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Okay, last-but-one post I said I didn't know why I liked An Old-Fashioned Girl (also What Katy Did, but I may leave that for now) so much more than Little Women, but I wasn't being entirely honest, or perhaps just a bit lazy. I've got many ideas, and what I'm really not sure about is the sum of the parts and the total and all.
I was just talking with![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
steepholm about it recently, and said one element was that I can't stand Amy. He (not having read most of the book - though he would choose it to try first over Anne of Green Gables, against the advice of the entire Shrapnell household - even Bell) said 'Doesn't everyone feel that way?' (or possibly it was 'Aren't you supposed to feel that way?', which is slightly different - don't want to be doing an injustice here) and I determined to ask for people's opinions on the matter. My feeling, FWIW, is that the structure and narrative voice - though at some, sometimes great, strain - consistently rewards Amy while punishing Jo. That's shorthand, and very clumsy, but not only is there the book burning (gair's wonderful comment came in after the conversation), but the trip to Europe (with major salt-rubbing-into-wound from Marmee who says 'It's your own fault Jo'), and of course Laurie. Now, I know Laurie wouldn't be that big a romantic prize for Jo really, though their fascinating gender-bending tendencies surely should make them the perfect match, but I still resent Amy's getting him instead of his just growing up a bit.
Beyond that, there seems to be a sense that while everyone has to work on their faults and make themselves 'better', for Jo it really requires more a self-negation than just a self-discipline and sacrifice for a reason. I could back this up with pertinent quotation, but will do so only if asked. Of course all this can be related back to poor Louisa's own up-bringing and dreadfully critical and rejecting father, but that doesn't mean I can take it comfortably in the book. (Actually makes it worse.)
So, gentle readers: Amy - how do you feel about her? She's the least appealing sister but has to be loved because Jo really loves her? She's a pain in the burnt-back-of-the-skirt-area and that's the way she's meant to be read? Cutest thing since fried fringes? Improves dramatically as she grows up? You just don't care because it's all about Jo? Other?
Think I'll leave the Old-Fashioned Girl comparison and Thought for another post...
I was just talking with
steepholm about it recently, and said one element was that I can't stand Amy. He (not having read most of the book - though he would choose it to try first over Anne of Green Gables, against the advice of the entire Shrapnell household - even Bell) said 'Doesn't everyone feel that way?' (or possibly it was 'Aren't you supposed to feel that way?', which is slightly different - don't want to be doing an injustice here) and I determined to ask for people's opinions on the matter. My feeling, FWIW, is that the structure and narrative voice - though at some, sometimes great, strain - consistently rewards Amy while punishing Jo. That's shorthand, and very clumsy, but not only is there the book burning (gair's wonderful comment came in after the conversation), but the trip to Europe (with major salt-rubbing-into-wound from Marmee who says 'It's your own fault Jo'), and of course Laurie. Now, I know Laurie wouldn't be that big a romantic prize for Jo really, though their fascinating gender-bending tendencies surely should make them the perfect match, but I still resent Amy's getting him instead of his just growing up a bit. Beyond that, there seems to be a sense that while everyone has to work on their faults and make themselves 'better', for Jo it really requires more a self-negation than just a self-discipline and sacrifice for a reason. I could back this up with pertinent quotation, but will do so only if asked. Of course all this can be related back to poor Louisa's own up-bringing and dreadfully critical and rejecting father, but that doesn't mean I can take it comfortably in the book. (Actually makes it worse.)
So, gentle readers: Amy - how do you feel about her? She's the least appealing sister but has to be loved because Jo really loves her? She's a pain in the burnt-back-of-the-skirt-area and that's the way she's meant to be read? Cutest thing since fried fringes? Improves dramatically as she grows up? You just don't care because it's all about Jo? Other?
Think I'll leave the Old-Fashioned Girl comparison and Thought for another post...
