Little Women

Below is a review of Little Women written by Louisa May Alcott. The book talks about the growth of four little women in a family and their struggles to survive in New England during the Civil War. And the writer said that it is "a book for girls".

The background information of the book is as follows. Little Women is a book based on the early life of the writer who did almost all kinds of jobs to support her family. It serves as a portrayal of the Civil War in New England, when women played more important roles in the family and society.

The four women have different personalities as well as different lives. The eldest sister Meg is more mature and considerate who falls in love with a poor teacher, while the youngest sister Amy who paints well is spoiled and naughty. Jo, a girl who takes the writer as the prototype, is good at writing and can’t put up with any unwanted constraint. Beth is just like an angel who loves playing piano quietly but she died of a serious illness.

So popular is Little Women that it was translated into different kinds of languages and even was adapted for a film of the same name. And I believe that the reasons why it got such a great reputation among the world are its values.

One of the significant values that is the independence of women. The character Jo is similar with Jane Eyre written by Charlotte Bronte. They are both so fond of freedom and self-esteem that they can sacrifice anything such as money. Jo tries her best to become a writer and uses her aunt’s heritage to build a school while Jane is willing to share her money with her brother and enjoys being a teacher in a primary school. They spend their whole life insisting the dependence of women.

The other value of the book is the education of family. It is no secret that their mother Mrs. March benefits the growth of four women in despite of the absence of the father. On the one hand, the mother educates her kids by her behavior. Mrs. March always offers to take care of those who are in miserable conditions. In Christmas Day, she encourages her children to give up their gifts and their breakfast for the poor family near their house. On the other hands, she always provides some brilliant guidance to her confused kids. What impresses me most is the sentence that she gave her girls. ‘My dear girls, I am ambitious for you, but not to have you make a dash in the world.’ It tells the girls that the most important thing is to be happy and contented although they are in a poor condition instead of living without self-respect and peace. Maybe it is the education of the mother that helps Meg and Amy give up their pursuit of money and find their true love.

In a word, Little women is a wonderful work. Maybe the book wants to tell us that girls shouldn’t be defined by a stereotype and they have the power to control their lives.

2020-07-02

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