Amy’s eyes Joe is handed everything she wants. She is this amazing writer, who has full support and respect from her family, she’s free to pursue her passion, She is free to do things like go to the theater and socialize, and she has Laurie. Everything Amy is handed she works with and I feel like that’s why it’s seen as her being let off the hook. The trip to Europe was just her opportunity to marry rich. Joe honestly wouldn’t have accomplished anything there. You see with her paintings she’s obviously discriminated against because she is a woman. She gave up her passion there and took responsibility. That’s high key admirable. Amy was handed a man she didn’t love, a trip that was about show boating her around, a love that was one sided for the longest time and her passion crushed. She was never really respected/sympathized by her older sister who we can tell she looked up to. Amy burnt the novel out of a fit of rage because if she burnt Joes clothes she’d only get made fun of and in trouble. That really was the only way to send a message to Joe.
In the novel, it’s made clear that Amy isn’t particularly gifted at painting. And Laurie isn’t a remarkable musician. Honestly, I think that detail adds realism to the characters. I dislike stories where everyone is perfect at everything - there’s just too many stories like that. If this version of Little Women chalks criticism of Amy’s art down to discrimination than that’s kind of weak.
@@janedoll3237 well luckily, it wasn’t because she was a woman. actually in the directors notes it says that when amy was painting along side a man, she realized her painting was outdated 18th century realism, and his was the beginning age of modernism and “un life-like” 19th century and her talents were already outdated by the time she made it to paris.
Amy deserved to go to Paris because she was there to find a rich husband that would end up benefitting her family. It wasn’t something for herself. She did also get to experience things like art and the high life, but that was a short lived sense of independence that would more or less be over once she married. Jo wanted to go for herself and her dream but she had no intention of marrying and I don’t see how her family would benefit from going. Amy deserved it not Jo
As a girl who has been girly and a feminist (supporting all women and their choices) her entire life, I can assure you that most people HATE high maintenance, feminine women even if she 'maintains' herself with her own hard-earned money. Most men love to glorify the 'Cool girls' or 'not like other girls' trope (Just another form of Misogyny)
True and it's especially hurtful when those come from other females...I especially hate it when other females hate on other females for wearing 'too much make up' or being too 'feminine'.
As a decidedly low-maintenance female, I can tell you I admire girls who always look put together and whose hair always looks pretty - I wear makeup occasionally, but I always envy the women who look so effortlessly beautiful and polished.
Completely agree. I feel that many times people (men, let's be honest) don't take me seriously because I'm feminine and I like to be a bit childish, it's like in their head they can't process that a traditional and feminine girl is capable of speaking for herself. Don't get me wrong, a fundamental part of feminism is supporting ALL women, feminine or not. (I don't speak English perfectly so ... sorry if something is wrong).
Preference.
some pick-me vibes if women said those things
Amy March is a Slytherin and I love her.
almost_minimal YES!!!! I relate to her so much!!! always being put down for my ambitious attitude.
i think she is huffelpuff or grifindor maybe
@@jjj2671 Nah, Amy is full Slytherin unlike a hufflepuff, she isn't like humble, yes she grows up but still has that sense of pride and unlike a Gryffindor, she is more cunning and not that reckless. She is pure slytherin and I love it *If you can't tell I am a slytherin* but I can see how she would be Gryffindor
That's what came to my mind too
She's a true slytherin
Also when Laurie took off Amy's paint apron the subtle but potent chemistry between them that never existed between Laurie and Jo. *Sign*
@lo l true.
that scene is just straight up art BUUUUTTTT also the dance scene between jo and laurie. too much chemistry
I think that Laurie and Jo have a lot of chemistry because their characters are both spirited and play off of each other. Like a dance between two flames.
@@dynesteefields4396 you are right.
@lo l I think that is the point. The were foreshadowing. Shoot they ever foreshadowed in the 1994 movie.
I actually like Pugh’s Amy the most of all the sisters. She’s confident and purposeful, goes after she wants and gets it. She doesn’t waste time antagonizing people when it’s not necessary.
Pug's interpratation and director choice for this movie is a totally shameful disaster
@@ipercalisse579 ok boomer
@@ipercalisse579 definitely not but go off
but she still did burn jo's book when she was refused to go to the party
Zultsetseg Zulaa i mean it’s in the book so
All the pressure on marrying rich and saving the family from poverty was put solely on Amy, when she was the youngest daughter and that pressure should have gone to her older sisters. Amy had dreams too, of marrying for love and of art, but she was willing to give them both up if it meant helping her family. That alone makes me respect her more than anyone, and I’m really glad she got a happy ending because I feel like she deserved it.
I dont think people realise the sacrifices Amy was willing to make for her family, both Meg and jo made their decisions about their future based on what would benefit themselves the most, whereas Amy makes decisions based on what would benefit her family
"At the end she gets Laurie, she gets her man". I LOVE THAT. I think Laurie confused platonic love for romantic love with Jo. He was a romantic above all and loved the idea of being in love, and more so, with his best friend, his soulmate in a way only best friends can be, his almost twin. With Amy he truly fell in love. He loved her so much he actually went (finally!) to London with his grandfather so he could be worthy of Amy and as a result of her love he became a better man.
Agreed 👏
I think Jo was the first one Laurie really felt close to and vulnerable with that way. And he misinterpreted and confused that feeling with real love--or at least it needed a lot more development and time to mature before it became anything like real love. That's a classic adolescent mistake. A few years taught him a little more about what love really could be.
It was always seen as Amy “stealing” Laurie, but everyone fails to see that Laurie actually loves Amy. People think that Jo loves Laurie but she didn’t. She was just settling because she was afraid of loneliness. It meant so much to me that in the new movie Laurie said “I love you but I love Amy is a completely different way” or something like that. At first when I saw the new movie, I was heartbroken, but after Amy and Laurie got together I realized that Jo and Laurie would never work together. My opinions are based on the new movie. I think it’s safe to say I’m waaaaaay too invested in this movie.
3k likes?! Wow thanks I was just stating my opinions
FullofLit whoa this totally explains why he said I love Amy is a different way, thanks! ❤️
@@FullofLit Wow, wow, wow! Amazing comment! It's clearly that! But some people are just so dumb that they don't realise that Jo and Laurie are soulmates but not in a romantic way! Then they still hate on Amy for years! Lmao so stupid.
I disagree I think he was head over heels for Jo in an unmistakably romantic way.
Khloe yes!! I think jo and Laurie are platonic soulmates, but I can’t see jo ever loving Laurie in the way he wanted her to
@@FullofLit Now I need to understand that scene between Laurie and Meg at that party she goes to all dressed up. Did it seem like Laurie was making a move on her too or was that just me??
This is so true in every way. The audience treats Amy horribly for her actions when she was like 12 in the books (ala Sansa Stark) and ignore her development as she grows older, saying how her age is not an excuse fir her behaviour despite other way older characters making even bigger and dumber mistakes but getting the easy way out for being fan favorites...
And then there are the shippers...Who ignore Jo basically saying she does not love Laurie and how they would not work together and just blame Amy for being in the way...which she never was in the first place. Sorry for the rant hut just gotta get that one off my system.
"despite other way older characters making even bigger and dumber mistakes but getting the easy way out for being fan favorites..." just say it: JOSEPHINE MARCH. I've re-read Little Women and Good Wives before watching the movie and, for example, about the trip to Europe: when Aunt March and Aunt Carol are thinking about what sister to bring, Jo says when they visit them that she doesn't like to be given "charity" and that she isn't good with languages, and makes an ignorant comment about french and in the book even her mother and herself admit she ruined that chance herself.
