Feminist Practices and Representation of Women Characters in Little Women

Abstract: This essay focuses on Louisa May Alcott's Little Women as a feminist novel and explores the representations of feminisms in the text. First, I argue Little Women is a novel that presents writing as feminist practice from a Künstlerroman perspective, which highlights Jo March's subversive feminism in the time. Next the essay shows how Jo’s gender fluidity helps her reconcile/negotiate her artistic aspirations and social expectations as part of her creative path. Finally, my essay also goes beyond Jo March's character to show how minor characters like the forgotten Beth March and emerging artist Amy March are a reminder of the text’s Künstlerroman focus, how patriarchy attempts to erase women like Beth who do not seem to fit into the stereotypes of the time due to their sickness or gender.