PLOT POINT 1:

Jo March Hook

 

Let’s get started!

Our first hero is the lovable and spirited Miss Jo March.

WARNING: Spoilers Below

Jo March

 

Opening Scene(s) Refresher: Our introduction for Jo has her arriving at a publisher in an attempt to sell a short story. By the end of the scene, she has successfully sold the story.

But how does her introduction accomplish the 8 important elements? Click on each of them below to find out!

Want

Jo wants to be a writer.

Normal World

Jo is living in New York, trying to sell her writing. (This is her flash forward timeline, but does an excellent job introducing the character.)

  • What makes this unique to Jo? Jo's determination and passion put her in a unique situation of trying to sell her writing to a publisher. This is not a situation anyone might find themselves in on a given day.

Ghost

Jo's Ghost is being a woman. This has constrained her as a result of when/where she lives and helped form her Lie.

Internal Conflict

Jo experiences nervousness as she enters the scene. She does not know how her story will be received. She goes on to watch it severely criticized.

External Conflict

She must pass a man’s scrutiny and negotiate over her story.

  • How does this introduce the Ghost? The external conflict of this scene fits right in with Jo's Ghost and the Lie she has formed as a result of it: Men get to live full lives and be appreciated for all of their desires/talents/ambitions and respected for their opinions, while women must be docile and live under men's authority.

Character Traits

  1. Brave - RELATABLE - Even though she’s nervous, she proposes her short story - we’ve all wanted something but had to get someone else’s approval before we could have it; it requires courage to walk into possible rejection.

  2. Talented enough to sell her story - ADMIRABLE - We admire talent.

  3. Dedicated to her craft - LIKABLE - Jo's inky fingers show Jo's dedication - we respect people willing to put in hard work.

Theme

Family & the Role of Women

  • Is this introduced in the first scene(s) and related to the hero's Want and Ghost? Yes. Jo's Want and Ghost stem from the role of women in American society in the 19th century and her journey of pushing against those barriers.

Stakes

Jo wants to be a writer. The opening scene threatens this by putting her at the mercy of a man/publisher in order to achieve her Want.