@@lausommeils6668 True. I love Jo so much but that scene where she said she hated the French and didn't even like taking care of Aunt March and being in stuffy, overly sophisticated events but threw a small fit when Amy was sent to Europe instead if her was a bit ....yeah. i mean everyone has flaws but the fact that some think that their faves are perfect in every way and trying to demonize others by blowing other's flaws out of proportion is just weird for me.
@@calico_queen8976 yeah, I think it makes perfect sense to want to travel with somebody you get along more, is respectfull, and is actually interested in the culture. If Jo went, I thin she would probably behave very rudely and not pay that much attention to what her aunt says and try to do btw she wants, or say her trip was ruined because she had to acompany her cousin to balls and so on. And actually Amy even started working on her flaws around the time she was sent to Aunt March's house when Beth got sick. I think Jo needed the experience of loosing an opportunity because of her rudeness and ignorace to see that she had to behave better.
almira grace leuterio I’ll never forgive Sansa bc her other siblings were kids too... that is all
The whole manuscript burning thing...I’m a writer and I see how painful and heartbreaking that was to Jo. But let’s examine the whole chapter:
1). Jo refuses to let Amy join her and Meg on a theater date with Laurie...even when Amy offers to pay for her own admission... and says some pretty mean things to her about her not being invited and spoiling their pleasure by inviting herself... harsh things to say to a sick kid sister.
2). Jo KNOWS she mistreated Amy and feels guilty about it in the theater. But Jo doesn’t take the high road, go back to Amy, and apologize for hurting her feelings.
3). Jo physically attacked Amy (again, her younger, smaller sibling) when Amy burned the manuscript.
4). Unlike Jo, Amy IS remorseful and apologizes to Jo who in turn refuses to forgive her.
5). During the ice skating accident where Amy is badly hurt and nearly killed...Jo KNEW the ice was unstable and KNEW Amy was too far away to hear Laurie’s warning... and STILL she ignored her younger sister until she fell through the ice and Laurie ran to rescue her.
6). During Amy’s recovery, Jo admitted to Marmee that she had serious problems with anger management and wanted to do better. She STILL never apologized to Amy or acknowledged her treatment of Amy as harmful and wrong. Amy (again being the bigger person) forgives Jo without reproach.
As readers, we root for Jo as the story heroine. But if you look at the storytelling in the chapter (“Jo Meets Apollyon”). Amy is the better person EVERY TIME. Amy was wrong to destroy Jo’s manuscript, but she admits it and is genuinely remorseful. Jo was actually willing to risk Amy being drowned in rotten ice (if Laurie hadn’t been with them would she have abandoned Amy?) to soothe her own hurt ego. Jo KNOWS she hurt and wronged her sister, but is only willing to take partial ownership of the fact when Amy is nearly killed.
If Jo and Amy were your kids, you’d send Jo to therapy. Amy wasn’t the villain here.
People hate her?!? She was my absolute favorite!!! She's so wonderful.
I was actually kind of irritated that Jo's character development was vocalized in conversations with her mother etc... but amy actually grows the most and becomes the most complex and complete. Jo gets to talk to Marmee about the viciousness inside of her when shes angry, which clearly BOTH girls get from their mother. But only jo is given the pass by talking about it. Meanwhile, becuase the book burning isnt addressed in dialogue in the same way, and so there's a linch mob of angry, rather basic, women who dislike Amy? Pft. Please. Jo was a bully.
Jo got back to Amy by letting her drown. Jo shouldn't get a pass either if we're at it
YES! I honestly feel so bad for her. Like she said Amy really looks up to Jo and Jo is just pushing her away and acting like she's an inconvenience.
Me too I loved Amy. She was in truth the most practical of the sisters.
According to me, the 4 sisters were the depiction of every girls' various forms. Meg's beauty, Jo's boyish/ childish attitude and stubbornness , Beth's sensitivity and Amy's grace and elegance. Louisa may Alcott showed that Marmie had all these qualities which I think was a depiction of how every single girl is beautiful, stubborn, sensitive and graceful in their own way. 💕
yess! and I love Laura Dern so much
I think jo was less childish but more independent and somewhat selfish.
amy's speech to laurie about why she needs to marry rich because of the sexist structure of their time... hit HARD. that was the moment i decided i had to stan. also it must be said...... i believe Jo is a lesbian. anyway, great video! so many points were made.
She’s not gay she’s independent
natalie . exe Jo is most likely lesbian or bisexual, she’s based off of the author herself. And the author herself admitted to falling in love with many girls in her lifetime she also didn’t want Jo marrying in the book/movie but her publisher forced her to.
i kinda agree with that last part i mean she did say at least in the movie she wished she were a boy so if not a lesbian maybe some sort of gender disphoria going on in her head but i mean thats just a maybe
She wasnt a lesbian, just a tomboy. Not every guy who has feminine tendencies and not every girl who has boyish qualities or tendencies are a lesbian/gay. This is why so many poor kids are so dang confused
Jo is not remotely lesbian. She scorns anything related to femininity, and looks down on her female peers. Why do you think she married such a sloppy, hairy unmannered man like Bhaer? Laurie was too feminine for her, she wanted a man who encompassed masculinity as much as would allow.
I always disliked Laurie, because he says something like "I always knew I would marry a March sister." It almost seemed like he didn't mind which one he married, so as a kid, I hated that.
These are both great points, I agree. I didn't like the 1990's Little Women, but maybe I will give this one a try.
Read chapter 41 of the book. He began falling in love with Amy before he would even admit it to himself. He felt guilty for getting over Jo more quickly than he thought and wouldn’t let himself believe he actually was, for a while anyway, even writing Jo a letter with one last plea, to which she again declined and told him to move on (which his heart had already began to do but due to his loyalty to Jo he refused to admit it). He truly loved Amy when he married her.
Don’t forget Amy was just a kid when he and Jo became best friends. He met a completely different Amy in Europe after he already proposed to Jo. He didn’t expect what happened.
That's only in the 94 movie
timothee makes him so much more likable
@@Violin_Viola_Music_Box I do hope you give this one a try, it's *very* different from the 1994 version!
I did not like one bit when Laurie says that he has changed himself and will do anything to get Jo to like him. No one should change themselves for someone else.
Not even for the better?
@@Line... People should not try to change themselves for someone else because it becomes disingenuous. A person should only change themselves for themself because that is truly how they want to be. It rarely ends for the better when trying to change for someone but is more rewarding when it is done for their own personal want.
I agree but he was eager
He also treatened to hurt himself if Jo didn't accept his hand. Book Laurie was very toxic
@@Line... That one's complicated. I think it's very healthy to use emotional bonds to help with one's self improvement. A real friend is someone who helps you be the best version of yourself. But that's different than someone insisting that if you don't change, they won't love you anymore. That kind of thing happens also.
So, basically, that could be approached in a positive, inspiring way, or a negative, manipulative way.
Preach sister! Amy is a realist and ambitious. And because she’s not ambitious in this “I need no man, I will do my own thing” way, but rather understands the reality of her situation and operates from there, people hate her. I think this hate comes from the modern perspective of “love conquers all” and that money (stability) should never be a concern to chose a life partner, as it somehow shows that the “love” is not pure and with that undeserved. Which is ridiculous.
Exactly. She works with her restrictions instead of against them
In Jo's Boys Mr. March lives with Amy and Laurie. By marrying Laurie she is able to provide a happy home for her dad. None of the other girls are thinking, who is going to take care of the old folks one day. Only Amy is thinking about that "one of us must marry well, Meg didn't Jo won't and Beth can't right now."
