If you, like me, are disappointed but not surprised by the lack of female representation for best director in the Oscars you understandably need something that will lift your spirits this week. Now I’ll admit I thought about going through my usual stages of grief when I heard the news. You know, things like rage tweeting, ice cream eating, and booking a ticket to immediately go see Little Women again. Unfortunately at the end of the day I knew none of these things would actually brighten my dim spirits and they certainly would not get our director queen Greta Gerwig the Oscar nomination she deserves. (Justice for Greta!)
Instead of wallowing or raging I turned my thoughts to what a beautiful, complicated, and poignant story she told through her Little Women adaptation. Greta Gerwig took a book most of us knew pretty well and made it feel fresh and modern while still staying true to the heart of the plot and characters. Because of this I would like to propose five new classics we should give to her. Gerwig is the hero and the champion of classic literature we didn’t know we needed and could only hope to deserve.
I hope that the imagined idea of her doing any or all of these adaptations gives you the small spark of joy you need to continue the important work of going about your personal way of raging against the patriarchy.