Little Women (Signet Classics) by Louisa May Alcott
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Book Reviews of Little Women (Signet Classics)
Book Review: A Wonderful, Awesome Book!!
Summary: 5 Stars
A timeless tale that has a special place in all of our hearts, Little Women. The magical story of four girls having adventures while they lay in wait for their father to come home from the Civil War. In this tale, Meg, the eldest, marries Mr. John Brooke, Teddy's tutor, and has the life she always wanted, like her mother. Meg moved down he road from her family, and had twins, Demijohn and Daisy, becoming the model mother she always wanted to be. After Jo had "scorned" Teddy's love for her, Teddy went off to Europe to sulk. Around that time, Beth was getting weaker. With all this stress, Jo went away to New York. There, she met Professor Bhaer. She fell in love with him as he helped her to cultivate her writings, helping her to write a book based on her childhood. He promised her that he would help her get it published. Beth was getting sicker and sicker, so Jo went home to help Beth. Beth died in Jo's arms. Professor Bhaer came to the March's doorstep to give Jo her published book. He asked Jo to marry him, she said yes. When Aunt March died, Jo inherited her plantation. She realized, I love boys, why not fill this house with boys that she would grow to love. So the plantation became "Jo's School for boys." The rooms were filled with the boys that she loved very much. Amy went abroad with Aunt March to help cultivate her art. There she met the crabby, snobbish, horrid side of Teddy that had come out because of Jo's answer. The more time they spent together in Europe, the more time they got to grow to love each other. They were married in Europe and Amy got the wealth and prominence she longed for as a child. This book is a wonderful tale for all. We all should read this book in our life. It belongs in our lives.
This book had very detailed characters. Teddy is so detailed in the book, and you can actually hear them talking and his point of view on things. When Teddy got in a fight with Mr. Laurence, his grandfather, about going to college, he was so mad that when Jo meekly knocked on his door, he fired a mean insult and threatened to hurt his grandfather if he knocked one more time. Amy, at times, can be very nice in the story, but other times she was lying to make herself seem bigger than she was, and would even the score pretty well. When Jo, Teddy, Meg, and John Brooke went to the theater, Amy begged and pleaded to go, but Jo was firm, when she said no, she meant no. As they were leaving, Amy yelled at the top of her lungs to Jo, and said, I will get you back! (Not the exact words) When they came back from the theater, Jo wanted to write, but she could not find her book. She asked around, and then saw Amy watching the fire burn her book! Jo started yelling that she hated her and never wanted to talk to Amy ever again. Amy never even said she was sorry. Jo gets very fired up when something bad happens to one of her friends or family. When Amy was in school, she got in trouble, and the teacher struck her hand, and she had to stand up in front of the whole class, humiliated. When Jo heard about this, she was yelling, writing nasty letters, and was thinking about go down there and giving that teacher a piece of his mind.
This story was very realistic. When Meg received John Brooke's invitation to wed, she refuses. Again and again, John asks, but she still says no. Rich, snobby Aunt March "overhears" and commends Meg for making such a decision, because John is dirt poor and money is one of the things that makes marriage run smoothly. Meg is appalled that Aunt March would say that. Aunt March also said that if she didn't marry in wealth, she would be cut out of her will. Meg tells Aunt March off, and tells her that John is a kind; caring, man and He would love her whether she was dirt poor or a princess. Then she realizes that she does love John, and she accepts the invitation to wed. Jo was asked to wed by Teddy, but she said no. The reason she said no was because they would always fight, like they did, with both of their tempers, they would never have a calm, cool, and collected argument, and they would never be really happy. Of course, Teddy did not understand at the time, but what Jo was trying to say was that she didn't want to be trapped in an unhappy marriage. Lastly, when Professor Bhaer proposed to Jo, He told her that his hands were empty. That meant that he would not have any money and could never buy the things that she would like. She replied, that his hands weren't empty anymore, and then she put her hands in his. This meant that she didn't care whether he had money or not, as long as he loved her, for she never cared about money, social status, or new clothes. She just loved Professor Bhaer.