People hate Amy because they project all their feelings for conventionalists who insist you should be one too. Amy is a practical romantic driven by self interest. She is not that different from others in her family who are also driven by self interest of a different nature. But people of our times are used to a lot of conservatives forcing women to do things *against* their economic or self interest. This is the hate being projected on to Amy.
Agreed. I think this is the key to why people dislike Amy, even more than the burnt manuscript or her marriage to Laurie. She conforms to the social conventions and gender expectations of her day and is rewarded for her conformity while Jo has to struggle because she doesn't conform. And sometimes (not always, but sometimes; especially regarding the Europe trip) it feels as if the book holds Amy up as the role model whom Jo needs to learn to be more like, which is galling to readers who identify with Jo and would rather die than be forced into a conservative mold of womanhood. I like Amy in and of herself, but I'll admit to feeling slightly ambivalent about her, because her adult self embodies a conventional ideal that I (an autistic person who identifies first of all with Beth, secondly with Jo) will never live up to. This is no fault of her's as a character; as you said, it's all projection.
Is it weird that I never hated Amy? I always liked her, and this was having only read the book and seen the 1994 version.
It's not weird. When I first read the book, Amy was immediately my favorite. I was really shocked when I discovered how much she is hated on.
Same here Amy has and always will be my favourite character.
Kaitlyn And I’m the exact same! I never hated her, I understood everything that she had done.
I’ve as loved Amy as well because I identified with her more. I also understood that she was the youngest and they’re more spoiled but not by their own fault but she also grow into her own version of what a strong woman was.
I never hated Amy either. She wasn't my favorite but she was kind and knew what she wanted. I like her more than Jo.
I actually loved this version of Amy. Except one thing: I really don’t think Florence Pugh is believable in any way as a 12 years old. She looks and sound way too old for the childhood part of Amy. But when she comes to the adult part, on the trip to Europe and her interactions with Laurie, she is amazing and it makes you see the maturity Amy gained with time.
YES! I agree!! I loved Florence as older Amy, but I just didn't believe her as young Amy.
Ii think its her voice that is so deep and raspy and she has those faces that make you look older than you actually are, cause i think her acting was phenomenal
Yes!!
Agreed!
@@lyatahiri6191 Yes I do think she is a great actress but that's exactly what I said... she doesn't look or sound like a 12 year old.
my mum and sister yelled at me after the little women movie for saying that Amy was my favourite, purely because they found her to be unlikeable. I’ve always liked Amy and understood her as the youngest child, but seeing the film really just gave a whole new insight into Amy.
Why would they yell at you over it. Jeez that’s mean
I always thought Beth was the youngest. Interesting.
I honestly wish they would make a film from Amy’s prospective, I would like to see how things were for her. She had changed so drastically and spending so much time with aunt march made me think she was being conditioned to fit the criteria from that time, it would be interesting to see.
I believe that the 2019 adaptation did a quite good job doing that
Another thing that stood out to me in this movie is that Amy never really had the liberty to make her own choices. She was the youngest sister, yet all the pressure was on her to marry rich and save the family from poverty. Meg married poor and for love, Jo was out following her dreams and not making much money, Beth was sick - their mother spending her days caring for her. That really just left Amy. She had her dreams of being an artist, and we could see she was really good, but she never pursued them and even convinced herself not to because it wouldn’t be enough. She was willing to marry Fred, even though she was not in “love” with him. I really do admire her for that and I’m glad by the end of the movie she did find true love (yes, I believe her and Laurie are true love don’t come @ me) and she deserved it.
Firstly, Jo didn't want Laurie. She rejected him. She had her chance. However I think Amy deserves better than Laurie. My feeling is that Laurie wasn't really in love with Jo nor was he in love with Amy. He was in love with being part of the Marche family and he would have "fallen in love with" and married any of the sisters in an effort to solidify himself a place in the Marche family.
This. All of this. I'm suprised more people are not saying this.
StrangeViolette So true, it was the whole family his idealized, even the mother! lol
If you read the book and still believe Laurie wasn’t truly in love with Amy while still being fiercely loyal to his feelings he had for Jo to the point that he refused to believe he could be anything but heartbroken, go back and read chapter 41 again.
StrangeViolette laurie didn’t deserve amy. he “fell in love” with her out of nowhere, as soon as she was unavailable and jo wanted nothing to do with him
Listen to Morgan. The movie is easy to misunderstand but if you read the book, I think there is no doubt he felt in love with Amy deeply and it was not out of the bat, it was a process; he even tried to deny his feeling but in the end, he couldn't help but embrace his love for Amy.
I don't think there is a sister we are supposed to dislike. Louisa obviously loved her sisters very much, so why would she ever throw one of them under the bus like that? I have always struggled with the character of Amy, even when she was grown up, because of how un-March-like she felt. What's the difference between the chapter "Meg goes Vanity Fair" and when Amy is grown up and wears frilly gowns and marries a rich man? However, my friend explained to me that Amy is a gentlewoman. There is nothing wrong with money or liking fine things, as long as that is not your end goal in life and you still carry yourself with humility. I think this adaptation nailed that.
TheCraftBin That’s how I feel!
i think one of the difference is that Amy never pitied herself- she is shown as resourseful in fashion (coloring herself her stuff to look like new), she may not be rich but she never called herself "poor" and never pitied herself- while Meg do often-i like all sisters btw
@@ukelicious123 I agree with you, mostly. Amy fell into self-pity as a child, but you're right that when she became the same age as Jo and Meg (in the first half of the book), she's much more resourceful than either of them.
Like Jo, she's artistic and intellectual. But, unlike Jo, she can apply those qualities in socially pleasing ways. Like Meg, she is loving and graceful. But, unlike Meg, she thinks about her choices in a practical way, using both her head and her heart.
Un-march like. Bingo. She just feels so unmarch like. I can't exactly put my finger on why or how but she just a does. never hated her never liked her. every sister has her shortcoming. I just found Amy's most annoying. Jo's close second.
Fantastic analysis. It’s unfortunate that every film except the 1994 version cast an adult as 12yo Amy. Amy’s antics are completely understandable if you see that she’s a 12yo kid trying to keep up with her big sisters. Those antics come off as pathetic and catty when an adult plays the role. Greta Gerwig wrote young Amy in a way that an adult could convincingly portray her, and she didn’t dwell on the famous childhood scenes. That gives the audience time with adult Amy where we can appreciate her character growth.
100%! I grow-up with the Japanese anine as a child where the girls are portrayed as the age they are in the books...it makes much more sense!
I wish they did like this for every sister. A younger version and an adult version. Because they all change so much and people forget they're almost all just teenagers in the first part!
Except that in the source material she only wanted to go for Laurie. She only came for jo because she was going to hang with Laurie, & she wasn’t. Frankly, if a character needs to be “made likeable” they’re not all that great to begin with.
I read the book so long ago I had forgotten Amy was only 12! Yes, they should’ve had a child actor.
I've always thought that the only reason people hate Amy so much it's because she is the opposite of Jo, Jo invented the "I'm not like other girls" thrope which it's popular, but people CAN'T accept that a woman can be beautiful, smart and ambitious without being "not like other girls" lol Amy is my favorite sister bc she is a queen who deserves and reach everything 🤭
People that say Laurie didn't love Amy also like to ignore the opera scene!!! When laurie is writing his opera and his main character is supposed to be modeled after Jo, who he is still convinced he is in love with, but when he begins writing more of the character, it slowly shifts to become more to Amy's likeness. They're in love!!! They both love each other so much!!! They would love each other if the other didn't have enough money or status to compete in high society!!!
