Little Women - Knowledge (XXG)

827:, and, presumably, a source of inspiration to the women of the family. He is absent for most of the novel. In contrast, Bronson Alcott was very present in his family's household, due in part to his inability to find steady work. While he espoused many of the educational principles touted by the March family, he was loud and dictatorial. His lack of financial independence was a source of humiliation to his wife and daughters. The March family is portrayed as living in genteel penury, but the Alcott family, dependent on an improvident, impractical father, suffered real poverty and occasional hunger. In addition to her own childhood and that of her sisters, scholars who have examined the diaries of Louisa Alcott's mother, Abigail Alcott, have surmised that 149: 5002: 903:, with the later-written portion marked as Part 2. There are 23 chapters in Part 1 and 47 chapters in the complete book. Each chapter is numbered and has a title as well. Part 2, Chapter 24 opens with: "In order that we may start afresh and go to Meg's wedding with free minds, it will be well to begin with a little gossip about the Marches." Editions published in the 21st century may be the original text unaltered, the original text with illustrations, the original text annotated for the reader (explaining terms of 1868–69 that are less common now), the original text modernized and abridged, or the original text abridged. 623:

the sisters to sacrifice and self-denial. She behaves well, in upper-class society, and she is at ease, with herself. Critic Martha Saxton observes the author was never fully at ease with Amy's moral development, and her success, in life, seemed relatively accidental. However, Amy's morality does appear to develop, throughout her adolescence and early adulthood, and she can confidently and justly put Laurie in his place, when she believes he is wasting his life on pleasurable activities. Ultimately, Amy is shown to work very hard to gain what she wants and to make the most of her success, when she has it.

662:

critiques sensational stories. He encourages her to become a serious writer, instead of writing sensational stories for weekly tabloids. "Bhaer has all the qualities Bronson Alcott lacked: warmth, intimacy, and a tender capacity for expressing his affection—the feminine attributes Alcott admired and hoped men could acquire in a rational, feminist world." They eventually marry and raise his two orphaned nephews, Franz and Emil, and their own sons, Rob and Ted. Bhaer's characterization was inspired by multiple men whom Alcott was attracted to or admired, including

743:

parents. Both Laurie's mother and father died young, so as a boy Laurie was taken in by his grandfather. Preparing to enter Harvard, Laurie is being tutored by John Brooke. He is described as attractive and charming, with black eyes, brown skin, and curly black hair. He later falls in love with Amy and they marry; they have one child, a little girl named after Beth: Elizabeth "Bess" Laurence. Sometimes Jo calls Laurie "Teddy". Though Alcott did not make Laurie as multidimensional as the female characters, she partly based him on Ladislas Wisniewski, a young

800: 687:

accepting John's declaration of love, she threatens Meg with disinheritance, because she suspects that Brooke is only interested in Meg's future prospects. Eventually, Meg admits her feelings to Brooke, they defy Aunt March (who ends up accepting the marriage), and they are engaged. Brooke serves in the Union Army, for a year, and is sent home as an invalid, when he is wounded. Brooke marries Meg, a few years later, when the war has ended, and she has turned twenty. Brooke was modeled after

896:, the orders for which continue to flow in upon us to such an extent as to make it impossible to answer them with promptness." The last line of Chapter 23 in the first volume states: "So the curtain falls upon Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy. Whether it ever rises again, depends upon the reception given the first act of the domestic drama called Little Women." Alcott delivered the manuscript for the second volume on New Year's Day 1869, just three months after publication of part one. 1982: 1236: 527:

in a new light. She is unimpressed by the aimless, idle, and forlorn attitude he has adopted, since being rejected by Jo, and she inspires him to find his purpose and do something worthwhile with his life. With the news of Beth's death, they meet for consolation, and their romance grows. Amy's aunt will not allow Amy to return, unchaperoned, with Laurie and his grandfather, so, they marry, before returning home from Europe.

577:

in New York City, she meets Friedrich Bhaer, a German professor. On her return home, Laurie proposes marriage to Jo, which she rejects, thus confirming her independence. Another reason for the rejection is that the love that Laurie has for Jo is more a brotherly love, rather than romantic love, the difference between which he was unable to understand, because he was "just a boy,” as said by Alcott in the book.

573:

temper that often leads her into trouble. With the help of her own misguided sense of humor, her sister, Beth, and her mother, she works on controlling it. It has been said that much of Louisa May Alcott shows through in these characteristics of Jo. In her essay, "Recollections of My Childhood,” Alcott refers to herself as a tomboy who enjoyed boys' activities, like running foot-races and climbing trees.

1215: 531:

year goes by without much success; later, Aunt March dies and leaves her large estate, Plumfield, to Jo, who marries Friedrich and turns the house into a school. They have two sons of their own, and Amy and Laurie have a daughter. At apple-picking time, Marmee celebrates her 60th birthday at Plumfield, with her husband, her three surviving daughters, their husbands, and her five grandchildren.

