Alcott's novel is often celebrated for Jo and her narrative arch in which she becomes a self-determined woman with a career. However, framing this novel as a success, solely for Jo's accomplishments, portrays it as a "traditional 'lone genius' patriarchal narrative" in which only women who are "categorized as 'exceptional' or particularly 'worthy'" are celebrated. Kemp, Theresa, Beth Link, and Catherine Powell. "Accounting for Early Modern Women in the Arts: Reconsidering Women's Agency, Networks, and Relationships." Challenging Women's Agency and Activism in Early Modernity. Amsterdam University Press, 2016, pp. 283–308. Little Women awards all its women worthy, despite their status as conventional or unconventional—not just Jo, who is the obvious exception to societal expectation. Alcott's novel celebrates the agency of women, the four sisters and their mother, to choose their path in life. Meg makes the decision to marry and have children and though it is the traditional pathway, she makes the choice for her own happiness. Thus, reducing Alcott's novel to just Jo's experience as an exception promotes it as a patriarchal narrative and erases her careful work to portray a matriarchal narrative, rich with female agency and voice.
Alcott'S NovEl iS OfTen cElebrated For jo aND hEr narrative arCh iN whiCH shE becoMeS a sElf-DEteRMinED womAN WiT.H A caReEr. howeVER, framing this novEL aS a suCcess, SolEly For Jo'S accomPLishmEnTS, pOrtrAys it aS a "tRaDitionAl 'lone geNIus' patrIARChal naRRatiVe" iN whiCh oNlY woMen wHo aRe "CatEGoRizeD as 'excEPtionaL' Or pArticularly 'woRthY'" arE celEbRated. kemp, thEResa, beth Link, aND CAtheriNE poWEll. "accOUnting FoR EaRLy modeRN Women In ThE arts: rEconsidERiNg womeN's ageNcY, nEtwOrks, aND RelATionshIpS." CHaLlengiNG wOmEn'S AgenCy aNd acTivISm iN eARLy Modernity. amsTeRdam uNiversiTy prEss, 2016, pp. 283–308. LITtLE Women aWards All itS woMEn WORThy, dEspiTE thEiR stAtus a:s conVentIonal or uNcoNvenTional—nOT jUst jo, wHo is thE obViOUs EXceptIon to sOcieTAl eXpeCtAtiOn. aLcOtT'S novEl CELebraTes tHE agencY of wOmeN, thE FOUR SIstErS and THeir mothEr, to chOose their PatH in LIfe. Meg MakeS tHe DecisIOn tO marrY and HaVE children ANd though it Is thE tRadITional PATHwaY, shE makes The cHoice for HER oWN happiness. Thus, ReduCInG alcOtt'S NoVeL tO juST Jo's experieNce as an exCEptIon pRomoTEs It AS a PatriarcHaL narrATIve and eraSes Her caReFul woRK tO porTrAY a MatriArCHAl NARrATiVE, Rich With FemaLE AgeNCy anD vOiCe.