I love them so much and will defend them tooth and nail.
I think people don’t realize that the Louisa based the characters off of her own sisters. And that Amy is based on her sister May. Louisa and May were quite close, close enough that may names her only child Lulu after Louisa. Louisa obviously felt jealous over how she perceived everything coming easily for May but they loved each other none the less. I think people take that sibling jealously and go this means she’s awful when in reality their both imperfect very similar people.
finally someone who gets it thank you
Amy is even an anagram of May😳
I feel like youngest sisters tend to understand and like Amy more, I’m the youngest of four girls loved Amy when i read the book.
Well uh. I'm the eldest and I also understand amy
Yessssssss
I'm the elder sister of my family but l completely understand Amy.
I'm the eldest but I adore Amy the most hahaha
I am the youngest and I *HATE* AAmy
Once I understood that Laurie was Amy’s childhood dream crush... it became so sweet. Just think of if you were 12 and there was a older family friend that looked and acted like Laurie... you would be head over heels. And it’s so sweet that he seen her become a woman... that she became the kind of woman to hold him accountable for how he fell off... because she always admired him. That’s special
And Jo... Jo was never in love with him. Yet she took on look at the professor and there connection was on a whole different level. Jo was never Laurie’s to begin with. Why must we always invalidate friendship because of “ you must be in a relationship for this to be right”
Sometimes it is right... but right in another way
Saadi Presley wells said sister🤗
Saadi Presley exactly
This is such a well thought out argument. I love how you say Jo rebels against the society she lives in while Amy works within it. In the novel, Aunt March was considering taking Jo to Europe, but Jo embarrassed Aunt March in front of a high society friend, so she takes Amy instead because she believes that Jo won’t behave properly. As a result Jo gets her happy ending much later after struggling and trudging on.
Amy is so realistic and I love her for it. She takes it upon herself to provide for her family instead of going after her dreams because she knows no one else in her family can. And she realizes that though she’s a good artist, she’s not a genius one. And if she isn’t the absolute best, or worth noticing, than she can’t make a living off of it, so she has to abandon her ambition. She’s under so much pressure and I was so happy when she and Laurie ended up together. The film did such a good job portraying how their relationship matured and why they loved each other.
I've always hated people's animosity towards Amy. Finally! Finally, we get justice for Amy!
You can really tell that the people who directed all the other little women adaptations hated her. They kept only scenes that made Amy look bad, only showed a scene or two of Amy and Laurie and highlighting the romance/friendship of Jo and Laurie because they didn't agree with Louisa May Alcott's decision for them (Jo/Laurie) not to end up together. Because of this the audience who watched the movie didn't understand how they got together. Greta Gerwig understood Amy and the relationship between Amy and Laurie.
As a big fan of fan fiction, I always hoped that I could sooth my shipper heart of Amy/Laurie there but nooooo there is almost none (of the like twelve of them I found a few years ago, most were of Laurie cheating with Jo behind Amy's back and I'm just like NO). Now, with this movie getting such success and showing Amy in such an unbiased light, hopefully there will be some good fan fiction of Laurie and Amy arriving.
Jo has literally shipped Laurie with all her sisters in the books and said quote on quote she did not love Laurie but everyone blaming Amy for Laurie and Jo not getting together 🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️
So much yes!
1994 version did it too
Actually, the 1994 version -- which has Amy played by two different actresses to account for the age spread -- we do see the scene where Kirsten Dunst, as the younger Amy, is sent off to Aunt March's when Beth comes down with scarlet fever. She's the only one of the sisters who hasn't had the illness, so she has to be removed from the home. She's taken in a carriage by Laurie to Aunt March's and she confesses to him that she doesn't want to go away and that she's afraid of Aunt March. He promises her that he'll visit her everyday and she won't be alone. And, if Aunt March is unkind to her, he'll come and take her away. She asks, where will they go and he says, Paris -- which is great foreshadowing. Then, she outlines to him who should get what of her treasures if *she* should catch scarlet fever and die, and then laments that she doesn't want to die, as she's never been kissed. She's waited her whole life to be kissed. He responds, I tell you what. I promise I'll kiss you before you die -- which, again, is great foreshadowing of where their relationship ultimately ends up. There's a little clip of this scene on TH-cam.
i agree with your statement so much
Basically how I see Jo and Laurie relationship is like that of true parabatai in the Mortal Instruments. They're basically soulmates, but in a platonic way
This is literally the perfect example
YES you're so right omg
Jade Trolland this is so right!!
@@ohhanna3927 i love this analogy YES. I believe Saoirse and Timothee has that too 🤪
@Emerson Minock
Why ?
Truth? I’ve always disliked Jo most of all. Her goals are admirable but she’s so prideful and stubborn and kind of mean. Amy grows to be the best of them all.
l like all of the sisters i don't think any sister shoud be disliked they are
ALL spacial in their own way yas they all have flaws but this make each of them good persons l love and all the sisters and pick a favorite would just be impossible.
But jo is soo great and independent
I mean are you disrespecting Louisa May Alcott who is actually the Jo........ my dear, go and read the book or see the 2019 version
I think both Jo and Amy are the characters that grow and mature the most in the book, which means that we also get to see them at their most petty, childish, and immature selves too. Amy has a very complete character arc in the first book, while I feel that we actually get to see more of who Jo truly matures into as an adult in the second book, Little Men (although the focus is on the second generation rather than the March sisters in that one.)
Same
I was always most intrigued by Amy. She's an imaginative, ambitious girl stuck in a stupid boring town while poor. Her ambitious nature is to know what the Hell she wants and I like that
For Jo or Amy haters. The two sisters loved each other, they were just very different from each other. Period
And now Florence got an oscar nomination! What an actress! I'm so proud!!!
Don’t understand why people hate her. Didn’t even know people felt this way untill I saw your video.
Næp Sæck same here! I had no idea that people hated Amy so much.
Næp Sæck the same. I don’t understand. I love Amy.
Ikr!!!
Me too
20 seconds in and HERE for this
When I reread the book, I was struck by finding that Jo never regretted rejecting Laurie, as she does in the movies! And I think Amy might well be better for him. I was impressed by the depiction of Amy's gift for tact in the book, for getting along with a variety of people in a variety of situations. Like Jo, I don't particularly possess this gift, so I definitely don't take it for granted! I admire Amy.
It's only the new movie where she regrets rejecting him. She never regretted rejecting Laurie in the 1994 version.
I remember the first time I read the part when Amy burns Jo's book and she tells her she knew that's what was gonna hurt her the most, and I remember just FEELING her anger so much, OF COURSE that's a horrible thing to do and OF COURSE AMY KNOWS IT AND SHE REGRETS DOING IT and I honestly never hated her for that because that's just how GIRLS ARE, I never had sisters but I grew up with my first cousin who's 8 years older than me, and I tried SO HARD to be like her and for her give me validation because I felt she was the coolest person ever, and when she excluded me or embarrassed me like Jo often did with Amy, I would ball my eyes out feeling like shit, and guess what? I broke her stuff, I stole her music which was basically her identity when she was a teenager because I KNEW it would piss her off, we don't fight like boys fight, we go for the things that hurt, because we really understand each other's feelings and honestly that's just how we bond as sisters, we don't always fight, we care, we listen, and so did Jo and Amy, their sisterhood is amazing and I honestly don't care for what Amy haters think
Oh yeah! You're right. My sister destroyed my stuff a lot back then. All of them are my passion, my identity. So i gave her some revenge physically✌🏻
Amy and Laurie's relationship makes sense! I think it's so important in Jo's turning him down in the 2019 version, she says "I tried" but she still can't love him back and unreciprocated love is unfair.