43: 1024:". Alcott did not have Jo accept Laurie's hand in marriage; rather, when she arranged for Jo to marry, she portrayed an unconventional man as her husband. In Sicherman's opinion, Alcott used Friedrich to "subvert adolescent romantic ideals" because he was much older and seemingly unsuited for Jo. However, the character was partially based upon older men Alcott was attracted to, such as 1996: 4835: 487:, after spending time with a poor family, where three children die. As a precaution, Amy is sent to live with Aunt March and replaces Jo as her companion and helper. Jo, who already had scarlet fever, tends to Beth. After many days of illness, the family doctor advises that Marmee be sent for, immediately. Beth recovers, but never fully regains her health and energy. 606:

beloved dolls. She is never idle; she knits and sews things for the children who pass by on their way to and from school. But eventually, she puts down her sewing needle, saying it grew "heavy.” Beth's final sickness has a strong effect on her sisters, especially Jo, who resolves to live her life with more consideration and care for everyone. The main loss during

480:. Mr. Laurence offers to accompany her, but she declines, knowing travel would be uncomfortable for the old man. Mr. Laurence, instead, sends John Brooke to do his business in Washington and help the Marches. While in Washington, Brooke confesses his love for Meg to her parents. They are pleased but consider Meg too young to marry, so, Brooke agrees to wait. 292:, originally published in two volumes, in 1868 and 1869. The story follows the lives of the four March sisters—Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy—and details their passage from childhood to womanhood. Loosely based on the lives of the author and her three sisters, it is classified as an autobiographical or semi-autobiographical novel. 758:

engagement to the impoverished Mr. Brooke becomes the proverbial "last straw" that actually causes Meg to accept his proposal. She appears to be strict and cold, but deep down, she's really quite soft-hearted. She dies near the end of the first book, and Jo and Friedrich turn her estate into a school for boys.

1172:

have children and though it is the traditional pathway, she makes the choice for her own happiness. Thus, reducing Alcott’s novel to just Jo’s experience as an exception promotes it as a patriarchal narrative and erases her careful work to portray a matriarchal narrative, rich with female agency and voice.

1019:

At the time, young girls perceived that marriage was their end goal. After the publication of the first volume, many girls wrote to Alcott asking her "who the little women marry". Sicherman said that the ending, which she personally characterizes as "unsatisfying", worked to "keep the story alive" as

867:

Alcott also took influence from several of her earlier works including "The Sisters' Trial", "A Modern Cinderella", and "In the Garret". The characters within these short stories and poems, in addition to Alcott's own family and personal relationships, inspired the general concepts and bases for many

646:

Margaret "Marmee" March – The girls' mother and head of household, while her husband is away. She engages in charitable works and lovingly guides her girls' morals and their characters. She, once, confesses to Jo that her temper is as volatile as Jo's, but that she has learned to control it. Somewhat

622:

Amy is chosen by her aunt to travel to Europe with her, instead of her sister, Jo. There, she matures and makes a decision, based on her limited artistic talent, how to direct her adult life. She encounters "Laurie" Laurence and his grandfather, during the extended visit. Amy is the least inclined of

544:

Meg, the oldest sister, is 16, when the story starts. She is described as a beauty, and she manages the household, when her mother is absent. She has long brown hair and blue eyes and particularly beautiful hands, and she is seen as the prettiest one of the sisters. Meg fulfils expectations for women

530:

Friedrich is in Massachusetts on business and visits the Marches, daily, for two weeks. On his last day, he proposes to Jo, and the two become engaged, as she realizes she loves him. Because the Professor is poor, the wedding must wait, while he establishes a good income by going out west to teach. A

424:

family, the girls and their mother venture into town, laden with baskets, to feed the hungry children. When they return, they discover their wealthy, elderly neighbor, Mr. Laurence, has sent over a decadent surprise dinner, to make up for their breakfast. The two families become acquainted, following

742:

Theodore "Laurie" Laurence – A rich young man who lives opposite the Marches, older than Jo but younger than Meg. Laurie is the "boy next door" to the March family and has an overprotective paternal grandfather, Mr. Laurence. After eloping with an Italian pianist, Laurie's father was disowned by his

738:

James Laurence – Laurie's grandfather and a wealthy neighbor of the Marches. Lonely in his mansion, and often at odds with his high-spirited grandson, he finds comfort in becoming a benefactor to the Marches. He protects the March sisters while their parents are away. He was a friend of Mrs. March's

725:

The Hummels – A poor German family consisting of a widowed mother and six children. Marmee and the girls help them by bringing food, firewood, blankets, and other comforts. They help with minor repairs to their small dwelling. Three of the children die of scarlet fever and Beth contracts the disease

576:

Jo loves literature, both reading and writing. She composes plays for her sisters to perform and writes short stories. She initially rejects the idea of marriage and romance, feeling that it would break up her family and separate her from the sisters whom she adores. While pursuing a literary career

1190:

has a timeless resonance which reflects Alcott's grasp of her historical framework in the 1860s. The novel's ideas do not intrude themselves upon the reader because the author is wholly in control of the implications of her imaginative structure. Sexual equality is the salvation of marriage and the

