Resumo de Little Women - Louisa M Alcott

Set in the period of the American Civil War, this heart-warming story of four teenage sisters has a timeless quality.With their father away serving as a chaplain with the Federal Army, the March family is somewhat pushed to make ends meet and indeed the story opens with the four girls planning how to spend their meagre resources in suitable presents for their much-loved 'Marmee'. As the story unfolds, we learn that the familywas once more prosperous, but, for reasons which are not explained, has fallen on hard times. This means that the elder two girls have to go out to work instead of spending their days at leisure and in the frivolous pursuits of their contemporaries.

The quartet consists of Meg, a pretty girl on the threshold of womanhood, Jo, who would rather have been bornm a boy and whose impetuous behaviour lands her in all manner of difficulties, Beth, a shy fourteen-year-old whose life revolves around the family and her home-life, and Amy who at twelve is a little spoilt and somewhat vain.

The mainspring of the family is the mother, who dispenses wise words in anendeavour to keep all her daughtershappy and content with their lot. It is only later inthe story that we learn that this wisdom and patience has been hard-won. There is also a servant, Hannah, whohas been with the family so long that she shares in all their sorrows and joys.

It is the sorrows and joys of this little family that form the basis of this story, illustrated by episodes from the lives of the four sisters. The advent of new neighbours in the large house next-door brings a new dimension to all their lives, as they get to know the young man, Laurie (Jo's contemporary in age) and his grandfather, a somewhat austere and stuffy character at first who warms to the little family. There is also Laurie's tutor, John Brooke, who is destined to play a role in the family life.

The author skilfully portrays the events that shape the lives and characters of the sisters. Meg tries hard to be satisfied with life, but cannot help yearning after the pleasures of new dresses (and particularly gloves!) that richer girls enjoy. This is sharply brought home to her on a visit to a much wealthier family, when the gossip of the 'mamas' about a future alliance between herself andLaurie adds to her discomforture at allowing herself t be dressed up like a doll by the other, more worldly girls. Jo's harum-scarum antics, and her desire to be 'the man of the family' are consistently amusing, and we admire her ambition to bea writer and applaud her efforts to achieve this. The younger girls' characters are not drawn in as much detail, but we gain the impression ofa sweet-natured, almost abnormally shy, girl in Beth (whose shyness is overcome by her love of music) and of a rather self-important personage in Amy (who ultimately finds out the things that matter in life through a series of calamities).

Tragedy strikes the family when first of all Mr March iswounded and then, after Mrs March (accompanied by the faithful John Brooke) has rushed to her husband's side, Beth is stricken with a life-threatening illness. The description of how Jo, in particular, looks after Beth in her illness, is heart-wrenching. All ends well however, with Beth on the road to recovery and Mrs March back home with the news that the girls' father will be restored to them.

In her mother's absence however Meg, in whom we have already discerned a partiality for Laurie's tutor, John Brooke, has been thinking of him more and more. Her interest has only been increased by an earlier prank of Laurie's, in which he sent a love-letter purporting tobe from his tutor. Although Meg, urged on by Jo (who does not want the family circle disrupted) plans to turn down any proposal,John Brooke is made of sterner stuff and in a touching scene manages to overcome her reservations (aided by words from 'Aunt March' who is horrified at the prrying a penniless young man).

Mr March is home again, John and Meg,gaged, have reached an understanding, andby the end of the books the family's prospects, though modest still,seem assured.

Although set in America and now written almost150 years ago, the trials and tribulations of the sisters still have afreshness (if one ignores various conventions that belong to another age). Girls and women everywhere will warm to the story, and there will be few thatremain unaffected by the touching, yet not overly sentimental passages. A real classic.

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