Little Women
by Louisa May Alcott
★★★★★
From the very first sentences of Little Women we know the four daughters in the March family: the eldest, Meg, tomboy Jo, gentle Beth and vain Amy. Soon we meet their kind mother, Marmee and from those first moments the reader is part of the family.
Set during the Civil War the March family is left with no men in their household when their father is sent off to war. The remaining house full of women is left to manage on their own.
I first read this when I was in grade school and I was thrilled to discover the character of Jo. She was a stubborn tomboy who longed to be an author and on the very first page she's described as "Jo, who was a bookworm." It was me in every way. Jo was the antidote to every sugary sweet character tossed my way in other books. She wasn't a lady, but she was strong and loving and she was willing to sacrifice anything for the good of her family.
Re-reading Little Women as an adult was an even richer experience. I returned to these beloved characters with fresh eyes. Amy and Laurie’s blossoming romance, born of their gradual maturity, was even more poignant. Meg’s trials as a new wife and parent were much more relevant now. I love watching Meg learn how to be a wife and mother; trying to trust her husband as a parent and discovering that there are much greater joys in the world than having nice things.
The other characters, neighbor Laurie, selfish Aunt March, sweet Hannah, etc. are engraved in my mind forever. I longed to be there, in their world, acting out the Pickwick Portfolio with them in the attic. I loved Mr. Brooke’s character so much more this time around. I’d forgotten how sweet he is while wooing Meg. In the movie it happens so quickly, but in the book it’s all quiet yearning and even a lovely story of a knight’s search, a thinly veiled look at Mr. Brooke’s true feelings for her.
On Jo’s romantic relationships; so many people wish she’d end up with Laurie, but as I re-read the book it made complete sense to me why they didn’t end up together. I love what Marmee says to Jo about it, that they would never work because they are too much alike. They both adore their freedom; they have stubborn natures and fiery temperaments. They aren’t suited for marriage and you can’t force romantic love where it doesn’t exist. Laurie was always a brother to Jo and she couldn’t see him as anything else.
Professor Bhaer, on the other hand, is the calm and gentle balance to Jo’s brash nature. He understands her and supports her writing. He challenges her to be the best she can be, but he does it in a kind way that never makes her defensive. He is poor, but he still manages to give her an entire library between the covers of a single book, his complete collection of Shakespeare. They get to know each other through their actions and they see each other’s true characters. She watches him with the children in the boarding house and she can’t help but love him, even though she doesn’t recognize it as romantic love at first.
Alcott wrote about intimate family dynamics in a time when little was known about women's interaction in the privacy of their own homes. The book was published in 1869, shortly after the end of the war. She created a family full of women with very different personalities, who must struggle through some horrible trials, but survive because their love for each other holds them together. It's a beautiful story that everyone should read.
One of my favorite things about this book is that they’re never forced into a specific life style. Marmee encourages every single one of them to pursue the things they love; Amy with her art, Jo with her writing, which takes her all the way to New York by herself, Beth is never told to go find a husband, etc. She lets Meg marry John even though he’s poor. She asks only that they wait a few years until Meg is older. She wants them to excel in the field of their choice and to always show kindness to those around them. It’s such a wise way to raise your children, showing you trust their decisions while at the same time gently guiding their natures.
BOTTOM LINE: Read it as soon as you can! It’s relevant in every stage of life, offering fresh advice depending on your personality type or current trials. I will be re-reading this one every decade for as long as I live.
“There are many Beths in the world, shy and quiet, sitting in corners till needed, and living for others so cheerfully that no one sees the sacrifices till the little cricket on the heart stops chirping, and the sweet, sunshiny presence vanishes, leaving silence and shadow behind.”
“And so, at last they came to the library, where she clapped her hands and prance, as she always did when especially delighted. It was lined with books, and there were pictures and statues, and distracting little cabinets full of coins and curiosities, and Sleepy Hollow chairs, and queer tables, and bronzes, and best of all, a great open fireplace with quaint tiles all round it.”
“Young ladies in America love independence as much as their ancestors did, and are admired and respected for supporting themselves.”