1147:

indisputably enlarges the myth of American womanhood, by insisting that the home and the women's sphere cherish individuality and thus produce young adults who can make their way in the world, while preserving a critical distance from its social arrangements." As with all youth, the March girls had

686:

John Brooke – During his employment as a tutor to Laurie, he falls in love with Meg. He accompanies Mrs. March to Washington D.C., when her husband is ill with pneumonia. When Laurie leaves for college, Brooke continues his employment with Mr. Laurence as a bookkeeper. When Aunt March overhears Meg

618:

Amy is the youngest sister and baby of the family; she’s 12, when the story begins. Interested in art, she is described as a "regular snow-maiden,” with curly golden hair and blue eyes, "pale and slender" and "always carrying herself" like a proper young lady. She is the artist of the family. Often

597:

Beth, 13 when the story starts, is described as kind, gentle, sweet, shy, quiet, honest, and musical. She is the shyest March sister and the pianist of the family. Infused with quiet wisdom, she is the peacemaker of the family, and she gently scolds her sisters, when they argue. As her sisters grow

526:

Laurie travels to Europe with his grandfather, to escape his heartbreak. At home, the lasting results of Beth's scarlet fever slowly begin to kill her. Jo devotes her time to the care of her dying sister. Laurie encounters Amy in Europe, and he slowly falls in love with her, as he begins to see her

1171:

awards all its women worthy, despite their status as conventional or unconventional—not just Jo, who is the obvious exception to societal expectation. Alcott’s novel celebrates the agency of women, the four sisters and their mother, to choose their path in life. Meg makes the decision to marry and

1007:

s popular audience was responsive to ideas of social change as they were shown "within the familiar construct of domesticity". While Alcott had been commissioned to "write a story for girls", her primary heroine, Jo March, became a favorite of many different women, including educated women writers

973:

was well received upon first publication. According to 21st-century critic Barbara Sicherman there was, during the 19th century, a "scarcity of models for nontraditional womanhood", which led more women to look toward "literature for self-authorization. This is especially true during adolescence."

786:

Fred Vaughan – A Harvard friend of Laurie's who, in Europe, courts Amy. Rivalry with the much richer Fred for Amy's love inspires the dissipated Laurie to pull himself together and become more worthy of her. Amy eventually rejects Fred, knowing she does not love him and decides not to marry out of

757:

Aunt Josephine March – Mr. March's aunt, a rich widow. Somewhat temperamental and prone to being judgmental, she disapproves of the family's poverty, their charitable work, and their general disregard for the more superficial aspects of society's ways. Her vociferous disapproval of Meg's impending

353:

In May 1868, Alcott wrote in her journal: "Niles, partner of Roberts, asked me to write a girl's book. I said I'd try." Alcott set her novel in an imaginary Orchard House modeled on her own residence of the same name, where she wrote the novel. She, later, recalled that she did not think she could

605:

As she grows, Beth begins to realize that her time with her loved ones is coming to an end. Finally, the family accepts that Beth will not live much longer. They make a special room for her, filled with all the things she loves best: her kittens, her piano, Father's books, Amy's sketches, and her

580:

After Beth dies, Professor Bhaer woos Jo at her home, when "they decide to share life's burdens, just as they shared the load of bundles on their shopping expedition". She is 25 years old when she accepts his proposal. The marriage is deferred, until her unexpected inheritance of her Aunt March's

572:

Second oldest of the four sisters, Jo is masculine, the smartest, most creative one in the family; her father has referred to her as his "son Jo,” and her best friend and neighbour, Theodore "Laurie" Laurence, sometimes calls her "my dear fellow,” while she, alone, calls him Teddy. Jo has a "hot"

1011:

One reason the novel was so popular was that it appealed to different classes of women along with those of different national backgrounds, at a time of high immigration to the United States. Through the March sisters, women could relate and dream where they may not have before. "Both the passion

513:

Laurie graduates from college, having put in the effort to do well in his last year, with Jo's prompting. Amy is chosen over Jo to go on a European tour with her aunt. Beth's health is weak, due to complications from scarlet fever, and her spirits are down. While trying to uncover the reason for

490:

While Brooke waits for Meg to come of age to marry, he joins the military and serves in the war. After he is wounded, he returns to find work, so he can buy a house and be ready, when he marries Meg. Laurie goes off to college. On Christmas Day, a year after the book's opening, the girls' father

374:

meaning; it represented the period in a young woman's life where childhood and elder childhood are "overlapping" with young womanhood. Each of the March sister heroines has a harrowing experience that alerts them and the reader that "childhood innocence" is of the past, and that "the inescapable

357:

By June, Alcott had sent the first dozen chapters to Niles, and both agreed that they were dull. But Niles's niece, Lillie Almy, read them and said she enjoyed them. The completed manuscript was shown to several girls who agreed it was "splendid.” Alcott wrote, "they are the best critics, so, I

815:

are recognizably drawn from family members and friends. Her married sister Anna was Meg, the family beauty. Lizzie, Alcott's beloved sister, was the model for Beth. Like Beth, Lizzie was quiet and retiring. Like Beth as well, she died tragically at age twenty-three from the lingering effects of