This book was very long. I loved this book, but she kept explaining every single little detail. When Beth died, she didn't just die, she died with an expression on her face. An expression that showed that she was content and ready to die, because she knew that there was nothing that the doctor could do. An expression that sent Jo into crying uncontrollably when Jo died. An expression to make Hannah, the Marches "live in cook", into sobbing while she was cooking, and saying "Too young, she was too young. She had so much strength left. See what I mean? When Amy burned Jo's book she was writing, Jo kept thinking about it, which made her even madder. When Jo and Teddy went ice staking on the pond, Amy came, but Jo and Teddy ignored her. Then, Amy fell under the ice. After that, Jo beat herself up over being mean to Amy, she even thought about either running away, or being Amy's eternal servant. When Jo was apologizing to Amy, tears were flowing and flowing down her face, and, one half of the chapter was about Jo regretting ever being mad at her. During the book, Demi, Meg's son, would get out of the bed during the night to be with his mother. John would not allow this, so every time he got up, John would take him back to his room, talk to him about why he should not get up and pop his bottom. This would go on for pages and pages without any progress. Finally, he stopped.
This book is for everybody. I suggest for those to have the patience to read a book this long, I quite enjoyed it for it was a challenge; to read it and meditate on the lessons it shows us
B. Rimando
Book Review: A Wonderful, Awesome Book!!
Summary: 5 Stars
A timeless tale that has a special place in all of our hearts, Little Women. The magical story of four girls having adventures while they lay in wait for their father to come home from the Civil War. In this tale, Meg, the eldest, marries Mr. John Brooke, Teddy's tutor, and has the life she always wanted, like her mother. Meg moved down he road from her family, and had twins, Demijohn and Daisy, becoming the model mother she always wanted to be. After Jo had "scorned" Teddy's love for her, Teddy went off to Europe to sulk. Around that time, Beth was getting weaker. With all this stress, Jo went away to New York. There, she met Professor Bhaer. She fell in love with him as he helped her to cultivate her writings, helping her to write a book based on her childhood. He promised her that he would help her get it published. Beth was getting sicker and sicker, so Jo went home to help Beth. Beth died in Jo's arms. Professor Bhaer came to the March's doorstep to give Jo her published book. He asked Jo to marry him, she said yes. When Aunt March died, Jo inherited her plantation. She realized, I love boys, why not fill this house with boys that she would grow to love. So the plantation became "Jo's School for boys." The rooms were filled with the boys that she loved very much. Amy went abroad with Aunt March to help cultivate her art. There she met the crabby, snobbish, horrid side of Teddy that had come out because of Jo's answer. The more time they spent together in Europe, the more time they got to grow to love each other. They were married in Europe and Amy got the wealth and prominence she longed for as a child. This book is a wonderful tale for all. We all should read this book in our life. It belongs in our lives.
This book had very detailed characters. Teddy is so detailed in the book, and you can actually hear them talking and his point of view on things. When Teddy got in a fight with Mr. Laurence, his grandfather, about going to college, he was so mad that when Jo meekly knocked on his door, he fired a mean insult and threatened to hurt his grandfather if he knocked one more time. Amy, at times, can be very nice in the story, but other times she was lying to make herself seem bigger than she was, and would even the score pretty well. When Jo, Teddy, Meg, and John Brooke went to the theater, Amy begged and pleaded to go, but Jo was firm, when she said no, she meant no. As they were leaving, Amy yelled at the top of her lungs to Jo, and said, I will get you back! (Not the exact words) When they came back from the theater, Jo wanted to write, but she could not find her book. She asked around, and then saw Amy watching the fire burn her book! Jo started yelling that she hated her and never wanted to talk to Amy ever again. Amy never even said she was sorry. Jo gets very fired up when something bad happens to one of her friends or family. When Amy was in school, she got in trouble, and the teacher struck her hand, and she had to stand up in front of the whole class, humiliated. When Jo heard about this, she was yelling, writing nasty letters, and was thinking about go down there and giving that teacher a piece of his mind.
