By Amanda Fennell, staff writer
“Why are you so quiet?”
If you’re like me, you’ve been asked some version of this question before. And if so, you may relate to Beth March.
As the docile people-pleaser in Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women, Beth March is no stranger to being “the quiet one” in her family of four daughters.
Meg, the oldest sister, is down-to-earth and, like most women of the period, desires wealth and a family of her own. The second-born, Jo, couldn’t be more different – she is a whirlwind, resisting cultural expectations while dreaming of becoming a famous author. Amy is the baby of the family, but her qualities overlap those of her sisters, as she longs for riches and has a passion for art. In the midst of this family is Beth, the quiet homebody with a penchant for piano-playing.
But there’s so much more to her than this.
Over the summer, my mom and I read a book called The Other Bennet Sister by Janice Hadlow, featuring another overlooked introvert, Mary Bennet from Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. My mom remarked that I could write a book like this for Beth March, so Little Tranquility was born to tell the “other” March sister’s story.
Little Tranquility allowed me to expand a rather one-dimensional character into a fully fleshed-out human being – one that I could relate to myself. Exploring Beth’s struggles and developing moments for her to grow brought to light a few points that I believe are important for everyone, especially my fellow Beth Marches, to hear.
1. You are worthy.
Every person is worthy, needed, and valuable in this world just as God created them to be. It doesn’t matter if you are the most talkative person in the room or the most quiet – you deserve to be there. The measure of your contribution to a conversation is not just your number of words spoken. A true conversation requires active listening as well as expressing.
That being said, being reserved doesn’t mean that you don’t have anything to say for yourself or that you’re passive or dull. The human inclination is to focus on our weaknesses, but the truth is that every personality comes with both weaknesses and strengths.
Just because your gifts may seem less outwardly acknowledged or more concealed doesn’t mean they aren’t there.
In the first third of Little Tranquility, Beth asks herself, “Why am I like this?” whenever she is frustrated with her shyness. Throughout the majority of the story, her self-image is less than positive, and in one chapter towards the end of the book, her mother gently addresses this, saying, “You treat everyone around you with so much love – I only hope that one day you can do the same for yourself.”
After a long journey of developing a healthier perception of herself, Beth finally learns to love who she is with the help of her faith and Jo’s poem, “My Beth,” in which the older sister describes the younger with fondness and admiration.
While there are definite challenges that come with being a Beth, there are lovely blessings as well, and sometimes it’s easier to see these attributes in others than in ourselves. The “Beths” in my life are wonderful listeners, genuine supporters, and thoughtful givers. Maybe you recognize these gifts in yourself – maybe you don’t. But the notion that you have God-given strengths is certain.
Where would the world be if everyone was like Jo? We need Beths in the world just as much as we need Megs, Jos, and Amys. We need to appreciate each “March sister” in the room, including ourselves.
2. Your quiet disposition does not define who you are.
You’re not a flat character – you’re a human being with far more depth than what most people see. Don’t limit yourself or let others limit you with labels, such as “shy.”
As the first point of this article explains, a lot of strengths can come from being reserved, such as being a good listener. Know that your listening is important, whether or not others validate it as such. With this being said, you are not reduced to only smiling and nodding for the rest of your life.
You are free to stretch the bounds of what you consider to be typical “you” behavior. If you want to jump into a conversation or sing spontaneously, go for it. You have as much of a right as anyone else.
Throughout Little Tranquility, Beth’s internal label for herself shifts from “the shy girl” to “the quiet girl” after a small win where she initiates conversation with a relative stranger out of sympathy for him. This change of labels implies her realization that her actions do not correspond to her preconceived notion about herself. Rather than letting her epithet hold her back, she honors her superseding quality of being “empathetic.” After this point, she distinguishes herself from her sisters by using the neutral adjective, “quiet.”
Later in the book, following the aforementioned conversation with Marmee, Beth’s self-label shifts once more, from “the quiet girl” to “the musical girl.” This time, she deliberately strives to view herself in a better light in order to please Marmee. Thus, the change was positive but somewhat strained.
Only in the last chapter does Beth finally see herself more closely to how God sees her – as a person loved and perfectly created by Him.