345:

In 1868, Alcott's publisher, Thomas Niles, recommended that she write a novel about girls that would have widespread appeal. Alcott resisted, preferring to publish a collection of short stories, instead. Niles pressed her to write the girls' book first, however, and he was aided by her father,

1166:

Alcott’s novel is often celebrated for Jo and her narrative arch in which she becomes a self-determined woman with a career. However, framing this novel as a success, solely for Jo’s accomplishments, portrays it as a “traditional ‘lone genius’ patriarchal narrative” in which only women who are

1099:

In the 1860s, gendered separation of children's fiction was a newer division in literature. This division signaled a beginning of polarization of gender roles as social constructs "as class stratification increased". Joy Kasson wrote, "Alcott chronicled the coming of age of young girls, their

966:

by twenty or thirty years", and that Fritz's proposal to Jo, and her acceptance, "is one of the really human things in human literature". Gregory S. Jackson said that Alcott's use of realism belongs to the American Protestant pedagogical tradition, which includes a range of religious literary

922:

appear to include both parts, especially in the audiobook versions. Editions are shown in continuous print from many publishers, as hardback, paperback, audio, and e-book versions, from the 1980s to 2015. This split of the two volumes also shows at Goodreads, which refers to the books as the

1115:

showed the regular lives of American middle-class girls, it also "legitimized" their dreams to do something different and allowed them to consider the possibilities. More young women started writing stories that had adventurous plots and "stories of individual achievement—traditionally coded

661:

Professor Friedrich Bhaer – A middle-aged, "philosophically inclined,” and penniless German immigrant in New York City who had been a noted professor in Berlin. Also known as Fritz, he initially lives in Mrs. Kirke's boarding house and works as a language master. He and Jo become friends and

522:

for her two children. Jo takes German lessons with another boarder, Professor Friedrich Bhaer. He has come to America from Berlin to care for the orphaned sons of his sister. For extra money, Jo writes salacious romance stories, anonymously, for sensational newspapers. Suspecting her secret,

460:. The sisters strive to help their family and improve their characters, as Meg is vain, Jo is hotheaded, Beth is cripplingly shy, and Amy is materialistic. The neighbor boy, Laurie, the orphaned grandson of Mr. Laurence, becomes close friends with the sisters, particularly the tomboyish Jo. 4067: 816:

scarlet fever. May, Alcott's strong-willed sister, was portrayed as Amy, whose pretentious affectations cause her occasional downfalls. Alcott portrayed herself as Jo. Alcott readily corresponded with readers who addressed her as "Miss March" or "Jo", and she did not correct them.

523:

Friedrich mentions such writing is unprincipled and base. Jo is persuaded to give up that type of writing, as her time in New York comes to an end, unaware that Friedrich has fallen in love with her. When she returns to Massachusetts, Laurie proposes marriage, and she declines.

4838: 560:

According to Sarah Elbert, "democratic domesticity requires maturity, strength, and above all, a secure identity that Meg lacks". Others believe Alcott does not intend to belittle Meg for her ordinary life and writes her with loving detail, suffused with sentimentality.

545:

of the time; from the start, she is already a nearly perfect "little woman,” in the eyes of the world. Before her marriage to John Brooke, while still living at home, she often lectures her younger sisters to ensure they grow to embody the title of "little women".

3737:

Kemp, Theresa, Beth Link, and Catherine Powell. “Accounting for Early Modern Women in the Arts: Reconsidering Women’s Agency, Networks, and Relationships.” Challenging Women’s Agency and Activism in Early Modernity. Amsterdam University Press, 2016, pp. 283-308.

463:

The girls keep busy, as the war goes on. Jo writes a novel that gets published but is frustrated to have to edit it down and can't comprehend the conflicting critical response. Meg is invited to spend two weeks with rich friends, where there are parties and

514:

Beth's sadness, Jo realizes that Laurie has fallen in love. At first she believes it's with Beth, but soon senses it's with herself. Jo confides in Marmee, telling her that she loves Laurie like a brother and that she could not love him in a romantic way.

510:, Meg is a devoted mother, but John begins to feel neglected and left out. Meg seeks advice from Marmee, who helps her find balance in her married life by making more time for wifely duties and encouraging John to become more involved with child rearing. 1465:

was released in 2018 to mark the 150th anniversary of the novel. It was directed by Clare Niederpruem in her directorial debut and starred Sarah Davenport as Jo, Allie Jennings as Beth, Melanie Stone as Meg, and Elise Jones and Taylor Murphy as Amy.

552:

into high society, but she is lectured by her friend and neighbor, Theodore "Laurie" Laurence, for behaving like a snob. Meg marries John Brooke, Laurie's tutor. They have twins, Margaret "Daisy" Brooke and John Laurence "Demi" Brooke. The sequel,

989:

was the beginning of "a decline in the radical power of women's fiction", partly because women's fiction was being idealized with a "hearth and home" children's story. Women's literature historians and juvenile fiction historians have agreed that

632: 619:

coddled, because she is the youngest, Amy can behave in a vain and self-centered way, though she does still love her family. She has the middle name Curtis, and is the only March sister to use her full name, rather than a diminutive.

