PLOT POINT 2:
Jo March Inciting Incident
WARNING: Spoilers Below
Jo March
Inciting Incident Refresher: Little Women’s Inciting Incident is when Jo is introduced to Laurie at the dance. Laurie’s entrance into their lives changes everything for the March sisters. It sets the story in motion.
But how does her introduction accomplish the 4 important elements? Click on each of them below to find out!
Proactive Protagonist
Jo is an active participant in her relationship with Laurie. She immediately lets him into her life, and is proactive in affecting the way in which Laurie is accepted into the March family.
Story Goal
Jo's Want is to become a writer. This doesn't change with the Inciting Incident. However, after the Inciting Incident, she increasingly embraces a story goal of taking control and not allowing society to dictate the way she lives her life.
The more Laurie tries to change the status quo with his feelings for Jo, the more others tell her she must be or do one thing because that's the way the world works, the more resistant to change she becomes.
- How does her Story Goal tie into the Theme? Jo's story goal of living life on her terms adds conflict to the story's theme, which is questioning the role of women in 19th century America. Jo wants to pursue a professional life while staying dutiful to her family. Neither can be fully accomplished if she is unwilling to embrace change and stubbornly flies in the face of the rules of society, which Teddy represents. He is often progressive in his view of women, while also representing to Jo the thing she does NOT want (settling down with him in a traditional role).
Brush with Antagonist
Jo's antagonist for her story is time, and specifically the change that inevitably comes with it. This is definitely the first obvious brush with this antagonist, as Laurie embodies the change Jo will have to confront throughout the rest of the story.
He introduces Meg to her future husband. He changes the relationship dynamic of the sisters. He tries to change Jo's relationship with him when he expresses his feelings for her. And, eventually, he marries Amy. In a way, he is the catalyst for the March sisters growing up.
Question for the Climactic Moment
The question posed here is, Will Jo learn to accept change?
This is answered in the Climactic Moment as Jo embraces her feelings for the Professor and all of the change that will come from starting a life with him. By doing this, she is also symbolically accepting the other changes that have happened around her.