This story was very realistic. When Meg received John Brooke's invitation to wed, she refuses. Again and again, John asks, but she still says no. Rich, snobby Aunt March "overhears" and commends Meg for making such a decision, because John is dirt poor and money is one of the things that makes marriage run smoothly. Meg is appalled that Aunt March would say that. Aunt March also said that if she didn't marry in wealth, she would be cut out of her will. Meg tells Aunt March off, and tells her that John is a kind; caring, man and He would love her whether she was dirt poor or a princess. Then she realizes that she does love John, and she accepts the invitation to wed. Jo was asked to wed by Teddy, but she said no. The reason she said no was because they would always fight, like they did, with both of their tempers, they would never have a calm, cool, and collected argument, and they would never be really happy. Of course, Teddy did not understand at the time, but what Jo was trying to say was that she didn't want to be trapped in an unhappy marriage. Lastly, when Professor Bhaer proposed to Jo, He told her that his hands were empty. That meant that he would not have any money and could never buy the things that she would like. She replied, that his hands weren't empty anymore, and then she put her hands in his. This meant that she didn't care whether he had money or not, as long as he loved her, for she never cared about money, social status, or new clothes. She just loved Professor Bhaer.
This book was very long. I loved this book, but she kept explaining every single little detail. When Beth died, she didn't just die, she died with an expression on her face. An expression that showed that she was content and ready to die, because she knew that there was nothing that the doctor could do. An expression that sent Jo into crying uncontrollably when Jo died. An expression to make Hannah, the Marches "live in cook", into sobbing while she was cooking, and saying "Too young, she was too young. She had so much strength left. See what I mean? When Amy burned Jo's book she was writing, Jo kept thinking about it, which made her even madder. When Jo and Teddy went ice staking on the pond, Amy came, but Jo and Teddy ignored her. Then, Amy fell under the ice. After that, Jo beat herself up over being mean to Amy, she even thought about either running away, or being Amy's eternal servant. When Jo was apologizing to Amy, tears were flowing and flowing down her face, and, one half of the chapter was about Jo regretting ever being mad at her. During the book, Demi, Meg's son, would get out of the bed during the night to be with his mother. John would not allow this, so every time he got up, John would take him back to his room, talk to him about why he should not get up and pop his bottom. This would go on for pages and pages without any progress. Finally, he stopped.
This book is for everybody. I suggest for those to have the patience to read a book this long, I quite enjoyed it for it was a challenge; to read it and meditate on the lessons it shows us
B. Rimando
Book Review: Little Women
Summary: 5 Stars
Little Women's Dreaming Glasses
I have always had extremely vivid dreams. While asleep, I have been known to shout out loud to people in my life who are hard-of-hearing; speak French; throw punches; laugh; and carry on lengthy one-sided conversations. Throughout these dramas, I am treated to Technicolor images playing on the back of my eyelids.
At one point in my life, a friend suggested I talk with a psychologist who was well-known for her expertise in deciphering dreams. To be honest, I was pretty skeptical. It sounded like either fortune-telling, or a waste of my time, or perhaps both. Talking with this woman, however, turned out to be incredibly helpful. She did not tell me about myself, my life, or my dreams: instead, as the best guides do, she gave me the tools to find my own insights.
Surely, this is what our best writers and most influential teachers have done for us, as well. When people write a good story, or help us to interpret those stories, they are offering us a new set of glasses to try on - a set of glasses through which we may catch a different way of looking at ourselves and our world. These glasses, whether they are labeled "Marxist", "Christian", "Feminist", "Jungian", or what-have-you, may give us deeper insight into parts of our own personality, or they may give us a view of a part of the world we've never even considered.