1179:". Alcott's fiction became her "most important feminist contribution"—even considering all the effort Alcott made to help facilitate women's rights". She thought that "a democratic household could evolve into a feminist society.” In 967:

traditions with which Alcott was familiar. He has copies in his book of nineteenth-century images of devotional children's guides which provide background for the game of "pilgrims progress" that Alcott uses in her plot of Book One.

517:

Jo decides she wants a bit of adventure and to put distance between herself and Laurie, hoping he will forget his feelings. She spends six months with a friend of her mother who runs a boarding house in New York City, serving as

468:

for the girls to dance with boys and improve their social skills. Laurie is invited to one of the dances, and Meg's friends incorrectly think she is in love with him. Meg is more interested in John Brooke, Laurie's young tutor.

1135:

had "continued relevance of its subject" and "its longevity points, as well to surprising continuities in gender norms from the 1860s at least through the 1960s". Those interested in domestic reform could look to the pages of

751:. According to author and professor Jan Susina, the portrayal of Laurie is as "the fortunate outsider", observing Mrs. March and the March sisters. He agrees with Alcott that Laurie is not strongly developed as a character. 782:

The Vaughans – English friends of Laurie's who come to visit him. Kate is the oldest of the Vaughan siblings, and prim and proper Grace is the youngest. The middle siblings, Fred and Frank, are twins; Frank is the younger

715:

Mr. Davis – The schoolteacher at Amy's school. He punishes Amy for bringing pickled limes to school by striking her palm and making her stand on a platform in front of the class. She is withdrawn from the school by her

891:

The first printing of 2,000 copies sold out quickly, and the company had trouble keeping up with the demand for additional printings. They announced: "The great literary hit of the season is undoubtedly Miss Alcott's

585:, "The crucial first point is that the choice is hers, its quirkiness another sign of her much-prized individuality." They have two sons, Robert "Rob" Bhaer and Theodore "Ted" Bhaer. Jo also writes the first part of 326:, Alcott created a new form of literature, one that took elements from romantic children's fiction and combined it with others from sentimental novels, resulting in a totally new genre. Elbert argues that within 888:, the sister commonly called "May" who inspired the fictional Amy March. She "struggled" with her illustrative additions to her sister's book, but later improved her skills and found some success as an artist. 321:

The novel has been said to address three major themes: "domesticity, work, and true love, all of them interdependent and each necessary to the achievement of its heroine's individual identity." According to

4167: 1705:(directed by John Simpson), a contemporary television film focusing on the title characters' efforts to save their family home from being sold. It is usually rebroadcast on the channel each holiday season. 1100:

struggles with issues such as selfishness and generosity, the nature of individual integrity, and, above all, the question of their place in the world around them." Girls related to the March sisters in

1148:

to grow up. These sisters, and in particular, Jo, were apprehensive about adulthood, because they were afraid that, by conforming to what society wanted, they would lose their special individuality.

694:

Margaret & John Laurence Brooke ("Daisy" and "Demijohn/Demi") – Meg's twin son and daughter. Daisy is named after both Meg and Marmee, while Demi is named after John and the Laurence family.

1143:

While "Alcott never questioned the value of domesticity,” she challenged the social constructs that made spinsters obscure and fringe members of society, solely because they were not married. "

3613: 767:

Hannah Mullet – The March family maid and cook, their only servant. She is of Irish descent and very dear to the family. She is treated more like a member of the family than a servant.

5566: 835:, claiming she found it boring, and wasn't sure how to write girls as she knew few beyond her sisters. However, encouraged by her editor Thomas Niles, she wrote it within 10 weeks. 5581: 302:

in the United Kingdom, though the name originated with the publisher and not Alcott). It was also met with success. The two volumes were issued in 1880, as a single novel titled

1065:

to determine the "Nation's Best-loved Novel" (not children's novel); it is fourth-highest among novels published in the U.S. on that list. Based on a 2007 online poll, the U.S.

3582: 852:. Jo and her sisters read it at the outset of the book and try to follow the good example of Bunyan’s Christian. Throughout the novel, the main characters refer many times to 706:

May and Mrs. Chester – A well-to-do family with whom the Marches are acquainted. May Chester is a girl about Amy's age, who is rich and jealous of Amy's popularity and talent.

569:

The principal character, Jo, 15 years old at the beginning of the book, is a strong and willful young woman, struggling to subdue her fiery temper and stubborn personality.

610:

is the death of beloved Beth. Her "self-sacrifice is ultimately the greatest in the novel. She gives up her life, knowing that it has had only private, domestic meaning."

5601: 5541: 1020:

if the reader might find it ended differently upon different readings. Anne E. Boyd contends that "Alcott particularly battled the conventional marriage plot in writing

739:

father and admires their charitable works. He develops a special, tender friendship with Beth, who reminds him of his late granddaughter. He gives Beth the girl's piano.

