Katie Bernet chats our new favourite March sister, Beth

In Beth is Dead, Katie Bernet revisits Little Women through the lens of its most overlooked sister, reimagining Beth March beyond the way she has been defined by her death. To celebrate the novel’s release, we invited Katie to reflect on her first encounter with Little Women, the cultural shorthand around Beth, and why modern readers are reclaiming her quiet strength and softness.

This guest post is written by Katie Bernet, author of Beth is Dead. 

My first memory of Little Women was a major spoiler.

I was in first grade at a sleepover, and my best friend’s older sister was crying in front of the TV. When I asked her what was wrong, she said (drumroll, please…), “Beth just died.”

I didn’t read the book myself until high school, but I cracked it open knowing that Beth would not survive until the final page – and I’m willing to bet I’m not the only one who experienced the story this way.

Little Women has become so ubiquitous, the March sisters so famous, that it would be difficult not to hear about Beth’s untimely demise before cracking open the novel. I mean, catch the wrong episode of Friends, and Joey Tribbiani will spoil it for you.

Beth is known for her death – and at the same time, she’s widely recognized, even stereotyped, for being selfless, gentle and unflinchingly kind. This combination can be a little unsettling – and seriously fascinating.

I was an instant fan of Little Women, but at first, I didn’t much like Beth.

When my sisters and I claimed our March sister avatars (Me: Jo, middle sister: Amy, little sister: Meg) we awkwardly avoided Beth, fearing the association, saying without words that none of us had anything to do with the unambitious one – the dead one.

If I’m honest, I related to Beth. She’s a homebody, she’s happiest with her sisters, and she doesn’t know exactly what she wants from life. (Who does?) But she scared me. I felt like her acceptance of her own death brought it on in some way. And that if she’d pushed back, fought a little harder, then maybe she could’ve lived.

If TikTok trends are any indication, there are more Beths in the world than you might think. I’ve seen posts from numerous girls who celebrate a cozy Beth March aesthetic complete with worn piano keys, gardens and fuzzy kittens.

This reclamation of Beth March may be due, in part, to Greta Gerwig’s 2019 film adaptation. In an interview, Gerwig explained that she wanted to portray Beth as having just as much ambition as her sisters. “She was not marked for death,” said Gerwig. “That’s just what happened. She was as great as any of them.”

Maybe she’s greater.

Beth has so much to overcome. In the original story, she’s forced to accept her own death while she watches her sisters live glittering, important lives.

I used to think that Beth accepted her death because she lacked the will to live, but now I think she faced her fate with a bravery even Jo could never muster, continuing to put others first when she, herself, was suffering.

We need that energy now more than ever. In today’s culture, when everyone seems to be endlessly assertive, argumentative, and unhappy – Beth’s selfless, contented nature is a balm.

We’d all do well to be a little more like Beth March.

Beth is Dead by Katie Bernet is out January 15 (Scholastic).