In the case of the above-mentioned psychologist, she suggested I look at each object or person in my dream and see it as a representation of ...ME. So, the ugly couch is me; the thunderstorm in the background is me; the broken teapot is me, as is the table it is sitting on .... This may not help me understand every aspect of my dreams, nor every dream I have, but it is a great starting point. I have also found this to be true in my personal reading. Even if the purpose of reading a certain book is to learn about something completely foreign to you, it helps to get a foothold by finding a familiar aspect, something to which you can relate.
Recently, I started reading Louisa May Alcott's "Little Women". This lovely little book is, unfortunately, one of many of the "classics" that I have never read. Despite the fact that I love to read, I do find "The Canon" (capitals completely intentional) rather daunting. I was surprised, then, to find myself wholly sucked in to what could be criticized as a overly simple, moralizing story, written too long ago to be relevant, in words which may now seem stilted. What could Jo, Amy, Beth, and Meg have to say to a modern woman, more than 130 years later? Why, as I devour the pages of their story, do I feel such love and sympathy for them?
And then, I realize, in the clarity of thought that often comes as I put down a book for the night and just before sleep takes me, that these characters are ... ME. Scholars and historians who have studied the life and writings of Louisa May Alcott attest to the autobiographical aspects of "Little Women", and how Louisa created the character of "Jo" to represent herself. As I am reading, I sympathize with Jo - her stubbornness, her tomboyish ways, her fierce loyalty to her sisters and her family, her writing, her bossiness. So, at first, I say, "I am Jo." But then I realize I relate to Beth, too, especially as members of her family protect her, with her perhaps overly sensitive heart, and her health problems. And - admit it, ladies, even the toughest among us - who doesn't want, in some corner of her soul, to be "petted" and admired at times, like the little princess Amy wants to be; or to be the nurturer, older sister, eventual wife and mother, Meg. And, hey, guys, who knew that "Little Women" might be a better guide to understanding the females in your life than anything contemporary pop psychologists are writing?
And so, with the help of this classic, I have touched base with parts of myself I haven't acknowledged in a while. The way symbols and themes and people may show up in your dreams, though you haven't consciously thought of them for a long time. This is why the great stories truly last.
Author of "Hobo Finds A Home" editor "Of A Predatory Heart"
Book Review: A Timeless Work Teaches Important Lessons for Today
Summary: 5 Stars
Having not read Little Women in many decades, I was drawn back to the book by my love of visiting the Alcott family home, Orchard House, in Concord, Massachusetts. I plan to re-visit that wonderful home and want to refresh my recollections of Little Women before doing so. By the way, if you have a chance to visit Orchard House, I strongly recommend that you do. Your sense of Little Women will expand.
As I re-read these delightful pages, I found myself comparing Little Women to Pride and Prejudice, that outstanding work that captures human psychology so well. The comparison made me see new depths in Little Women that convince me that Little Women is by far the stronger work.
But my biggest reaction was how modern the views in the book are. Women should have education, access to opportunities to develop their interests and marriage to men who will complement them. People should be concerned about each other and help one another, lest any person's life be harmed or feelings hurt in the process.
I also noticed how complete a community of loving women can be within the same family.
The writing style is beautifully spare. The key point of a chapter may turn on two or three words. And then, everything changes in the twinkling of an eye.
Being a long book, Ms. Alcott has plenty of chances to develop her characters and she does so beautifully . . . allowing Meg, Jo, Beth, Amy and Laurie to grow and change as they age.
I also came to appreciate more the scope of the book, taking the young women from teenage years through the first few years of marriage. It's a time period that few books consider. Usually, it's all over when the marriage happens. I like this approach better.
Should you read Little Women? Does the sun rise in the East?
If you haven't read Little Women, you've missed great role models for how to be a parent, spouse and child.