Dude Amy LOVED Jo, it always made me so sad that Jo would always be really dismissive and actively antagonistic towards her because Amy thinks shes so cool
So, true. All she wanted was her approval. Never anything else. She wanted a sister who cared for her. Beth was too young to give Amy the kind of 'attention' she wanted and Meg was more on the motherly side.
Finally!!! Someone who understand the relationship between Laurie and Amy and doesn't see it as Laurie just going after another March sister. I loved the movie with Wynona Ryder in it but one thing they did absolutely wrong was the way they treated Laurie and Amy's relationship. All their character development and relationship development dissapears...so i'm really excited for this
True! They paid so much attention to Bhaer and Jo that they rushed Amy and Laurie. I think it's because critics hated Bhaer and Jo together because of the large age gap based from previous adaptations.
I always thought Amy and Laurie was right for each other. I felt like Jo and Laurie, even though they were nice together they never truly in love. Maybe I have missed something from the book or from this movie but I never thought that Laurie just jumped to another March sister.
In the book, it was pretty clear that Jo was being considered for the European tour, but blew her chance by being stubborn and rude.
YES! I also read Little Women for the first time this year, and I didn't understand it when I heard people hated Amy. I think people have definitely been influenced by "the main character should get the boy" trope and all the movie adaptations that portray Amy poorly. Like, JO DIDN'T WANT LAURIE. She didn't want anybody! The book makes that abundantly clear! (Plus in the movie there's the nod to Jo's romance being added in after getting pressure from the publisher). I do think that the movie did one thing to add to the Anti-Amys-when Jo finds out that Laurie and Amy got married, in the book, she's legitimately happy for them and doesn't begrudge them at all. In the movie, you can tell she's surprised and hurt and then gets over it. I wish the movie didn't do that. But it does show how good Amy and Laurie are for each other! I love the moment when she's like "Laurie what are you doing standing there can you get the carriage PLEASE we have matchmaking to do."
i love amy march. florence pugh displayed her so beautifully, and i'm glad she got an oscar nomination !! i feel like the amount of hate amy got was undeniably unfair. the growth she goes through as a character and as a person is not acknowledged by so many people. i loved her from the start to the end. the movie was outstanding and incredible. definitely one of my favorites, and if you haven't watched it, i recommend it sososo much !
FINALLY! This is first time I've seen so many people come together in defense of Amy. She was always one of my favorite Little Women and for years I had to watch everyone else despise her for no reason other than petty jealousy. Jealousy because she was the "pretty" one (I never got how she was "spoiled", she was young and silly but I don't recall anywhere in the book where she was shown favoritism or special treatment - Marmee was a fair mother), she went to Europe (deservedly), and - horror or horrors! - married Laurie (whom Jo rejected). Frankly the Jo and Laurie shippers are some of the most obnoxious in all of literary fandom. It's like they didn't even read the book or have a basic grasp of the characters. Amy and Laurie were childhood friends and suited each other perfectly. Amy was never supposed to be this hated, she was never the Bad Guy. All the sisters were flawed and of all of them, Amy grew the most. Not sure why it took til Greta Gerwig's movie to prove her value, when some of us saw it all along. Still, high time she was appreciated. Thank you for this video! ❤
Imagine the gif of shia labeouf giving a standing ovation, that's my reaction to this whole entire ass video
Iconic
This is also why it makes sense that Jo calls him Teddy, symbolizing a childhood friend and it also being his first name, so a more immature, childlike petname that suits their friendship which wants to remain in that "childish" state. Amy calls him Laurie like everyone else which is more mature and draws upon his last name so a more grown up version of him.
I've always felt that people who didn't like Amy just didn't fully understand her motivations and/or didn't fully understand her relationship with Laurie. In a good relationship, both partners need to not just support but let them be the best version of themselves- only Amy could do that for him (And Laurie, her)
I love her character. I have never understood why people hated her
I relate to Amy because sometimes it’s so hard to be realistic and realise you’re not amazing, you’re just good... that’s crushing
This video is everything. I’ve always identified as an “Amy” and have had to defend my love for Amy March.
Also think that the people who hate Amy the most don’t have sisters, or healthy relationships with their sisters. Because Jo doesn’t hate Amy, they love each other. Sisters fight, and sisters know how to stick the knife exactly where it’s going to hurt most. ie Jo won’t let Amy go to the theatre and Amy burns Jo’s book. It hits them in the same way, but it’s told from Jo’s perspective so you don’t get Amy’s feelings.
Bravo for this analysis! 💕💕💕
Laurie actually was the one who bought the tickets.... So he was the one Amy should have been mad at.... I do wonder what would have happened if Jo had distroyed one of Amy's paintings... You can bet Amy would have been as ticked as Jo was about her manuscript ..
In this movie version it’s made super clear that from a young age her Aunty drilled into Amy that she would be the only person who could save her family from the future poverty that would eventually befall her parents and even her sisters.
Other adaptations have of course included this. But for some reason this version really hit home with how Florence reacted to being told this information. She looked like she took the weight of the world on her shoulders after her Aunty spoke with her then told her to go back to her little paintings.
Even though Amy did want the finer things in life, you could also tell it burdened her as well. The thought that if she didn’t marry well her family would be destitute would make her possibly accept a proposal that would be for convenience and not love. But the same could be said for a lot of wealthy marriages across the ages. Eventually love did win, but she was close to marrying someone she would have liked, but not loved.
Omg you described my feelings on this perfectly!
One thing that always sticks out to me as well is even though Jo read to aunt march and everything, Amy spent a lot of time with aunt march because she was sent there when beth was sick. So aunt March's decision makes a lot of sense in so many ways. It's frustrating ppl hate the character so much. Why can't ppl appreciate each character for their unique and wonderful traits?
LOVE this! Amy has always been my favorite character from the novel and movies and the latest adaptation did her the most justice. She’s so misinterpreted so often and you nailed exactly why! My one critique of the film is that I wish they had shown more of Laurie and Amy as children since their bond was so strong too. I loved how he would visit her each week at Aunt March’s etc. and I think it explains why Amy always loved him and that he always loved her too but it took Jo rejecting him to recognize what had been in front of him all along. I find their relationship far more romantic. Greta did a brilliant job and the casting was :chefs kiss:
summerchic30 amy loved Laurie so much that when she couldn’t go with him to the theater she burned jos paper
Completely agree with everything you said. Also, I remember in a cast interview they were saying that Jo and Laurie are almost so similar that they are like two halves of the same person. Similar to how Jo would always butt heads with Amy because they are both so headstrong, passionate, quick tempered, stubborn, etc, I think she would also have had that experience with Laurie. They wouldn’t grow each other the way in which Amy and Laurie do.
This movie I think plays more emphasis on everyones dreams, motives, and morals, which made me honestly like Amy more with Jo and found Jo a character whom I would not like in real life just because of her morals and traits.
Same, I get why people like Jo, but I never related her. I always liked Amy more
lo l I just personally disagree with her morals and don’t agree with several things she says in the books and movies is all. I don’t like her personality as well, with her quick temper and loud personality.
This film makes you like Amy and dislike Jo, and I really don't think that was Alcott's intention.
@@hilariparsons9937 Same I think it's because I relate to Amy more on how she handle things. She is composed and calm.
