2013 reread #5
I absolutely love this book. I can't pinpoint an exact reason why this is one of my favorite books; maybe because it's about family, or the importance of having people in your life who love you, or maybe I like this book so much because it takes place in a time period I'm particularly fond of, it's really anyone's guess. I do know, that aside from the book itself being a favorite, Josephine March is easily one of my favorite characters in literature. She's blunt and awkward and smart and loving -just an absolutely wonderfully written character. Being a classic in every sense of the word, this is a book everyone should read.
Capturing an entire period in history through one simple family, Little Women uses the personalities of the four March daughters to walk us through time. Meg lives the simple, proper life of the time. She likes to follow the rules and enjoys that her life happens in a small way. Jo is honestly like a feminist before the movement was even a twinkle in any lady's eye. She doesn't always say the right thing, she stands up for herself, she is really the master of her own fate lives on her own longer than anyone else. Beth is symbolic of the times. She dies young like so many soldiers did during the Civil War before getting to have a full, adult life. Amy is the social climber and indicative of a lot of women at the time looking to rise out of poverty through marriage. Although she does end up marrying for love, her constant quest to improve and refine herself does make her more eye-catching to the wealthier sect of society. It's a microcosm of society.
Jo is still the heroine though. She's the one who sacrifices her independence to take care of Beth. She refuses to marry without love. She's always there supporting her sisters and her family. She's the one who really cares for others no matter if they're her family or not.
I like this book because of how real it feels. The lives of our characters feel real. They suffer as heavily as they find happiness in the regular joys of life.
I don't feel like I need to really talk about this book since if you don't know the plot already, you cannot call yourself well-read. I just love the way this book makes me feel and reading this book is like coming home in a way since it has been with me throughout my life. It made my reread list because the story never gets old and is always a pleasure to read.
2013 reread #3
I read this book for the first time in junior high, for fun, at summer camp (I know, I'm strange.) Then, when reading it again in high school, it inspired one of my favorite paper topics in my entire academic career. Now, I'm sort of just waiting for Gatsby to die (and if that spoiled things for you - start reading more!) as I read through the book. All of Fitzgerald's commentary on the opulence of the 1920's that was so interesting and insightful at my second read almost just felt like obvious fodder now. What, obscenely wealthy people can be extremely vapid? No? Can you hear my sarcasm?
I'm happy I reread this book though despite its ability to amaze me like it had previously done. This story takes place over just a few months and is really very tragic for so many characters - not just the ones that die - and I find it interesting how much sadness Fitzgerald was able to inlay between crazy parties and lush trips into New York City. You really don't feel like anyone but our narrator, Nick Carraway, lives in reality and yet all the other characters are looked upon as "normal."
Ironic side note: Nick's last name, Carraway, like carried away, yet he's the only one who stays grounded.
This story is really very complex if you look at it analytically, which is how I like to look at literature. A million different paper topics could come form this book and because of that, with each read I see something new in the text. A book that changes with each read is truly a great work of art.
I'm curious to see how they shape each character in the movie version coming out soon. A lot of big names playing characters that don't always make good choices (alright, they characters are totally morally questionable.) While there's no real villain in the story, nobody is really good. It would be interesting to have a movie where none of the characters are totally likeable, where there's no actual hero. We'll just have to wait and see.