5413: 790:

Frank Vaughan – Fred's twin brother, is mentioned a few times in the novel. When Fred and Amy both travel through Europe, Fred leaves because he hears his twin is ill.

700:

Uncle and Aunt Carrol – Sister and brother-in-law of Mr. March. They take Amy to Europe with them, where Uncle Carrol frequently tries to be like an English gentleman.

350:, who also urged her to do so. Louisa confided to a friend, “I could not write a girls' story knowing little about any but my own sisters and always preferring boys”. 4630: 602:, after visiting the Hummels, Jo does most of the nursing and rarely leaves her side. Beth recovers from the acute disease, but her health is permanently weakened. 444:

in Plumfield. Beth, too timid for school, is content to stay at home and help with housework; and Amy is still at school. Meg is beautiful and traditional, Jo is a

1163:

have noted the influence of Jo March on their artistic development. Even other fictional portraits of young women aspiring to authorship often reference Jo March.

1806:

as an opera, writing both the score and libretto. Freer's opera, a two-act work in English, debuted in Chicago at the Musician's Club of Women on April 2, 1934.

683:

Robert & Theodore Bhaer ("Rob" and "Ted") – Jo's and Fritz's sons, introduced in the final pages of the novel, named after the March girls' father and Laurie.

978:

became "the paradigmatic text for young women of the era and one in which family literary culture is prominently featured". Adult elements of women's fiction in

5606: 1743:

A 2018 adaption is that of Manor Rama Pictures LLP of Karan Raj Kohli & Viraj Kapur which streams on the ALTBalaji app in India. The web series is called

732:

The Kirkes – Mrs. Kirke is a friend of Mrs. March's who runs a boarding house in New York. She employs Jo as governess to her two daughters, Kitty and Minnie.

5576: 5556: 5043: 4883: 1069:

listed it as one of its "Teachers' Top 100 Books for Children". In 2012 it was ranked number 47 among all-time children's novels in a survey published by

770:

Miss Norton – A friendly, well-to-do tenant living in Mrs. Kirke's boarding house. She occasionally invites Jo to accompany her to lectures and concerts.

298:

was an immediate commercial and critical success, and readers were eager for more about the characters. Alcott quickly completed a second volume (titled

5536: 4275: 354:

write a successful book for girls and did not enjoy writing it. "I plod away," she wrote in her diary, "although, I don't enjoy this sort of things."

3442:

Daly-Galeano, Marlowe (2015). "It's Complicated: Jo March's Marriage to Writing and Professor Bhaer". In Eiselein, Gregory; Philips, Anne K. (eds.).

3417:

Daly-Galeano, Marlowe (2015). "It's Complicated: Jo March's Marriage to Writing and Professor Bhaer". In Eiselein, Gregory; Philips, Anne K. (eds.).

2943:

Daly-Galeano, Marlowe (2015). "It's Complicated: Jo March's Marriage to Writing and Professor Bhaer". In Eiselein, Gregory; Philips, Anne K. (eds.).

3801: 4682: 3200:

Uudelleenkääntämishypoteesi ja lasten- ja nuortenkirjallisuus: Tarkastelussa Louisa M. Alcottin Little Women -teoksen neljä eri suomennosversiota

856:

and liken the events in their own lives to the experiences of the pilgrims. Several chapter titles directly reference characters and places from

5546: 1127:, young and adolescent girls read the normalization of ambitious women. This provided an alternative to the previously normalized gender roles. 754:

Elizabeth Laurence ("Bess") – The only daughter of Laurie and Amy, named for Beth. Like her mother, she develops a love for art as she grows up.

5246: 1096:. Ruth MacDonald argued that "Louisa May Alcott stands as one of the great American practitioners of the girls' novel and the family story". 4751: 3625: 3351: 3282: 3257: 3040: 3008: 2979: 2847: 2822: 2759: 2702: 2675: 2645: 2527: 2442: 2415: 2361: 2205: 2145: 1111:

some women felt the need to "acquire new and more public identities,” however dependent on other factors, such as financial resources. While

148: 5596: 5561: 5551: 4900: 1578: 1040:. In particular, Alcott had considered Goethe her "chief idol" since the day Emerson had introduced her to Goethe and handed her a copy of 1008:

through the 20th century. The girl story became a "new publishing category with a domestic focus that paralleled boys' adventure stories".

3205:

Retranslation Hypothesis and Literature for Children and Young Adults: A Study of Four Finnish Versions of Louisa M. Alcott’s Little Women

4093: 3172: 1678:

In the 1980s, multiple anime adaptations were made. In 1980, an anime special was made as a predecessor to the 26-part 1981 anime series

650:

Robert March – Formerly wealthy, the father is portrayed as having helped a friend who could not repay a debt, resulting in his family's

5054: 5010: 1042: 819:

However, Alcott's portrayal, even if inspired by her family, is an idealized one. For instance, Mr. March is portrayed as a hero of the

548:

Meg is employed as a governess for the Kings, a wealthy local family. Because of their father's family's social standing, Meg makes her

5531: 1016:

has engendered in diverse readers and its ability to survive its era and transcend its genre point to a text of unusual permeability."

