150 Year Laurie Problem (Little Women Essay)

Emily and I combined our powers and had an in-depth chat about Laurie Lawrence, his character arc and the lack of it in every-single-little-women adaptation. In the novel, Laurie starts out as a very idle and sometimes pretty misogynistic figure and it is thanks to Amy he becomes a better person, but these elements of him are not in the adaptations.

Friedrich Bhaer is based on philosopher Henry David Thoreau. Louisa was in love with him and he appears in literal disguise in all of her novels. He is also based on Alcott's favourite writer, the German poet Goethe. Unlike Greta Gerwig lies to millions of people, Jo and Friedrich never argue in the book, and Friedrich is the one who helps her to become a writer. Laurie is partially based on Alcott's ex, Laddie Wisniewski, and her friend Alf Whitman. She had a maternal relationship with both of these men who were younger than she. One of the goals of the Little Women podcast is to examine these relationships, and how Little Women adaptations ignore their significance. 150 year Laurie problem was the first episode of the Little Women podcast and it has become one of my most downloaded episodes. I am very humbled and happy about this. I do think it is imporant that film industry would pay more attention to his character. I hope you enjoy this chat between Emily and I.

Please notice that this is a short-form book, based on a podcast episode.

Little Women Podcast is an ongoing series of video essays, articles and podcast episodes that examines the intersections in Louisa May Alcott´s Little Women.

Hosted by Alcott essayist Niina Niskanen. Regular visits from literal scholars and Little Women fans.

© 2023 Niina Niskanen (Audiobook): 9798868791826

Release date

Audiobook: 29 November 2023