Like Beth, you are so much more than just “the quiet one,” though being quiet is by no means bad.
Stay aware and on top of how you define yourself. Being a child of God is your most fundamental identity – more worthy of honoring than any label given to you by yourself or others.
3. Pain is pain.
In the beginning of Little Tranquility (and Little Women), the four sisters each mention their daily struggles in an effort to prove that they deserve Christmas presents. Beth bemoans the hardship caused by her housework only for Amy to then complain about mean schoolgirls. In Little Tranquility, because Beth doesn’t go to the schoolhouse like Amy, this comment by her sister unintentionally shuts her down. She thinks, “Of course I don’t have it as hard as [Amy], or Jo, or Meg.”
According to Book Riot’s interpretation of Little Women and the reason it gave for Beth’s homeschooling, the musical March sister suffered “debilitating social anxiety” (Ciucci). Unfortunately, Beth didn’t have the luxury of living in a time when anxiety was recognized and validated. Even if she didn’t have undiagnosed social anxiety, however, her troubles were still troubles.
We all struggle with something, and it doesn’t help anyone to compare predicaments as Beth did. Even if it seems like others have larger problems, that doesn’t make your problems any less real.
Burying or ignoring your difficulties is pointless – it hinders you from properly addressing such issues so that you can prevent them from spiraling out of control.
This leads to the next point.
4. You have to speak up for yourself because you know what you need better than anyone else does.
In Little Tranquility (and Little Women), Beth becomes sick as a result of repeatedly visiting a poor family that has a baby struck by scarlet fever. With her charitable mother away, an ill Beth is left with only her three sisters to help her in caring for the baby. That is, they could help her, but she has borne the burden on her own while Marmee is absent.
But now, Beth finds herself needing to ask for help – for both her sake and the baby’s. So she meekly asks Meg and Jo in turn if they can make the trip, but both of them make an excuse. After pleading her case as best and as selflessly as she can to no avail, Beth’s compassionate heart brings her to the baby one more time before being officially diagnosed with scarlet fever herself.
Beth hadn’t been feeling well and knew her limitations in helping the sick baby, but she struggled with firmly speaking up for herself.
People may not always take your concerns seriously, but don’t shrink. Stand your ground. It doesn’t mean you’re selfish or brash – it means you respect yourself enough to advocate for yourself.
5. You can have different dreams than others.
During one afternoon in Little Tranquility (and Little Women), the four sisters and their friend Laurie reveal their dreams. While each of the others desire fame or wealth or both, all Beth wants is to be with her family at home.
Laurie considers Beth’s wish to be rather small, but Beth holds fast to her heart’s desire, not caring that it is unconventional.
Our desires hint at our deeper and divinely ordained purpose in life. There’s no standard route towards a fulfilled life, so don’t let the rarity of your vocation deter you from embracing it. God’s specific calling for you will lead you to the most joy, satisfaction, and peace and will allow you to make the most difference in the world.
So let yourself dream as you do, regardless of whether or not your wishes are popular. As Beth realized in the last chapter of Little Tranquility, “I wasn’t made to be like Jo, Meg, or Amy or to have the same castles [dreams] as them. I was made to be me.”
Conclusion
Regardless of which March sister you are, you have both strengths and struggles that you must acknowledge so that you can truly flourish.
While much of your growth comes from within, it’s invaluable to surround yourself with support on your journey. After all, Beth may have developed confidence and self-acceptance much sooner if her loved ones had affirmed her value, understood her as a complex person, validated her suffering, advocated on her behalf, and encouraged her dreams.
Of course, even if others do not appreciate who you are, you can still appreciate yourself, which is a pivotal first step towards authentic and fulfilling living.
So if you, too, are a Beth March, do not fret. You’re not the “other” or the “side character” in someone else’s story just because you’re quieter. Your story is worth being told. So go out there, and tell it in your own beautiful, unique way!
Sources:
Alcott, L. M. (1868). Little Women.
Ciucci, C. (2021, October 8). In Defense of Beth March. Book Riot. https://bookriot.com/in-defense-of-beth-march/
