Last time we met, I've
introduced you to Jo March, my favorite „little woman“ at the moment. I'm
saying „at the moment“ cause Jo wasn't always my favorite one. I first met
„Little women“ somewhere between the bookshelves at the children's corner of
the local public library when I was around 12. Even today I can't actually say
what dragged me to that pinkish covered, frugally illustrated book. Probably,
as with everything else we care about most later, it was accidentally.
However, shortly after that first encounter with March
sister, I got a school assignment to create an interview with my favorite
fictional character. My choice was Elizabeth „Beth“
March, the most silent of the four March sisters, loving caretaker of
the family whose time, except in family care, passed by in reading prayer
books, joyful playing with her kittens and reproducing beautiful tones on her
piano.
It's funny how memories of the most silent of the sisters
evoke the most sounds; voices of beggar children gathered around her window, meowing
of her kittens, beautiful music created on her piano and, at last, sound of
silence. You must wonder where did this leap from Beth to Jo come from.
Sparkling older sister, turned to books and reading; and younger, unobtrusive
sister, sheltered in her own, family-centered, small and humble world, have a
little in common. Still, I believe we develop sympathies, as well as hostility,
towards people or fiction characters reciprocaly to the size of piece of
ourselves we find in it. Twelve-year old girl, a litle bit introverted, always
with a book in her hand and suspicion to the outter world on her mind, felt
comfortable „being Beth“ but a young woman that girl formed into is full of
life and energy, creating her place on this world and doesn't believe in
obstacles, just the way Jo didn't. If you wonder what kind of person Beth grew
up in, the sad answer is she didn't. As „Little women“ readers, as well as
TV-show Friends fans among you remember,
Beth leaves this world at very young age (and Joey, as always when he is
scared, puts the book in the freezer).
What would Beth be like if she had a chance to create an
adult version of herself? Maybe she'd become famous pianist or her dreams would
take her to fashion and design industry. First, and most important question is
if she'd even leave her parents' house or would her decision be to stay and
take care of her mother and father, loyally and until the very end. Young Beth
March, the way we meet her at Alcott's novel, is a representative of femininity
concept, highly popular in 19th century literature, known under the term angel in the house, a perfect woman,
patient and mildly tempered, simple and self-effacing nature, good house ghost
in feminine form. Some of their main characteristics are strong feeling for
family needs, especially husband's and, proportionally to that, supressing
their own needs.
Some might think (I admit I have at first) that those
women pay no attention to their clothes, physical appearance or what they're wearing.
But we'd be wrong. Their devotion to please their husbands and families, as
well as their self-effacing characters, overflow to the selection of clothes
they're wearing, pleasing for the eye, harmonious but never showy or
impressive. Since most of their time angels
in the house are occupied by housekeeping and family caring, one of the
questions is when do they find the time to renew their wardrobes? In Beth's
time it was much simpler, when the need for a new gown occured, you could visit
a tailoring salon, probably the one nearest to your home and order it. Or, for
the lack of time or finances, visit the local store with premade dresses and
pick one. But nowdays...In my imagination, angel
in the house is hidden in one of the nicely dressed madams who walk around
the mall, hand in hand with their husbands or joyfully chatting with their
daughters wile they are window shopping. Those women never pick clothes on
their own; how would they know what would fit the needs and ideas of their
beloved ones? „Angels“ living outside
the big town centers and without mall at their sight have probably discovered
and experienced the joys, secrets and traps of internet shopping. That is one
of the reasons „angels“ bloomed in Croatia after it entered European Union, since
now there is a wider range of possibilities infront of them, sometimes even at
lower rates. Last but not the least, brand chosing. Honestly, I don't think
they care about it as long as the clothes are nice, fit and make a good
cost-benefit effect.
I know you'll find this combination stereotypical (I was
aware of it even as I created it) but I can't help it. In my imagination,
perfect angel in the house wears
exactly something like this, inconspicious A-cut dress, always with a collar
and pearl or similar necklace. Her hair is left down but perfectly combed with
pulled out ends. Entire hairstyle is perfectly smooth and fixed with a riboon
in matching, inconspicious color.
Would modern Beth become angel in the house or would life take her elsewhere? In the world
of Little women she never grew up and formed completely, but in my imagination
Beth became strong and self-concious young woman, not entirely in her sister
Jo's manner but confident enough to make her own choices and to stand up for
helself. Even though all of the sisters have already left home, Beth decides to
stay for a while and take care of her parents, but in time starts feeling the
need for independence and self-realization and, with parents' encouragement and
blessing, decides to create a place of her own. Her first decision is to
continue her education and she starts taking evening courses in sewing (let's
not forget Beth was the first one among the sisters to leave school and
committs completely to caretaking for the family). Sewing is, alongside playing
the piano, one of the passions marking Beth's new life. Behind sewing machine
she feels relaxed and calm, especially while creating the clothes for the
others (naturally, sometimes she creates something nice for herself but it is
in her nature to take care for the others first) and playing the piano helps
her get rid of her shyness and collect the courage to show her real self to the
world.
Her wardrobe follows that order. During the day Beth prefers
neutral, brown and warm, earthy tones,
trying not to pop-up in the mass. I was lucky enough to find the original
costume, the dress that Jean Parker wore in 1935. version of „Little
women“ and to create this outfit around
it, the outfit which stars „Vintage Visetos“ school bag as well. I imagine Beth
got it during one of her walks trough the flea market, a place that probably
inspires her for some of the clothes she creates. I believe bag was a gift to
herself after a well-done job or, perhaps, a very profitable order. All of her
daily combinations are probably in the same tone, I can't picture Beth as being
a person who shops with a plan but rather doing it when she finds something she
likes or finds appropriate for her wardrobe.
Evening combinations are quite the opposite, still pretty
„vintage-y“ but much bolder. She wears those only for occasional visits to the
theater with Jo, or in occasions like those when she sits infront of her piano
and leaves selected company of her friends and family breathless with beautiful
tones that slip so easily from her fingers to the piano keys. Lately she has
almost completely overcome her shyness and performing in public is not causing
her headache, dizziness or that weird and ackward feeling in the stomach but
she rather dresses herself up and causes astonishment, not only by her music.
When asked, she'll often say that music is the screen she can leave all her
fears and uncertainities behind and present herself to the world in the way she
really is, beuatiful and talented young woman. Her evening outfits evoke
romance and times passed, combining beautiful, mostly satin, dresses, her hair lifted
in a bun or combed and fixed with vintage combs, with small, tasteful earrings
as only piece of jewellery.
Would Beth form like this in Alcott's world as well? I'm
not very convinced but it can't stop me (and neither should it stop you) to
create her a world and destiny fitting my ideas. In my world she is brave
enough to try out in what she likes but remaining humble, self-effacing and
devoted to her family. I don't see her as a married woman and a mother of two,
but I do feel like, by caring for her parents and remaining in good realtions
with her sisters (and later with love she felt for her nephews) what could have
been a big whole became a place full of joy and that Beth had a successfull and
fullfilled life.
And what about you? Have you ever wondered what would
happen to Beth if she got the chance and, if you had, what was your ending? I'm
looking forward to reading your comments, wish you a lot of interesting pages
and, with a promise I'll soon write again, I leave you in (I hope) the best
possible company.
BookLover
P.S."Sounds of silence" is dedicated to my beloved grandmother, we laid her to eternal rest yesterday but I'll keep her in my mind and heart forever. Alongside this post, I'd like to dedicate to her this beautiful song
