Love, But Not As We Know It

I’ve been thinking about Little Women and Jo March’s romance all weekend, and I think the difference of reader opinion about who she should’ve married--Laurie Laurence or Professor Bhaer--is rooted in our own perspectives on love and marriage. The two men represent very different kinds of relationships, and our response to them is largely determined, … Continue reading Love, But Not As We Know It

Laurie vs. Professor Bhaer: A Literary Debate

In response to my post today about the should-have-been romance between Jo March and Laurie Laurence in Little Women, Christina Wehner wrote a post of her own, explaining why Jo should have married Professor Bhaer, as she does in the book. You can find her post here. I was particularly struck by her observation that … Continue reading Laurie vs. Professor Bhaer: A Literary Debate

When the Author Gets It Wrong: Jo March and Laurie Laurence

Generally, I defend authors as being the most likely candidates to get a storyline right. They should know their characters better than anyone else, and their insights are very valuable—never to be discounted. Sometimes, though, I think an author’s prejudice or personal opinions can skew their understanding of their characters, and one major instance of … Continue reading When the Author Gets It Wrong: Jo March and Laurie Laurence