Greta Gerwig’s 2019 adaptation of “Little Women” is a masterpiece that fully captures the themes of feminism, grief, and ultimately, deep familial love that have made the book by Louisa May Alcott so timeless. Gerwig’s cinematography and presentation of the characters highlights the nuances of the time period and the struggles that women faced in the aftermath of the Civil War. Gerwig’s adaptation follows a non-linear plot, with scenes often switching from the present storyline to the past. While this is very different from how the book is structured, by alternating between the past and present Gerwig captures the full extent of the March family’s struggles and the aftermath of the tragedies they face. One of the main conflicts, the death of Beth, is made even more impactful because the viewer spends the entire film watching her succumb to illness and ultimately get better the first time she is sick. When she falls ill a second time, the viewer has hope that she will once again beat the sickness, that her sister Jo will walk downstairs and see her sitting at the table, alive and well as she had the first time in the scene before. Instead, in a cut to the present, Jo walks downstairs to her mother crying quietly to herself at the table, the house dark and cold. In addition to capturing the emotional impact of Beth’s death, Gerwig also is able to clear up one of the main dividing qualities about the book—Jo and Laurie’s relationship. Jo and Laurie are shown as close friends in the past but have grown apart in the present, largely due to Laurie’s proposal and Jo’s subsequent refusal. In the book and prior adaptations, one of the main criticisms has been that Jo’s refusal of Laurie is undignified and doesn’t make sense. However, in Gerwig’s adaptation their relationship is presented as entirely platonic, and Jo holds her ground as an independent woman that does not want to marry. Even though she does end up having a love interest in the end, the actual status of the relationship is left open to speculation, mirroring the real-life struggle of Louisa May Alcott to publish her book without marrying the main heroine in the end. Lastly, Gerwig gives nuance to a character that in previous adaptations has not received much attention—Amy. In the book, Amy is often snobbish and immature but has a kind heart and cares deeply for her sisters. Gerwig captures the dichotomy of her character to create compelling development that shows Amy’s growth by the end of the story. She is also given one of the most memorable monologues in the film, in which she states that she has no choice but to marry because she is a woman that cannot own her own land, cannot acquire her own money, and doesn’t even have the right to her own children. By the end of the film, Amy has grown into a strong woman that is capable of articulating her thoughts and empathizing with others. In conclusion, though Gerwig makes signification changes to the plot structure and takes some liberties with the characters, she successfully captures the intricate familial bonds and relationships presented in the book that leaves the audience thinking about the film long after they’ve finished watching it. Her portrayal of the March family brought together through grief and struggle highlights the persisting issues of sexism that continue into modern day, and the love and devotion required to overcome them.

During my internship at the Mississippi Department of Archives and History, I exhibited many characteristics of being a leader by organizing discussions, planning events, and completing tasks proactively by anticipating the needs of the professionals around me. One of my main duties during this internship was to assist in the development of a new exhibit on Hurricane Katrina. I took the initiative to comb through the archives and make a comprehensive list of all museum materials that we could possibly use for the exhibit. Furthermore, during discussions with the other interns, I would regularly make sure that the people who hadn’t gotten the chance to say anything got a moment to speak. One of the qualities I pride myself the most on is my ability to empathize and listen to others. I often went out of my way to check in with the other interns and the people I was working with to make sure they weren't struggling or needed anything. Very often, even if a particular person was not struggling with anything specifically, they still needed a moment to talk. This led to increased morale and diminished misunderstandings and feelings of discontentment within the team. One of the biggest struggles I faced during this experience were my own feelings of imposter syndrome and my perfectionism. I often struggled with wanting to turn in the highest quality work possible but also operating under a deadline. I also struggled with feeling like I didn’t belong amongst my peers, all of whom were extremely talented and intelligent people. I had to learn to balance these feelings while still getting the job done, and not letting them impact my relationship with the team. My leadership within the internship taught me that sometimes even leaders have struggles—and that’s okay. Part of being a good leader is learning how to navigate your own struggles while helping your team navigate theirs. At the end of my internship, I accomplished multiple goals that went above and beyond initial expectations. I created and organized a database of educational classroom resources for easy teacher navigation, I planned and presented my own themed tour within the history museum, and I compiled a list of research databases for improved exhibit planning. For the Hurricane Katrina exhibit, my team’s educational game proposal was chosen to be incorporated into the exhibit. At the soft opening of the exhibit, the game was a big success with the school children and the teachers left positive feedback on its incorporation. This leadership experience has proven invaluable, as it taught me many important skills in leadership that I have continued to improve upon. As a current educational professional, I regularly use my skills in effective communication and planning to create engaging classroom lessons that are tailored to my students’ needs. I also use my leadership skills to set an example to the other teachers and professionals within my school district by volunteering, helping organize school events, and incorporating parent and student feedback in my classroom. These leadership skills also help me in my current Master’s program, as I am currently leading a research group that studies foreign language education. In conclusion, I spearheaded multiple initiatives over the course of my internship and learned many important leadership skills that I will carry with me in my professional career.