Little Women by Louisa May Alcott is a coming of age story about four very unique, distinct girls: Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy March. Meg is the oldest who is sweet-tempered and motherly. Jo, the second-oldest is quick-tempered, rambunctious and adores writing. Beth is very timid, angelic and enjoys playing the piano. Finally, Amy the youngest of them all is selfish, spoiled and has artistic talent. They are all living in New England during a period of much strife in America?the Civil War. The novel is largely drawn from Alcott?s autobiography and became a hugely successful book after it was published in 1868. This book changed the face of children?s literature as it gives the reader a portrayal of the lives of real girls during the time of the Sentimental Revolution. Alcott portrays flawed young women who are faced with hardships and poverty, while at the same time are trying to learn valuable lessons on how to become a good person, and how to achieve happiness in life. These values are particularly centered upon God, family and love.
Little Women is essentially a story about love and sacrifice. Each of the March girls sacrifice their weaknesses for love and happiness. They all grow up into mature, independent women and conform themselves to specific gender roles that are expected of them in society. But, it is not only the young women who conform themselves to society?s expectations, Laurie too sacrifices his love for music to please his grandfather by going to college and studying business. Since his grandfather doesn?t think he is ?manly? enough, the only way he proves his masculinity is by obeying his grandfather?s wishes and letting go of what is dearest to him: music.
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Jo?s character may appear as someone who is highly unlikely to ever getting married and take on the roles of femininity, as compared to her sisters, but that is exactly what happens near the end of the novel. Her character develops and she grows up into a young woman, whose newfound willingness to abide by nineteenth-century society?s expectations of how a woman should act is enhanced through her developing affections for Professor Bhaer. Similarly, Amy also grows up into a charming young woman, devoid of her former childish and selfish behaviours. Both Amy and Jo marry and settle into a more customary life. While Alcott does not suggest that one model of womanhood is more desirable than the other, she does recognize that one is more realistic than the other. Thus, through the four different sisters, Alcott shows possible ways in which they deal with being a woman bound by the constraints of nineteenth-century social expectations: marry young and create a new family, as Meg does; be subservient and dutiful to one?s parents and immediate family, as Beth is; focus on one?s art, pleasure, and person, as Amy does at first; or struggle to live both a dutiful family life and a meaningful professional life, as Jo does. Finally, Little Women is based not on doing what others say is correct, but on discovering within oneself an honest relationship with the world. Alcott basically shows that the March girls are inherently good and that no matter how flawed they may be, goodness will come out if they are given a bit of guidance and freedom. They just needed to grow up and through circumstances; they eventually conformed to gender expectations and in turn became better human beings.
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