Jo is an amazing character, but the movie adaptations often highlight her virtues and forgets about her flaws. The trip to Paris is one of the greatest examples of the above: Amy and Jo visit aunt March and while Amy is all politeness and amiable (indeed Amy’s greatest strength is how to move in society), Jo is crossed and rude. Jo says in her own words that she doesn’t want favours and that she hates French. The next chapter in the book called “consequences” reveals that during that visit aunt March was thinking about inviting Jo to Paris, but because of her rude behaviour, and, in contrast, the pleasant attitude of Amy, she invites Amy instead. So, no, Amy did not take that opportunity from Jo, Jo did that to herself because her disregard for societal “norms/politeness”.
I don't get why people dislike Amy. She's actually an amazing character, I love all the characters here.
YESSSSSSSSSS Amy always gets so much crap for who she was when she was like 10, and then everyone hates her forever even though she grows up to be pretty likeable!
Thanks for this trenchant video. The whole "Amy stole Laurie from Jo" gripe has always been a complete mystery to me. When I was reading the book as a young girl, I actually found it thrilling when Amy and Laurie finally connected. I wonder if the reason so many people claim to be aggrieved over it is that Laurie is such an attractive character. The reader is attracted to him and if the reader also "identifies with" Jo, then therefore Laurie and Jo must end up together. But if a reader does that, aren't they actually disrespecting Jo as a protagonist? Remember, Jo says, very clearly and firmly, after sober contemplation, that she doesn't love Laurie romantically and that he's not right for her. Should the reader just declare that Jo doesn't know her own mind? Isn't Jo's journey to self-discovery and truth one of the themes of the book? The reader is free to deplore her decision; I remember when I read it as a little kid thinking something to the effect of 'Wow, I know Jo wants to be different, but I think she's carrying it a little too far! I'd take Laurie in a heartbeat!", but it is her choice to make. Amy and Laurie seem much more suited to each other; for one thing they are both much more sensual than Jo is.
I didn’t really like Amy in the book, but Florence Pugh did an amazing job portraying her; the movie made me love her so much! Little Women is about so much more than Jo’s love story, it’s about the sisters, the ways they are all different, and the ways they are all the same. Louisa May Alcott never wanted Jo to marry, and made Amy end up with Laurie to make the point to her readers that a woman’s life doesn’t culminate in a marriage. If anything, I’d rather Jo didn’t marry at all.
She was always my favorite. Never understood why she was hated for wanting nice things. She was a baby and immature and grows into a wonderful adult.
as a youngest sister i've always related to her so much 😩
it hurts that everyone hates her
Thank you for this!!! I’ve never understood why anyone who read Part 2 of the book hates Amy, or thinks Jo was devastated by Amy marrying Laurie. Did they really read it or just ignore the story and development of Amy’s character as an adult because they had already made up their mind bc she was, no doubt, a spoiled bratty kid. Also, in the book Jo tells her mother, that after Beth died she might have said yes to Laurie but it would have been bc she was lonely, not bc she loved him more. She did, however, fall in love with the professor, in a way that she never loved Laurie. In the book, I never felt Amy would have been anything but happy for Jo and Laurie had they gotten married. The book tells of Amy and Laurie’s falling in love in a beautiful way.
amy taught laurie self respect and having control of ownself
This is a great video and you hit the nail right on the head. But, the thing about Little Women is that most people (I got this from a review and its true for my own experience) love the story because of the beginning. Those happy days when Jo and Laurie where wild and inseparable, Beth was healthy, Meg was pining after John, and Amy is up to her childish antics. Pt. 2 of the story is just the reader having to watch these magnetic personalities be ironed out. I honestly don't know if people would care about the second half of the story if we weren't already in love with the characters from their childhood days. The sequels don't even seem to be nearly as popular.
Dynestee Fields ohhhh. I can totally see how this must be super frustrating to people. I haven’t read the sequels only Volume . Should I give it a read???
@@marinaluna3252 I would. It might be an interesting experience for you. The sequels aren't awful. I get the sense though, that it would have been better to read the sequels with the whole crew as adults first. Then read Little Women/ Good Wives as a prequel to see how they got to the point. It would ease the shock out of the leap from Little Women to Good Wives.
I never realized Amy was unpopular till this moment. I mean, she was a little bratty when she was 12, but by the time she's 15, she's a sweetie.
To everyone who dislikes Amy or of any of the sisters, I will justify that you shouldn’t and you’re greatly misunderstanding. Each sister had their own flaws and strengths. Alcott wrote this novel at a time women were commonly misrepresented, low status in society, and seen nothing more than a love interest or someone to produce the next generation. Through this novel, the author wanted to show that women were more than society thought of them at the time. They were capable, well rounded people and had depth. This we are shown through the four sisters, despite being raised in the same household, they were all different. That’s because women create different choices for themselves and we see how each develop throughout the movie or the book.
- Jo is known to be quick tempered, stubborn and have metathesiophobia, which means having fear of change. Her temper is what she hates the most about herself and throughout the novel, she struggles to fix it with the help of Marmee. She most importantly worked on it after she regretted not forgiving Amy earlier, when Amy had a near death experience when she fell through the frozen river.
“‘I let the sun go down on my anger, I wouldn’t forgive her, and today, if it hadn’t been for Laurie, it might have been too late!’ As if she heard, Amy opened her eyes, and held out her arms, with a smile that went straight to Jo’s heart. Neither said a word, but they hugged one another close…”
Although she has a bad temper and is stubborn, those traits are what make her independent and career driven. Jo was boyish and ambitious, which were at the time not ideal in women. She didn’t like those standards imposed on her and refused them. It is why she is a natural feminist, and her character speaks of the author of this novel Louisa Alcott, who created Jo to portray herself.
- Meg is known to be materialistic and has a great longing for luxury. That was not attainable due to her family circumstance since they were particularly poor. She dreamed of being in the “lap of luxury”. During the time Meg was married to John Brooke, a penniless man, she bought an expansive silk fabric, which was out of their budget. Meg had a little moment in the movie where she was in despair, talking about the fact they couldn’t afford the fabric. But later, she sold the fabric away. “But I don’t want you to be unhappy.” said Brooke, insisting that she can have the fabric taken to the dressmaker. “I couldn’t be, John Brooke is my husband, and I am his wife.”
Meg acted as a role model to her sisters, and took responsibility of them as much as she could. She had a chance of marrying herself into high society because of her beauty and ladylike manners. That meant her being able to get the luxury she always wanted. But she didn’t do that and instead married John Brooke out of love, despite him not being rich.
- Amy is a combination of her sisters. I cannot figure her particular flaw yet and I think she doesn’t have a notable one. Maybe hers is also a combination of her sisters flaws. She is the youngest of the four sisters, therefore she sees how different they all are, the decisions and mistakes they made, and she absorbed all that. To conclude, her mindset was raised upon how she saw her sisters grow. She has elegant and gracious manners like Meg, is equally ambitious as Jo, and shares her innocence with Beth. Her good nature and development is already described in the video.
- Beth is known to be coy, and out of all the sisters, is the least ambitious. She didn’t have any dreams in the outside world. All she ever wanted was to be with her whole family, and to be able to play music in a decent piano. When that was achieved with Mr March coming home, having the family complete, and Mr Laurence having given Beth a beautiful piano, she died afterwards. I think that is why she died early, because she was already contented and happy. She’s found peace with herself when she finally had all the simple things she wanted. Therefore there was nothing left of the world for her for which she wanted.
