Little Women - Characters & Cast

Jo is driven by a powerful ambition to make her own way in the world and be recognized as a serious writer. She is also fiercely loyal to her sisters and family, and much of her early writing is motivated by a desire to provide for them. Ultimately, her core motivation is to live a life of purpose and meaning on her own terms, refusing to be confined by society's expectations for women.

Jo begins as a fiery, tomboyish girl fiercely protective of her family and determined to become a great writer. She scorns the idea of marriage, viewing it as a constraint on her freedom. As she moves into adulthood, she faces loneliness, rejection, and the profound grief of losing her sister, Beth. Her journey is about learning to reconcile her fierce independence with her deep-seated need for love and connection, and to channel her personal experiences of joy and sorrow into her art. Her arc culminates not in marriage, but in the professional triumph of publishing her novel and securing her own financial and creative independence.

Amy's primary motivation is to secure a comfortable and respected life for herself and, by extension, her family. She is ambitious not just to be a great artist, but to elevate her social and economic standing. She operates with a clear-eyed view of society's limitations, motivated by a desire to achieve the best possible life within the system she has been given.

Amy starts as the youngest, somewhat spoiled and self-centered sister, prone to vanity and melodrama. Gerwig's adaptation gives her a significant arc of maturation. As she grows up, Amy develops a keen, pragmatic understanding of the world and her place in it as a woman. Her artistic ambitions are tempered by the realization that she may not be a genius and that marriage is an economic necessity. She evolves from a girl who burns her sister's manuscript in a fit of pique to a poised, insightful woman who understands the compromises necessary for survival and happiness, ultimately finding a marriage that is both loving and practical.

Meg is motivated by a deep desire for love, family, and a happy domestic life. Unlike Jo, she doesn't fight against societal expectations but seeks to find happiness within them. Her motivation is to build a loving home and find personal fulfillment in her role as a wife and mother, proving that this dream is as worthy as any other.

Meg, the eldest sister, begins with a romantic dream of a traditional life: marriage, home, and children. She is tempted by wealth and society, as seen at the debutante ball where she is called 'Daisy', but her arc is about embracing her own, more modest dreams. She falls in love with the poor tutor, John Brooke, and chooses love over money. Her journey involves grappling with the financial hardships of her choice and defending the importance and validity of her domestic ambitions against Jo's more unconventional path, finding contentment in the life she has chosen for herself.

Beth's motivation is simple and pure: to love and support her family and to find joy in music and home life. She has no grand ambitions for the outside world; her entire world is her family. She is motivated by a desire to please others, keep the peace, and ensure that her sisters are happy and together.

Beth is the shy, gentle heart of the March family. Her arc is not one of dramatic change but of quiet, profound impact. She is the emotional glue that holds the sisters together. Her journey is a tragic one, as she contracts scarlet fever as a girl and never fully recovers, with her health declining in adulthood. Her illness and eventual death force her sisters, especially Jo, to confront mortality and the fragility of their idyllic childhood. Beth's arc is about the strength found in kindness and the enduring legacy of a quiet, loving spirit.