Jo March, the standout character of the quartet of sisters Little Women, is one of the most iconic and influential female characters in literature. Tomboyish and ambitious, with a bit of a temper, she was an idealized alter ego of her creator, Louisa May Alcott. At right, Jo as portrayed by Winona Ryder in the 1994 film version of Little Women.

Jo longed to be a writer most of all, and to find that happy medium between achieving independence and finding love. What’s unique and wondrous is that the fictional character of Jo March influenced generations of women writers and feminists, more so even than the real-life author who wrote her into existence. Read More→