Under the Umbrella

A blog dedicated to one of my favorite literary couple, Jo March and Friedrich Bhaer, as well as apperication for Little Women in general.

[hwdownandout]

Elizabeth Taylor in publicity photos for LITTLE WOMEN (1949).

[burtonandtaylor]

Elizabeth Taylor as Amy in ‘Little Women,’ 1949.

[huntermanor]

Most people know that Carrie was fat in the book but she's never been portrayed on screen by a fat girl, which makes the pig blood prank fall much flatter. But I'd like to give a different example on fat erasure on screen: Meg from Little Women.

Meg is described in literally the first pages as being 'plump and fair'. Plump here referring to her being slightly curvier than her sisters. This isn't just a little fact about Meg but it actually affects the story.

In most film adaptations when Meg 'goes to Vanity fair' she's tight laced into a corset to make the stereotypical corsets are vain and painful message and get the point across that Meg is uncomfortable. But the books don't mention corsets at all, what happens is that Meg borrows a dress from Belle and, because she's a bit bigger, it doesn't quite fit her right. She's uncomfortable because she's wearing a dress that's not her own and it doesn't fit, which is why she's tight and it feels bad.

I have thoughts about the general use of costuming in most adaptations in regards to the book (clothing plays a big role in the sisters' lives and they mention clothes and fashion constantly) and this is one of the examples that specially bothers me. In favour of casting a thinner actress and making the typical tight lacing scene they miss the oportunity to make Meg slightly bigger than her sisters and other girls, and showing her in a dress that's not hers in a home that's not hers, playing pretend essentially.

[atar-a-ifigenia]

I forgot that Laurie's mom was Italian and he was born in Italy. Early Italian-American representation

[joandfriedrich]

Does anyone remember that one episode of "Friends" where Joey and Rachel read each other's favorite books (Cujo for Joey, Little Women for Rachel), and at one point they spoil the books for each other?

I am always intrigued the way she describes the relationship between Jo and Laurie.

"Laurie proposes to Jo, and she says no, even though she's still in love with him, and then he ends up marrying Amy."

Firstly, Rachel is dead wrong in thinking that Jo loved Laurie in a romantic way, since Jo clearly says it multiple times that she NEVER loved Laurie like that.

Second, it makes her messy relationship with Ross make so much. In many ways, Ross acts just like Laurie did before Laurie wised up. Both were possessive of the object of their desire, wanting them to drop everything to cater to them, while not taking their dreams seriously.

The two big differences are these: one, Laurie was a teenager/early 20s when he acted like this, Ross was a grown adult, and two, Laurie actually had growth, realized that it was awful to treat Jo like that and became better. Ross never got out of that "Rachel must belong only to me" phase, and I will always hated how it ended. He didn't do anything to earn her, and they should not have ended up together.

Been thinking about this for a few days now and I had to make a post about it.

[joandfriedrich]

Laurie: Isn’t it weird that people kill mosquitoes just because they’re annoying? Laurie: Imagine if people did that to other people? I would’ve been dead years ago!

[aestheticsisters]

Instagram au ➤ Meg, Jo, Beth & Amy March

“I do think that families are the most beautiful things in all the world!”

[litlovers]

@litlovers february-march book club pick ↳ little women by louisa may alcott 

a year seems very long to wait before i see them, but remind them that while we wait we may all work, so that these hard days need not be wasted. i know they will remember all i said to them, that they will be loving children to you, will do their duty faithfully, fight their bosom enemies bravely, and conquer themselves so beautifully that when i come back to them i may be fonder and prouder than ever of my little women. (insp.)

[lunaathorne]

@fandomaestheticnet old to new >> the march sisters (little women + good wives)

four little chests all in a row, dim with dust and worn by time, four women taught by weal and woe, to love and labour in their prime.

(original edit)

[lucysunderground]

LITTLE WOMEN ☆ Amy March

“You laugh at me when I say I want to be a lady, but I mean a true gentlewoman in mind and manners, and I try to do it as far as I know how. I can’t explain exactly, but I want to be above the little meannesses and follies and faults that spoil so many women.”

[lucysunderground]

LITTLE WOMEN ☆ Elizabeth “Beth” March

“Why does everyone want to go away? I love being home. But I don’t like being left behind. Now I’m the one going ahead. I am not afraid. I can be brave like you. But I know I shall be homesick for you.”

[lucysunderground]

LITTLE WOMEN ☆ Margaret “Meg” March

“Please don’t tell Jo how I’ve behaved. I was just playing a part. To see what it felt like to be Belle Gardiner with four proposals and twenty pairs of gloves.

[jo-mxrches]

literature moodboards: little women (beth march)

“There are many Beth’s in the world, shy and quiet, sitting in corners till needed, and living for others so cheerfully that no one sees the sacrifices till the little cricket on the hearth stops chirping, and the sweet, sunshiny presence vanishes, leaving silence and shadow behind.”

[jo-mxrches]

literature moodboards: little women (meg march)

“Meg looked very like a rose herself, for all that was best and sweetest in heart and soul seemed to bloom into her face that day, making it fair and tender, with a charm more beautiful than beauty.”

[littlewomenpodcast]

When People Hate Aunt March

@candaceshirley8173 

 Hated this character beyond Her giving Amy, Jo's dream of Paris Deplorable loathsome character

@littlewomenchannel

Have you read the novel? It is Jo's own fault why she lost the trip. She made fun of the French language and the society where Aunt March and Aunt Florence live, knowing all that, aunts' that decision to choose Amy makes a lot more sense. Sadly, those parts are rarely in the movies. For more context, you can listen to this episode S7E3 Real Reason Jo Didn't Get To Go To Europe (Chapter Calls) With Emiloid

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMlygAJycEY&list=PLlvBupY5iidqidu1p5VW1MPXwrMkKcFyX&index=97

...........

I was really as nice as I could be

[hecatesbroom]

beth & jo march (little women 1933) edit to seafret's atlantis

[costumeloverz71]

Jo March (Katherine Hepburn) Blue checked dress & red cowl.. Little Women (1930).. Costume by Walter Plunkett.