“Alcott gives each of the four sisters particular idiosyncrasies that signature their personalities and generate advantages and disadvantages for them. Thus they are each known four being vain, quick tempered, coy and selfish…Alcott though, was writing at a time when people held deeply Christian values, where the ideal person was the opposite of all those traits: modest, level-headed, outgoing, and giving. The idea was to pretend to be that ideal, albeit an unattainable synthesis. It was all about being virtuous and wholesome in the eyes of the Christian God.”
Four sisters with different motives and perspectives, altogether with their own flaws. This novel wants to teach us that women can take different paths, which made each of the sisters unique. Despite their differences, all the sisters were good natured, loving to one another, and throughout the novel, worked to mend their flaws. I hope you no longer despise any of the characters, because they were all equally good and unique. If you managed to make it this far which I think hardly anyone will, I highly commend you. Other than that, this is the reason of why Little Women will always have a special place in my heart. :))
I have literally never hated Amy I’m shocked to learn people don’t like her I never new that . I’ve always liked her and that probably has to do with the fact I’m much more of an Amy then a joe I’ve always related well to her
i think my hatred for amy was definitely stemmed out of her burning jo's book as i've felt that kind of behavior done towards me by my younger brothers. they were petty & insensitive & it's true that she was young but i also think u find yourself hating your younger siblings in a way. you love them but you don't necessarily have to like them. i never had much of a problem with her ending up with laurie. that bit i had a bit of a frustration with with jo but beyond that i didn't really care for amy & laurie's new found relationship. i think the problem that also fueled the dislike for amy is that most scripts were pretty much centred on jo & the other characters who were very much central to the book were treated... like supporting characters indeed. greta offered more care & love for these characters rather than make you forget them or hate them. she redeemed them whether from poor acting choices from then or from the scripts that forgot that little women is not just about jo but all these girls.
couldn't agree more.
You're right and you should say it!!!
sTaTiStiCs, StAtiStIcS
Damn right. I read the unabridged version for the first time recently. Previously, I had only read a children's version as a kid, so all I could remember was hating Amy for ending up with Laurie. When I read the book this year, I didn't understand the hate for Amy. Jo and Laurie, as stated in the book, are both hotheads. If they were together, they would have clashed constantly. It wouldn't have been a happy marriage and Jo didn't love him. Laurie and Amy got to know each other outside of the expectations of their families and realized that they really complement each other. The notion that Amy "stole" Laurie from Jo is incredibly sexist and untrue. As you said in the video, both Amy and Jo wanted to navigate their place in society and they went about it in two very valid and different ways. Amy found her place by adhering to the expectations of her society and trying to make it work in her favour. Jo didn't want to conform and wanted her identity to pave her path for her. Both make sense for their characters and neither is a villain. It honestly worked out for the best and after 150 years we need to stop demonizing Amy.
Sorry for this huge paragraph. I didn't think I had so much to say
This was PERFECT!!! Amy is my favorite sister and I am so happy she's matched with Laurie, and that Jo is with Friedrich. I can't understand why people hate Amy either. She was a child when she burned Jo's book, and Jo ended up forgiving her. Also, if Jo could find it in herself to be happy for Amy and Laurie, why can't everyone else? Thanks for the vid!
the reason the amy/laurie thing was so upsetting to me is bc amy felt like a second choice. the story makes the point that you shouldn’t just want to be loved, you should actually love someone, when it concerns jo, but then completely goes against it in lauries case. i personally thought amy deserved better. not that she should have been with fred, but someone who loved her for who she was and not as a second choice to jo. which i guess it could be seen how laurie did eventually, but it’s like he did a 180 after being devastatingly in love with jo since the day he met her. also “amy kept laurie in line” i guess shows why they are good together but i also dislike the fact that it feels like laurie never really grew up and just kind of used amy as a crutch in more ways than one. i don’t hate them together but it doesn’t feel completely right to me
In the book, Laurie tries to stir up his old feelings for Jo but keeps thinking about Amy. After they marry, he tells Jo that he will always love her, but love is altered, and they will be brother and sister now. Amy and Laurie falling in love in the book is rather touchingly done. Although I'd still like a version where Jo and Laurie get together after Volume I. Maybe I'll write it someday.
josski32
I got this too from watching the film but I need to read the book as it sounds better there. also I didn’t see any chemistry between Florence Pugh and Timothee Chalamet
THANK YOU YES
Say that!!! You're completely right. Also that one part where Laurie is talking about some dude and thinks "and when he couldn't have one sister he took the other, and was happy." made me want to scream. The absolute disrespect to both Amy and Jo?? I was pissed off even though I loved Laurie throughout the book but i felt Lousia did adult Laurie dirty
@@pinksuiteheart6974 This, 100%%!! I just read it and was like: WTF?? This is my problem with Amy/Laurie; I can actually totally see them as a couple, IF THERE WAS NO JO (and I don't say that because I'm a Jo/Laurie shipper, I never was and I'm 100% behind Jo's decision).
What I mean by that is that they are well matched, he is everything Amy wanted in a man, beautiful, rich, elegant, a good and decent man, she loves him for who he is, plus she can 'keep him in line', and Laurie would also benefit greatly by their union, because she is the realist to his dreamer, but they still share creative and charitable interests, plus he would become officialy a part of the March family that he loves so much, but I really can't see Laurie really falling in love with her 'on her own': in the book he keeps thinking about the two of them almost interchangeably, as if either 'will do' as long as he marries one of the March sisters, and at the same time comparing the two of them, so that Amy never quite feels separated from Jo, which is super unfair to both of them but especially Amy since she marries him, imho she deserved better. I also had the bad feeling that (in the book) he would have married ANY of the March sisters, including Beth and Meg, since many of his interactions with either of them were quite ambiguous.
That book quote was absolutely dreadful (btw, the 'dude' he was thinking about was Mozart), and I agree that in the end Lourie's character was't sufficiently developed.
In the book it does feel like Amy was a second choice, even with all the chapters dedicated to Laurie's heartbreak, so I liked that in the 2019 film Greta added Amy saying that, but at the same time in the book more time passes so, even if not explained, one can imagine that in the one/two years they spent together in Europe they fell in love at one point, while in the movie it all seems so sudden (which makes sense since they were united by the great loss of Beth's death, and probably quite realistic, but still, it's understandable why so many people are upset).
P.s. Am I the only one a little disturbed by the fact that he was Amy's childhood crush and he knew her since she was a child and actually saw her grow up? Four years difference is not a lot as adults but it's massive at that age.
yes! amy is my favorite character and i agree with everything you’re saying 100%
First of all, Amy's been one of my fav characters since I was 8 years old when my mum gifted me Little Women for children's day. So thank you for making a commentary about her, because with each new adaptation, there's always people saying shit about her and I get so tired of that.
I think that part of why Amy also wanted to marry well was because she never got to live or remember living like Meg and Jo did when they were younger and her family had money (they were rich but lost their fortune when their father decided to help a friend). And even in the book they, specially Meg, say multiple times how things used to be. And Meg was kind of Amy's advisor, and Jo was Beth's, so I do believe Meg used to tell Amy all about what they used to have. Also, Amy is practical, that's why she admits she won't have a carreer through art, because talent isn't genious. And even in the book, when she thinks Fred will ask for her hand in marriage, she admits she doesn't love him, but that one of them has to marry well. Which is realistic, Meg married a poor man, Jo at first didn't want to marry at all and none of them knew how much or how well her stories would sell, and Beth had been sick and in bad health for a long time.