5089: 5001: 4794: 4779: 4514: 3506: 3232: 2927: 2162: 804: 658:

in the Union Army, during the Civil War, and was wounded in December 1862. After the war, he becomes minister to a small congregation.

3590: 598:

up, they begin to leave home, but Beth has no desire to leave her house or family. She is especially close to Jo: when Beth develops

4334: 4309: 3947: 3658: 3451: 3426: 3401: 3376: 3126: 3094: 3065: 2952: 2872: 2500: 2388: 2331: 2294: 2269: 2172: 2105: 2073: 2047: 126: 388:

The March sisters-- Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy-- and their mother, whom they call Marmee, live in a new neighborhood (loosely based on

4472: 2749: 1796:

on January 23, 2005 and closed on May 22, 2005 after 137 performances. A production was also staged in Sydney, Australia in 2008.

5586: 4241: 2838:

Masse, Michelle (1999). "Songs to Aging Children: Alcott's March Trilogy". In Alberghene, Janice M.; Clark, Beverly Lyon (eds.).

3522:

Doyle, Christine (2003), "Singing Mignon's Song: German Literature and Culture in the March Trilogy", in Pfeiffer, Julie (ed.),

3467:

Doyle, Christine (2003), "Singing Mignon's Song: German Literature and Culture in the March Trilogy", in Pfeiffer, Julie (ed.),

2888:

Doyle, Christine (2003), "Singing Mignon's Song: German Literature and Culture in the March Trilogy", in Pfeiffer, Julie (ed.),

5571: 4876: 1987: 1572: 697:

Josephine Brooke ("Josy" or "Josie") – Meg's youngest child, named after Jo. She develops a passion for acting as she grows up.

3774: 3028: 1120:

also influenced contemporary European immigrants to the United States who wanted to assimilate into the middle-class culture.

5346: 4981: 3683: 3482:

Wallis, Laura Dassow (2014), "The Cosmopolitan Project of Louisa May Alcott", in Cole, Phyllis; Argersinger, Jana L. (eds.),

2903:

Wallis, Laura Dassow (2014), "The Cosmopolitan Project of Louisa May Alcott", in Cole, Phyllis; Argersinger, Jana L. (eds.),

1839:

A radio play, produced by Far From the Tree Productions, is being released in episodes from November 14 to December 19, 2020.

1668: 1506: 1455: 1066: 64: 2692: 2577: 2093: 4427: 589:

during the second portion of the novel. According to Elbert, "her narration signals a successfully completed adolescence".

107: 5591: 5526: 5503: 5457: 5378: 5370: 5354: 5338: 5330: 5322: 3224: 2517: 1761: 1753: 1709: 1679: 1634: 1555: 1551: 1547: 1543: 1535: 206: 60: 31: 4849: 4007: 2037: 79: 5071: 3082: 726:

while caring for them. The eldest daughter, Lottchen "Lotty" Hummel, later works as a matron at Jo's school at Plumfield

1386:

the film was "breaking box-office records" in the fall of 1933, and Hepburn received top billing.It was followed by an

5144: 4941: 4041: 3116: 2378: 2192: 2969: 2432: 848: 86: 5239: 4869: 3752: 2405: 1037: 675: 2812: 53: 4194: 1880: 1650: 5104: 1293:

had its world premiere in 2018 at the Jungle Theater in Minneapolis, followed by a New York premiere in 2019 at

5305: 5300: 5295: 5290: 5285: 5280: 5275: 5063: 4452: 3024: 1474: 1462: 1431: 1397: 1359: 1337: 1310: 1104:, along with following the lead of their heroines, by assimilating aspects of the story into their own lives. 93: 4219: 1183:, she imagined that just such an evolution might begin with Plumfield, a nineteenth-century feminist utopia. 5138: 4965: 4909: 4402: 3852: 3701:"A Character of One's Own: The Perils of Female Authorship in the Young Adult Novel from Alcott to Birdsall" 1560: 1424:, for Best Cinematography and Best Art Direction/Set Direction, the latter for which it received the Oscar. 4507:

A Successful Novel Must Be in Want of a Sequel: Second Takes on Classics from The Scarlet Letter to Rebecca

647:

modeled after the author's own mother, she is the focus around which the girls' lives unfold, as they grow.

5495: 5487: 5479: 5471: 5397: 3586: 1777: 1387: 1071: 799: 779:

Tina – The young daughter of an employee of Mrs. Kirke. Tina loves Mr. Bhaer and treats him like a father.

389: 4709: 4376: 2544: 831:

was also heavily inspired by Abigail Alcott's own early life. Originally, Alcott did not want to publish

75: 5362: 5232: 4925: 3933: 1799: 1698: 1686: 1383: 1326: 1275: 807:

where Alcott lived and acted out plays at 11 years old. Note that the ceiling area is around 4 feet high

370:

According to literary critic Sarah Elbert, when using the term "little women" Alcott was drawing on its

1740:. Production was supported by PBS and the miniseries was shown as part of its Masterpiece anthology. 1151:

Alcott's Jo also made professional writing imaginable for generations of women. Writers as diverse as

306:. Alcott, subsequently, wrote two sequels to her popular work, both also featuring the March sisters: 5405: 4581: 4534: 2665: 1815: 1690:

was released. All anime specials and series were dubbed in English and shown on American television.

