Annie Walsh 

Annie's dissertation investigates the use of nonlinearity in Greta Gerwig’s adaptation of Little Women (2019) and its effect on the thematic, dramatic and emotional output of the film. As one of many adaptations of the classic nineteenth-century novel by Louisa May Alcott, Gerwig’s use of temporal non-chronology gives the text an edge never before explored, by manipulating the original feministic undertones into a new meaning and conclusion.

In the thesis, nonlinearity in films is first examined and broken down to determine what factors a film must employ to be categorised as nonlinear, before applying these definitions to Little Women. From there, Annie looks at the structuring of Little Women compared to an earlier chronological adaptation (that of Armstrong’s 1994 Little Women) and how Gerwig’s approach elicits a differing thematic composition and output. Finally, Annie explores how the nonlinearity of the film allowed Gerwig and her editor, Nick Houy, to heighten and play with emotions throughout the narrative by utilising juxtaposition and repetition to connect each individual timeline together, maintaining a certain level of continuity and comprehension without sacrificing its aim of powerful emotional elicitation.