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Little Women
by Louisa May Alcott - I recently re-read this lovely classic for two reasons - it was the book club pick for a Facebook group I recently joined; and it's required reading for my daughter's American History and Literature class. And perhaps more importantly, because it's a favorite book!
Of course, the 'little women' of the title are Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy March; and the story takes place over a year's passing during the War Between the States. The young ladies are at home with their mother while their father serves in the army. Although they must live frugally and the oldest two girls are earning an income to contribute to the household, they are generous and creative. In fact, in the opening chapter, the girls are fretting somewhat about their reduced circumstances as Christmas is upon them, but when their mother comes in with news of a poor immigrant family in desperate straits, the girls give up their meal and comforts in order to help someone less fortunate. This act of generosity does not go unnoticed by their neighbor, Mr Laurence, either. And very soon, Jo finally has the chance to meet the 'Laurence boy' at a party, and she and Laurie quickly become fast friends.
Over the course of the year, the girls learn and mature as they take their Marmee's advice and work on overcoming the temptations to poor behavior that are very personal to each of them. Meg learns to be content with the blessings she does have and to be industrious and gracious, and earns the love of Laurie's tutor, Mr Brooke, in the process. Jo works to control her temper and to conduct herself as a lady without giving up her bold and boisterous personality. Although the girls think of their quiet sister Beth as having no faults, she is very timid and even she can be lazy or forgetful, so those are the challenges she faces. And little Amy is vain and selfish, but learns to think of others and to be helpful.
by Louisa May Alcott - I recently re-read this lovely classic for two reasons - it was the book club pick for a Facebook group I recently joined; and it's required reading for my daughter's American History and Literature class. And perhaps more importantly, because it's a favorite book!Of course, the 'little women' of the title are Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy March; and the story takes place over a year's passing during the War Between the States. The young ladies are at home with their mother while their father serves in the army. Although they must live frugally and the oldest two girls are earning an income to contribute to the household, they are generous and creative. In fact, in the opening chapter, the girls are fretting somewhat about their reduced circumstances as Christmas is upon them, but when their mother comes in with news of a poor immigrant family in desperate straits, the girls give up their meal and comforts in order to help someone less fortunate. This act of generosity does not go unnoticed by their neighbor, Mr Laurence, either. And very soon, Jo finally has the chance to meet the 'Laurence boy' at a party, and she and Laurie quickly become fast friends.
Over the course of the year, the girls learn and mature as they take their Marmee's advice and work on overcoming the temptations to poor behavior that are very personal to each of them. Meg learns to be content with the blessings she does have and to be industrious and gracious, and earns the love of Laurie's tutor, Mr Brooke, in the process. Jo works to control her temper and to conduct herself as a lady without giving up her bold and boisterous personality. Although the girls think of their quiet sister Beth as having no faults, she is very timid and even she can be lazy or forgetful, so those are the challenges she faces. And little Amy is vain and selfish, but learns to think of others and to be helpful.
The charming domestic drama has little in the way of suspense or action, but the characters are real and well-developed, and the little day-to-day struggles and triumphs are realistic and relatable, even though the world they live in is far removed from modern entertainments and social expectations. The society the March girls fit into and the rules of behavior they try to follow are very different, but just like girls today, they had to balance fitting in with staying true to themselves and they had to deal with temptations to compare themselves to others, to focus on appearance and status, and to be envious.
This book is a Book Adapted to a Movie for the Full House Reading Challenge 2018 hosted by The Book Date.
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