Alcott brings up several moral
themes throughout Little Women which
we’ve discussed in class - one of the most significant being the importance of
being genuine and staying true to yourself over seeking wealth. At the
beginning of the novel, the girls receive a letter from their father and vow to
play Pilgrim’s Progress so that they may improve upon themselves in the search
for goodness and happiness (Alcott 11). Still, it takes time for Meg, Jo, and
Amy’s characters to truly learn their lessons - there are several mistakes the
sisters make before improving. Meg impulsively buys silks and sets unrealistic
expectations for herself as a housewife just to keep up with society (263). Jo
loses part of her identity, even if briefly, during her time in New York. She
writes sensationalist stories for the Weekly Volcano although she doesn’t agree
them, because “in those dark ages, even all-perfect America read rubbish,” and
she could quickly make money by catering to the masses (317). Amy struggles throughout
most of the novel, constantly trying to impress others and focusing on marrying
rich.
In all of these examples that Alcott highlights, it’s
worth mentioning that the role of men is important to the moral realizations of
the sisters. Meg needs John Brooke to show her that she doesn’t need a fancy
home to be happy, and rather learns “to love her husband better for his
poverty, because it seemed to have made a man of him” (263). Jo doesn’t truly see
the err in her ways until Professor Bhaer, who she holds in the highest
regards, denounces the stories she’s written (326). Amy learns from her love
with Laurie (and from her lack of love with Fred) that when two people love
each other, “it doesn’t matter a particle how old they are nor how poor” (417).
Meg, Jo, and Amy all find men who balance them and their flaws out, and they
don’t truly learn their most important lessons until they find them. It’s
interesting to me that Alcott’s book is certainly feminist in that it teaches
women to make a life for themselves. It is also, however, realistic to the time
it was written in, when a woman’s identity was not formed independently, and
rather, was dependent on finding a man to marry.
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ReplyDeleteThe Family and Fables of Little Women
Little Women paints a narrative of four sisters marked by financial struggle and naïveté, but ultimately succeed through the tightly woven support of the family. This is embodied through the fable like episodes that the story is broken into, and how each chapter ends with the family reconvening and reflecting on the lessons they’ve learned by interacting with each other and the world around them.
No quote better illustrates this narrative that on page 88, when Mrs. March reflects “don’t let the sun go down upon your anger; forgive each other, help each other, and begin tomorrow. (Alcott 88)” This quote alludes not only to her principle, but Alcott’s strategy when constructing the episodic stories of the March family. “Forgive each other, help each other, and begin tomorrow” is highly reminiscent of the self contained storylines per chapter, and how the characters seem to ‘begin again’ the next chapter, only to come upon another lesson in life by the end of their next adventure. At the end of each chapter, however, Alcott makes every lesson tie in to the betterment of the family. Meg learns how to be more down to earth to respect her family roots, Amy learns how to connect with her family and develop a ladylike persona, and Jo steps into a breadwinning role for the family. According to Mrs. March, “the love, respect, and confidence of my children was the sweetest reward I could receive for my efforts to be the woman I would have them copy.(90)” The emphasis is continued to be on the improvement of the family, even in the scope of developing femininity.
An example of how prioritized family is comes when Aunt March offers to adopt a child. Even though this is seen as a generally noble thing to do, both parents reject the idea, claiming that it would come in the way of how closely knit the family can stay together. This is a clear indication that the values imprinted on the March family are of unity, and although other traits are fostered, none compete with the tightly woven relationship each family member has to each other.
“Rich or poor, we will keep together and be happy in one another.(43)” This quote resonates with the themes present from the beginning to the very end of the book. Even in near poverty, the March family supported each other in a highly prioritized manner, (i.e. moving to New York to allow Beth to pursue her romantic dreams, Meg selling her hair for wagon tickets, etc), which are all emblematic of where each characters values lie. The epicenter of each characters problems and solutions are at the heart of family, which is why I believe that interpersonal relationships drive the narrative, not just its feminist message. There is no doubt that Little Women is inarguably a feminist classic, but its story truly revolves around its episodic fables, personal development, and a massive emphasis on family values in the 19th century.
Your point about how the men in the lives of the March sisters are critical to their journeys to become the best version of themselves is a really good one, especially with regard to Amy and Jo. Professor Bhaer and Jo balance each other perfectly; Jo needs someone to stop her from making authorial decisions that compromise her morality and who is mild-mannered enough to help her keep her temper under control. Bhaer, on the other hand, needs someone with youthful energy to help him stay energetic and who is organized, counterbalancing his scatterbrainedness. So their marriage comes across as a rather healthy choice for Jo when you compare it to Laurie, who she would have fought with constantly and ultimately been unhappy with if she’d married him. Similarly, Amy’s marriage to Laurie also seems unexpected but makes sense objectively. Setting aside Amy’s desire to be rich that is fulfilled by Laurie’s wealth aside, Amy and Laurie counteract each other’s faults fairly well. For Amy, Laurie is a truly good person, unselfish and kind, which keeps Amy’s self-centeredness in check. For Laurie, Amy has the ability to control her emotions and not let anything show if it suits her, and this control will teach Laurie how not to be so sentimental. While yes, he is heartbroken over Jo, his marriage to Amy is what he needs to lead him into adulthood.
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