Little Women

Little Women: Book One

Louisa May Alcott

1868 * p. 377 * YA Fiction, Pre-1920's

"Painful as it may be, a significant emotional event can be the catalyst for choosing a direction that serves us--and those around us--more effectively. Look for the learning."

--Louisa May Alcott.

Alcott's Little Women is considered a classic YA novel and has withstood the test of time. YA novels at the time usually served the purpose of being strictly moral books to teach children lessons and the proper way to behave. Alcott's book however employs these moral lessons in a situation of love, understanding and forgiveness.

Little Women is about the March sisters--beautiful Meg, boyish and outspoken Jo, timid and selfless Beth, and pompous but young Amy. Each have their virtues and vices. They live with their mother who they call Marmee and try to make ends meet while their father is away at the Civil War. The girls love to make plays and act and have wonderful imaginations that help them stay entertained. They befriend their neighbor's grandson, Laurie, who is the same age as Jo. Laurie is mischievious and a teaser and loves the March girls as his own sisters and has a good heart.

The moral lessons of the story are included as the Marmee challenges the girls to follow Christian's example in John Bunyan's The Pilgrim's Progress. A novel about a man's journey to heaven and all of the temptations he must overcome to release himself of his burden.

References to Pilgrim's Progress are made to continually.

Marmee says, "We never are too old for this, my dear, because it is a play we are playing all the time in one way or another. Our burdens are here, our road is before us, and the longing for goodness and happiness is the guide that leads us through many troubles and mistakes to the peace which is a true Celestial City. Now, my little pilgrims, suppose you begin again, not in play, but in earnest, and see how far on you can get before Father comes home" (17).

I love Little Women. It is just a pure book. It is about sisterly love and devotion, good deeds, overcoming personal trials, and growing up in a loving home where an understanding mother is present to build you up.

Book One is more about the girls growing up over one year and overcoming trials before all of the romantic escapades occur. (That is probably in Book Two.) Meg and John Brook's affection begins and the reader is given hints of Laurie's love for Jo.

The 1994 movie of Little Women is pretty true to Book One though a lot is not included. I would reccomend reading the books first, along with Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress and then watching the movie.

-Reading level: age 13 & up.

-Appropriate for all ages.

-Themes of sisterly love, overcoming personal trials, selflessness, sacrifice.

-Lengthy book, with a few vocabulary words that may need to be explained.

-WONDERFUL!