So, I was in the Hobbit Library again, well I wouldn't want to be anywhere else, looking around for a book on glitter and then I stopped on one and realised I'd found my book and the main focus. She is a woman who I would call one of my writing idols, even if she is a fictional character, but the one thing I love about her is how she always remains sparky despite facing hardships and adversity time and time again.
I am talking about Jo March from Louisa May Alcott's Little Women. Jo is the second oldest of four daughters and, although I am the oldest, I can understand the responsibilities that she had to cope with. She has to go out to work because Meg, the oldest daughter, is only worried about her looks and Beth, the third daughter, is shy and prefers to remain inside the March house and the youngest, Amy, is self-centred at the start of the story and one of the main concerns is whether her nose is too big or not.
The story is set in 1868 and Jo wants to become a published author, a lot like myself, but there's a catch: Men dominate the world and to even get her book published she has to edit it down and feels like it's unfair, but that doesn't stop her, and she makes the chances and gets her work published.
Now you may be wondering where Jo's parents are as I haven't spoken about them. Well, Jo and her sisters live with their mother, who is known as Marmee, but their father is away fighting in the American Civil War which is why Meg and Jo have to work to keep money coming in for the family. Jo heads to Plumfield where Great Aunt March lives and reads to her old relative and cares for her in the hopes of going to Europe one day as Great Aunt March wishes to go back there one last time. Jo doesn't like it but she does it in the hopes of being able to go to Europe herself, as that is a dream of hers.
Jo keeps her hopes up and finds a kindred spirit in Teddy, the orphaned grandson of the Marches' neighbour Mr Laurence. This helps Jo because she has someone to talk to and share her worries with as she doesn't feel that her sisters understand her and they have their own worries as well. Teddy becomes a part of the March family and that gives Jo another reason to shine as she doesn't feel so alone anymore. She and Teddy even quarrel like siblings should do.
Despite being the second oldest you'd be mistaken for thinking that Jo is the eldest sister. She feels the most grounded to me. Yes, she does have her dreams and her moments where she is so into her own thoughts but she also has a sense of reality and knows what she has to do and when especially when it comes to choosing her own ambitions or her family. This is shown when Beth contracts scarlet fever and Jo takes on nursing her but remains positive that Beth will pull through. She remains upbeat and sparkly in the moment, instead of thinking that she is about to lose her sister... even if that is what she knows is going to happen in the end.
As the book progresses Jo's life begins to change. Meg gets married and moves out to live with her husband, Amy ends up going to Europe, and Teddy tries to propose to Jo. I feel that she would love to marry Teddy but she also knows that it could be a disaster and, again, tries to remain positive and they do remain good friends. The two grow up together in a way and that is something that keeps Jo going and remaining strong.
Beth's death shakes Jo to the core as she nursed her sister and cared for her when she began to deteriorate for the final time but, in the darkness, Jo finds a way to... find her sparkle again. Beth wants Jo to carry on writing and it's Beth's words that encourage Jo to find what she loves and write again. It's at that moment that Little Women... the story of her family's life... is born.
Jo March is not only one of my literary role models or idols but her grit and determination is something that I admire. No matter what is thrown at her she always tries to keep her sparkle the whole time. Yes, she has the bad times, same as anyone else, but she uses that to keep herself going and find her sparkle again. She stands up for herself and fights for what she believes in. If I can sparkle half as much as Jo did then I can be a happy Hobbit.
That's all from the Hobbit Library this month. Come back and see me soon.
Lots of love,
Cissarose