Little Women-Book Review

A BOOK REVIEW- BY
TAARINI-KUMAR
CLASS-XII-E
TITLE - Little Women
AUTHOR - Lousia May Alcott
CONTENT:
BOOK REVIEW
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
CHARACTERS
THEME
SETTING
PLOT
PERSONAL OPINION
CONCLUSION
Book Review:
Literature are images or impressions of daily life in society. These images
even though are not exact reflection, yet, they usually match between
reality and fiction of a novel.
This novel Little Women is written by Louisa May Alcott, one of the best
novelists of classic novels.
About the author:
Louisa May Alcott is one of most famous American’s female writers in the
late 19th century. She was born in Germantown, Pennsylvania on 29
November 1832.
Louisa experienced a lot of emotional conflict, so writing has always been
a way to express her feelings. Since the age of 7, she started writing a
diary and when she entered teenage, she began writing short stories,
fairy tales and novels. As the second daughter, she partly felt responsible
for the financial needs of her family. Published in 1868, Little Women was
set in the Alcott family home, Orchard House in Concord, Massachusetts
and was loosely based on Alcott’s childhood experiences with her three
sisters. Alcott was an abolitionist and a feminist. She never married, and
she died in Boston.
Characters:
In this novel, Alcott talks about the life of four daughters of March family.
Meg, the oldest of the March sisters, is responsible and kind. She is
pretty, simple, loving and she is interested in the luxurious things in life.
Jo, the second oldest of the March sisters and is the protagonist of the
novel. She hates romance in her real life because she is a tomboy woman.
Beth, the third March sister, is very shy and timid. She loves music, her
doll collection, and her many cats too. Amy, the youngest March sisters
is, a little artist and a very important person (according to her own).
Mother or Marmee - the mother of the March girls tries very hard to raise
her girls to be little women (intelligent, kind and modest). Marmee is the
moral role model for her girls. She counsels them through all of their
problems and works hard but happily, while her husband is in the war.
Mr. March, the father of the March family is in the war at the beginning
of the story. He is a very intelligent and philosophical man. The character
of Jo, is the reflection of Alcott’s personality, so it dominates the story.
Theme:
Little Women is a morality tale. Each chapter not only contains the lives
and adventures of the four sisters, but also lessons on how to be a good
person, and how to achieve happiness in life. It also teaches about female
independence against poverty’s life. This novel also contains story that
has sacrificial and humanity values, either between March family or the
other people.
Setting:
Little Women is set in the 1860s in a New England town modelled on
Concord, Massachusetts. It revolves around the March’s family’s home,
with Mr. March away, who serves as a clergyman for soldiers fighting in
the Civil War. The four daughters and their mother remain at home,
struggling to live as comfortable as possible under the circumstances.
Plot:
The overall plot of the novel is simple. Four girls begin the story as teens
and each of them matures through a variety of experiences to enter
adulthood. As they grow, they learn values on things of worth and they
establish their individual priorities. Initially the March family is in poverty,
so Jo March and her sisters work hard to keep all of them together. Then
sometime later, they receive a letter that says Mr. March is seriously ill.
The letter makes everyone sad. Then they realise that they don’t have
enough money to go to Washington DC. Marmee goes to treat him as Jo
sells her hair to finance the trip. While Mrs. March is in Washington, the
baby of Hummel family is very ill which soon results in Baby’s death of
scarlet fever. Beth is confined to bed and Amy is sent to Aunt March’s
house because of the fear of her catching the fever. Beth is on the brink
of death until Marmee returns. Finally, the fever breaks. Later, the story
tells about Mr. Brooke who will get a job and that he asks Meg to marry
him. Jo is very upset at the prospect of loosing her sister, but Marmee
tries to comfort her. On Christmas Day, Mr. March returns home. The
girls are happy to see him and finally the March family is complete.
Personal Opinion:
Each chapter of this novel not only contains the lives and adventures of
the four sisters, but also lessons on how to be a good person, and how to
achieve happiness in life. It also teaches that we should possess virtues of
faith, simplicity, goodness, self-sacrifice, tenderness, affection,
sentimentality and modesty. This book shows how in all times, love and
hope are the most faithful companions when all other aspects. Honestly
and true intentions are really the most valuable possessions one can
have. This novel shows us beauty of simplicity and the importance of the
small human deeds that count in real life even though they cannot be
visibly seen.
Conclusion:
This book shows how in all times, love and hope are the most faithful
companions when all other aspects. Honestly and true intentions are
really the most valuable possessions one can have. This novel shows us
beauty of simplicity and the importance of the small human deeds that
count in real life even though they can not be visibly seen. The unique
thing about it is that it is based on a completely true story of Louisa May
Alcott’s own life. The unlikely twist in this story makes it depict more
humanity.

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