Here's the story in a nutshell: During the Civil War, Mr. March is away serving as a chaplain in the Union army. Mrs. March (Marmee) and her four daughters are at home in the cold north making do on small income with the help of one servant, Hannah. As the story opens, the March family is facing a frugal Christmas. But events soon take an unexpected turn and their hearts are filled with gladness. Jo makes an unexpected and most humorous acquaintance of the Laurence boy (Theodore, known as Laurie) who lives next door with old Mr. Laurance, his grandfather. The two families draw upon one another for strength and friendships grow. Illness intercedes making the two families even more dependent on one another. One by one, the children move into adulthood, deal with their romantic feelings and form their alliances.
The characters of each child are quite different, allowing Ms. Alcott to explore the contrasts by putting them together in various private and social occasions. Meg is beautiful and much admired. She should attract many suitors. Jo is energetic, self-absorbed and talented in writing (the character closest to Ms. Alcott herself). Beth is very kind and yet fragile. Amy is the social climber in the family . . . and the pet. Laurie has an artistic temperament, but finds himself expected to play an heir's role.
You'll long remember with delight the stories of their thespian performances, games, dances and social visits. Although the book makes up a wonderfully detailed novel, the chapters are written almost as stand-alone short stories that pack a powerful punch in their modeling of good behavior.
What a joy!
Book Review: An American Classic & A Superb Read!!
Summary: 5 Stars
I first read Louisa May Alcott's "Little Women" the summer between 4th and 5th grades. I was absolutely riveted by the story and characters and clearly remember sitting on the porch steps, my nose in the book. I cried when I reached the conclusion, because I was afraid that I had just read the best book in the world, and that I would never find anything else as good. The local librarian convinced me otherwise. I cannot recommend this novel highly enough - for people of all ages. It will always have a special place in my heart.
Ms. Alcott writes about four young women, living in New England, during a period of much strife in America - the Civil War. They are self sufficient, creative and well educated, and each chooses a different life path, traditional and non. Considering the period when the book was written, the author's views on opportunities open to females, restricted though they were by society, is refreshing and liberating. Of course, this was not my focus as a nine year-old. The novel is long, but that never bothered me as a young girl, or much later when I reread it. I didn't want the story to end, actually.
Sisters Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy March and their beloved Marmee, (who offers her daughters guidance, comfort and unconditional love), learn to live in genteel poverty while their father, a doctor, is away treating wounded soldiers. This beautifully written classic, chronicles the girls' adolescence through womanhood, with all their trial, tribulations, and joys.
Much of the novel focuses on Jo, the second daughter, and a gifted writer. She is very much a tomboy, and an avid reader who writes plays which the girls act-out with delight and exuberance. When they meet their new next-door neighbor, the wealthy, lonely Theodore Laurence, (called Laurie), they befriend him and invite him to become the only male member of their exclusive theater ensemble. Laurie becomes an important person in all of their lives, and the March family in his. Margaret, (Meg), the oldest, is quite lovely - a young woman with traditional values and tastes. Sensitive Elizabeth, (Beth), is the most fragile sister -quiet, caring and timid. And Amy, the youngest, is a gifted artist, with a tremendous sense of self-importance.
Together they cope with their father's absence and their fear for his safety, severe illness in the family, a death, lack of money precluding many of life's small luxuries, romance, love, marriage and many glorious adventures. In the second part of the novel, Meg marries, Jo's writing becomes a priority, as does Amy's art. During a time of impoverishment, they learn how good it feels to give to those who are much needier than themselves. This aspect of the book is very moving. Ms Alcott brings her characters to life on the page. All of them, even minor personages, are extremely well developed.
"Little Women" was first published in two parts in 1868 and 1869. The author drew from her own childhood experiences to dramatize the lives of the March family. The character "Marmee" is based on her own mother, Abigail May, (Abba), Alcott, whom she described as having: "A great heart that was home for all." Like Marmee, Abba was loving and passionate about women's rights, temperance, and abolition. A truly compelling and wise novel!
JANA