1664: 1610: 1286:

features a confrontation between the unhappy character, Jo March, who wants rewrites from her author.

1152: 985:

In the late 20th century, some scholars criticized the novel. Sarah Elbert, for instance, wrote that

4582:"From BabyLit to Lusty Little Women : Age, Race, and Sexuality in Recent Little Women Spinoffs" 2135: 2063: 5194: 5189: 5179: 5120: 4808: 4656: 4172: 2094:"Autobiography and the Boundaries of Interpretation on Reading Little Women and the Living is Easy" 1945: 1848:

The novel has inspired a number of other literary retellings by various authors. Books inspired by

1810: 1421: 1405: 1260: 1029: 1025: 667: 663: 557:

mentions a baby daughter, Josephine "Josie" Brooke, who is 14, at the beginning of the final book.

362:"in record time for money", but the book's immediate success surprised both her and her publisher. 347: 337:

The book has been translated into numerous languages, and frequently adapted for stage and screen.

285: 3145: 2782: 918:

ends, especially in the UK and Canada, but also with some US editions. Some editions listed under

899:

Versions in the late 20th and 21st centuries combine both portions into one book, under the title

4609: 4562: 3720: 1658: 1088: 885: 820: 703:

Florence "Flo" Carrol – Amy's cousin, daughter of Aunt and Uncle Carrol, and companion in Europe.

409: 5211: 719:

Estelle "Esther" Valnor – A French woman employed as a servant for Aunt March who befriends Amy.

1558:. The 3-episode 2017 series development was supported by PBS, and was aired as part of the PBS 1191:

family; democratic relationships make happy endings. This is the unifying imaginative frame of

5255: 5150: 5132: 5027: 4892: 4827: 4790: 4775: 4747: 4717: 4601: 4554: 4510: 4480: 4330: 4305: 3943: 3937: 3679: 3654: 3621: 3502: 3447: 3422: 3397: 3372: 3347: 3278: 3253: 3228: 3122: 3090: 3061: 3036: 3004: 2996: 2975: 2948: 2923: 2868: 2843: 2818: 2755: 2698: 2694:

The Sister Knot: Why We Fight, why We're Jealous, and Why We'll Love Each Other No Matter What

2671: 2641: 2552: 2523: 2496: 2438: 2411: 2384: 2357: 2327: 2290: 2265: 2201: 2168: 2141: 2101: 2069: 2043: 1502: 1427: 1367: 1269: 1241: 688: 582: 289: 166: 3886: 3748: 998:

did not "belittle women's fiction" and that Alcott stayed true to her "Romantic birthright".

5224: 4973: 4856: 4593: 4546: 3712: 3650: 3369:

Writing for Immortality: Women Writers and the Emergence of High Literary Culture in America

3324: 1793: 1409: 1318: 1255: 1225: 963: 955: 748: 722:

The Gardiners – Wealthy friends of Meg's. Daughter Sallie Gardiner later marries Ned Moffat.

4242:"South Korean Screenwriter Chung Seo-Kyung Talks Park Chan-Wook, Hong Kong and What's Next" 1352:

as Jo, Lillian Hall as Beth, and Florence Flinn as Amy. It is also considered a lost film.

1235: 5184: 4813: 4683:"This graphic novel is a modern retelling of 'Little Women' and features a blended family" 1966: 1961: 1869: 1785: 1737: 1717: 1443: 1349: 1156: 982:

included "a change of heart necessary" for the female protagonist to evolve in the story.

651: 397: 371: 100: 3614:"Little Women Leads Poll: Novel Rated Ahead of Bible for Influence on High School Pupils" 4143: 4119: 2776: 2719: 5162: 1950: 1860: 1733: 1614: 1439: 1294: 1047: 1033: 884:

was published in 1868 by Roberts Brothers. The first edition included illustrations by

671: 477: 331: 1768:. Written by Chung Seo-kyung and directed by Kim Hee-won, it aired in September 2022. 5520: 5464: 5094: 5035: 5019: 4957: 4949: 4613: 4566: 3724: 3302: 2320: 2015: 2001: 1875: 1789: 1757: 1646: 1642: 1630: 1521: 1498: 1486: 1478: 1447: 1341: 1322: 599: 506:

Three years later, Meg and John marry and learn how to live together. When they have

484: 393: 195: 3643: 709:

Miss Crocker – An old and poor spinster who likes to gossip and who has few friends.

5156: 1937: 1895: 1729: 1713: 1598: 1494: 1470: 1451: 1435: 1417: 1401: 1371: 1355: 1345: 1160: 1058: 639: 457: 323: 5439: 4989: 4597: 4550: 3985: 3963: 3911: 3618: