Hannah functions as the March family's chief domestic helper, performing duties as both maid and cook. Her tenure began at Meg's birth, showcasing steadfast loyalty across their journey from prosperity to financial strain. She embodies the family's enduring gentility amid diminished means.

The original novel marks Hannah's Irish heritage through dialect, though the anime adaptation minimizes this trait. The 1987 anime re-envisions her as African-American, a narrative shift emphasizing 19th-century racial conflicts and Civil War themes. This iteration retains her foundational devotion and warmth while integrating her into wider historical events, such as sheltering a runaway slave named John.

Hannah operates as an honorary family member, engaging in pivotal moments like Meg's wedding and Beth's illness. She offers emotional solace and pragmatic counsel, often serving as a surrogate mother during Marmee's absences. Her influence surfaces during crises—she initially resists alerting Marmee about Beth's scarlet fever to avert panic—yet allies like Laurie periodically countermand her choices, revealing layered household authority.

Her workload intensifies dramatically when Marmee departs to nurse Mr. March, compelling Hannah to oversee all domestic operations and medical care. She partners with Beth on daily tasks and directs illness responses. Her demeanor merges compassion with rare sharpness, though such tempers fade swiftly.

Hannah reappears in the sequel *Little Women II: Jo's Boys*, sustaining her role without major evolution. The sources cite no other official media adaptations featuring her.