Little Women12/17/98The book Little Women was written by Louisa May Alcott in 1867. Louisa May wrote Little Women based on the life she actually knew. In the book you can find things that relate to her life, like Jos painful beginning as an author and Beths death, which was based on the lost of her own sister of the same name.
When she must give Jo a husband she is awkward, and with good reason: in real life Jo never had a suitor or a love-affair. She knew Jo as she knew no other being on earth. Alcott died in 1888. The beginning of the story takes place in New England, during the Civil War, and goes on for several years telling the life of the March sisters. The story begins on Christmas Eve, with father away, fighting in the War, and showing how hard it is to live in that time with no money and four young girls turning into women.
Time goes by and the girls go to other places, such as London, Paris and New York, they go in different times and for different reasons. In this book we have many characters, the main ones are: the March sisters, Mrs. March and Laurie. Margaret March, was the oldest.
She was the prettiest one, very plump and fair, with large eyes, brown hair. Meg was really sweet and would do anything for her sisters. At the beginning, like every teenager, Meg tries to impress on parties and marry well, but as the story goes on, she changes, she realizes how people really are, how her friends dont care about her feelings, and talk behind her back. She falls in love with John, Lauries tutor, a very kind gentleman but very poor.
They have twins: a boy, Demi; and a girl, Daisy. Josephine March was very tall, thin and brown, and reminded one of a colt, she had a comical nose, and sharp, gray eyes. Her long, thick hair was her one beauty. Jo was a tomboy and never cared much for parties or boys, her best friend, besides her sisters, was Laurie. She had a very decided mouth, which she learned to control with her mothers help. Jo was very caring with her family as you can see by the fact the she cut her hair off to give her mother some money, to help her father.
She used to be a companion to crotchet old Aunt March. After a few years she goes to New York and becomes a newspaper writer. She marries a German Professor, Mr. Friedrich Bhaer, and has 6 boys. Elizabeth March was a rosy, smooth-hared, bright-eyed girl, with a shy manner, a timid voice, and a peaceful expression.
She loved to play the piano that Mr. Laurence, Lauries grandfather, gave to her. Beth was like an angel, always ready to help. Jo was her best friend, she would share with her older sister all her fears and doubts. Beth got the Scarlet Fever, while she was trying to help a German family; she got better, after a few days, thanks to her family support, but her health was forever affected and she was never the same. She died a few years later, at home, close to her family and dearest friends.
Amy March was the youngest one, she was a regular snow maiden, with blue eyes and yellow hair curling on her shoulders, pale and slender, and always carrying herself like a young lady mindful of her manners. Amy was really selfish, she was always trying to say the most complex words. She always tried to look perfect, so she would put a clothespin on her stubby nose to try to make it pointy. When she got older, she went to France with Aunt March, to become an artist.
She married Laurie after Jo refused to marry him. Mrs. March was a hard-working, caring and loving mother. She always tried to teach the girl the best way to resolve their problems, and always supported them.
When Mr. March went to the War, Marmee did her best: she got a job; she would help the less fortunate, even knowing she didnt have enough money for her own family; and she took care of the girls, showing them how to learn from their own mistakes and that love was the most important thing. Theodore Laurence was the girls neighbor, he had curly black hair, brown skin, big black eyes, handsome nose, fine teeth, small hands and feet, very tall and polite. He was living with his grandfather and with his tutor; he was very lonely until he met Jo in a party, while they were both trying to hide from the other guests. He loved music and didnt want to go to College, but his grandpa made him.
Laurie like to be on plays with the girls, he was Roderigo; Laurie became like the Marchs old brother and they had wonderful times together. He fell in love with Jo and asked her to marry him, but she did not accept, first because she thought Beth loved him, and second, because they were too different and would argue a lot. After Jo refused him, he went to London for a few months and married Amy. Miss Alcott portraits the joys and trials of growing up. She shows us through the experiences of the girls during their lives: like when Marmee must leave to nurse Father, who is badly wounded, and when Beth gets sick.
The girls grow into women – Meg prepares for marriage, Jo tries to be a writer, Amy goes to Europe to study painting, and Beth, at home, give gentle encouragement to their dreams. I think the author describes too much every single thing, for example, she takes 10 pages to explain how Jo feels when she cuts her hair off. Its a very long book and by the middle you start to get bored and you cant wait for the end of it. I love to read, but this book is really boring, especially when they start to send letters to each other. I recommend everybody to watch the movie, which is really cool, but do not read the book, its too complex.
