Character Breakdown: Jo March from Little Women

Ah, Jo. Of all the characters of Little Women, possibly of all classic literature, she is one of the people I relate to the most. Over the years, she and I have grown less alike in personality, but I still see so much of myself in her every time I read the book. Thus, I thought I'd do a character breakdown of her to discuss how she's such a good character. (And all the pictures are of Wyonna Rider because they were all I could find.)

Personality

• Headstrong. If there is one thing Jo is good at, it's doing what she wants, even if that doesn't always turn out to be a good idea. Being headstrong can be both a blessing and curse, as she discovers frequently over the course of the book.

• Independent. Jo is a strong girl, but not in a macho way. Instead, she's fiercely independent, while still being soft on the inside. She's rowdy and refuses to be anything other than herself. When I was younger, I was quite wild myself, which is one of the reasons I felt so close to her.

Virtues

• Sweet. Have a look at any scene between Jo and Beth and you'll see the sweetness hidden inside Jo's prickly exterior. There's even a whole passage in the book about Jo being like some sort of nut with a spiny exterior and a sweet center, that has to be coaxed open without alarming her. And I think that perfectly describes her.

• Tries hard. In spite of all her shortcomings, you have to give Jo points for trying. She throws herself fully into things, even if they don't work out. She strives to control her temper and learn to be a lady as she grows up, following in her mother's example.

Flaws

• Temperamental. See the above point about trying to control her temper. Jo has a lot of problems with that throughout the book, and its consequences. It's a natural part of her personality, even if it can be her downfall.

• No filter. Jo also has a bad habit of saying whatever comes to her mind, which can lead to problems. Or being left out of something that she really wanted. It's another flaw which she has to learn to control.

Skills

• Writer. A second large point where Jo and I are similar. She writes, and even though it takes a while for her to find her voice, she becomes very good at it. I like how she isn't portrayed as writing things perfectly, but has to go through a lot of trial and error.

• Good with boys. Jo loves boys (not in a romantic way) and thus she's grown really good at handling them. That's why it's no surprise when she opens a school for them, and ends up with two herself. And boys like her too, which is a perfect mix. (And I will ship her and Laurie forever. Fight me about this.)

What Makes Her Interesting

• Her attitude. I just love Jo's plucky, go-get-em attitude. She's so genuine she's hard not to love. Plus, she's got lots of nuance and contradictions in her personality.

• Her relatability. Haven't we all said or did something we later wish we hadn't? Haven't we all wanted to remain young and wild at one point in our lives? Jo fully captures that feeling of everlasting youthfulness, even after she settles down that makes her lovable to so many people over the years, myself included. When I re-read the book recently, I remembered how much I relate to her and all she goes through on a personal level. That's what makes this book a classic.

What is your favorite thing about Jo? Who's a character you relate to deeply? Tell me in the comments.

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