I was discussing with a friend the other day that people also hate Amy like they hated Sansa in Asoiaf/GoT. Because both of them don't reject their feminity, and use them as a tool. Jo and Arya, are the versions of "Not like other girls" and people like them because it's also like saying "being like a man is so much better than being a women". And I think that people hate Amy so much because they also find it easier to blame about everything that goes wrong with Jo's life than admit that some of the things, Jo brought for herself.
About the trip to Europe, it's pretty clear in the book that Jo fucked up that chance for herself.
" By her next speech, Jo deprived herself of several years of pleasure, and received a timely lesson in the art of holding her tongue.
"I don't like favors, they oppress and make me feel like a slave. I'd rather do everything for myself, and be perfectly independent."
"How are you about languages?" asked Mrs.Carrol of Jo.
"Don't know a word. I'm very stupid about studying anything, can't bear French, it's such a slippery silly sort of language" was the brusque reply.
The letter they receive when Amy is invited says (and I'm quoting the book because I've re-read it before watching the movie): I planned at first to ask Jo, but as "favors burden her", and she "hates French", I think I won't venture to invite her. Amy is more docile, will make a good companion for Flo, and receive gratefully any help the trip may give her"
I'm sorry for the testament, but I'm so happy to be able to talk about Amy and I'm so excited to see a movie that makes justice for Amy, and also Amy/Laurie.
Well said, really. I think Jo was the character that I kinda liked less when they became adults, although many times I resonated with her. Maybe because she is very close to the majority of girls struggling in modern society, where there is more freedom to pursue different scenarios or alternatives, but in reality we maybe are still so dependent from the marriage-to-socially-success concept.
I just had this feeling that while loving her family to guts, Jo has been quite selfish, focused on her own growth and struggles her whole life and so lacks in deeply understanding the ones she loves (Laurie's feelings rejection, so brutal and direct, really explains her way to deal with the situation only from her perspective, without considering the place she was putting her best friend in).
I think she fully matures only after Amy and Laurie’s marriage. She has to face the consequences of her rejection to Laurie, but also to realize Amy really pursued her goals and saved the family (I really found super annoying the way she was down-looking at Amy's travel to Paris to find a rich marriage). The little sister became a woman too, so Jo has to get her life together once for all.
Amy is really my favorite character. She is such a conscious and strong woman, totally aware of reality, of herself, of what she feels, what other feel, and what it is convenient to show or not show around others.
The Greta Gerwig Little Women was the first version of this story I had ever seen and I was honestly surprised to come out of it and found that most people generally don't like Amy's character. Amy's biggest "fault" was simply that she wanted the same things as Jo. But while Amy was willing to put in the time, work, and effort to achieve them, Jo tended to take just expect everything to be given to her exactly the way she wanted it. Aside from burning the manuscript, I honestly don't see any reason why we're not supposed to like Amy? As a youngest sister of 3 I completely identified with Amy's character right off the bat and I was pleasantly surprised and excited that she got the things she thought were impossible because her older sisters always got first dibs on everything.
This was a great video though, really well done!
This is so well done! I only wish that Gerwig's version had shown Laurie's maturation after spending so much time with Amy just a bit more. His endeavor to deserve her, if you will :)
Yes!!!! YES!!! Louder for the people in the back! Not only you said incredibly true things but you shed lights over one of the most well-constructed characters to ever exist. I believe so many people forgot that what makes a character good and realistic is the flaws the one character has. Her irrationality, her childish anger (because she is, in fact, a child through most of Little Women lol) are exactly the things that make her unforgettable. Again: thank you for this video!
To be honest, wether its the film or the novel, people who don't like Amy are either not paying attention or are very immature themselves.
Lol no less...
Nope! And this kind of snarky gatekeeping is what this whole video is trying to discourage. I could say everyone who likes Amy is a shallow bitch, but that is wildly speculative and totally inaccurate! You can like or dislike a fictional character without being a stupid or mean person. As females (and especially as feminists) we need to detach ourselves from that kind of zero sum thinking about female characters
Many comments are saying that Amy got to go to Paris because of marrying rich and though that's true, we have to point out that she EARNED the trip to Paris. She was always composed and educated with her aunt and her aunt's friends, even when she was sure that Jo would be the one going to Paris, she listened to the old women, when Jo showed rejection to them, even the book said something along the lines of Jo regretting her actions and actitudes because it had been her doom in terms of the trip. Amy worked for everything she got, she wasn't handed anything, that's why Amy March will always be my favorite character from this book, thanks for the video
I was interested to see what you had to say because I was one of the ones who didn’t like Amy very much either, but you made such wonderful points! You made me think of things in a way I hadn’t yet and I’m sure I’ve changed my mind! I’m going to watch it again tonight in a new light.
I think one of the major reasons why people don't like Amy is not just because she "takes" Laurie from Jo, but because it's seen as a betrayal of her sister. The sisters and their love for each other are at the core of the book and Amy constantly is framed as someone who only cares about herself (though that is not true), not her family. Sisters aren't usually supposed to "compete" for the same man even though Jo was never running that race to begin with. She is seen as vain and selfish for wanting what is "not hers" and was always supposed to be Jo's even when she never wanted it in the first place.
@@FullofLit I totally agree on what you are saying, I'm just more trying to explain what a lot of the Little Women "fandom" has consistently said about Amy and Amy/ Laurie's relationship. Though I'm glad through Greta's film that Amy is being looked at as a fully realized character and not just a bratty sister who always gets what she wants. While Amy is still not my favorite character in the series, I have never disliked her and found her treatment to be unfair. She needed someone to expand on her intentions like Greta did for the public opinion on her and her relationship choices to change.
I have no issue with Amy & Laurie being together, Jo was clear she’s not into him so I could care less. What I’m not ok with is how Amy treats Jo because of a boy. The reason she burned the book, is because of Laurie, it was never about looking up to jo or w/e the reason was given in the video. The source material shows that she only wanted to go for Laurie & obviously jo is the one who gets her wrath because she’s close with Laurie. And then the secret wedding thing, it came off a lot like she was trying to go behind her sister’s back. I just find her so untrustworthy & shady, she’s the kind of person who will do anything to get her way, even screw over her sister.
Judi Gemini that’s most sisters for you though. We get jealous of each other and react in immature ways. My sister has destroyed my art, I’ve destroyed items that she loved, just because of jealousy. And it’s not just us it’s most, if not all sisters. We all have that low moment
Judi Gemini also I personally feel as though Amy didn’t fully understand how important Jo’s writing was to her or the relationship between Jo and Laurie
Yes! I love Amy. Being the younger sister who never got to do anything growing up, i identify with her so much. her character development was amazing, as well. she knew what she had to do for her family.
Yes🙌🙌 the scene where she says she doesn’t want to be second to Joe when she has loved Laurie the whole time
exactly! and they say she 'stole' Laurie, shut the off up. If she 'stole' hime why did she deny him to begin with?? BECAUSE of Jo.
I got into the story when I was little, I never knew people hated Amy especially for those reasons; maybe because I was around her age and Im the youngest so I seen how she acted as a child in a different light. I also never blamed her for being with Laurie actually quiet the opposite I used To see his action of falling for her as weird because he was much older than her and it felt like he still loved Jo or at least felt that way to younger me and in the fact it had felt like he was using her to become a part of the family. Aunt March choosing her for the trip was understandable because her behavior was different from Jo, she had the ability to go into that type of society and blend in to the society in which Jo rebelled against.
I can't imagine the amount of pressure that Amy was under. Being told by your aunt at a young age that you had to support your whole family by marrying rich is wild. Because of that she is by far the most pragmatic sister. I also do not think that Jo was fair to her by saying she didn't have to deal with the hard parts of life