What’s in it for me? A heartwarming coming-of-age tale that continues to inspire.
It was the late 1860s, and Louisa May Alcott didn’t like writing stories about girls.
By her own admission, she preferred to write stories about boys.
But both her father and her publisher convinced her to give it a shot, and the result was an instant success that may have even been ahead of its time in its humane and realist approach to storytelling.
In order to carry out her assignment of Little Women, Alcott drew from her own experiences as the second oldest of four sisters.
Indeed, the character of Jo March, a brash and energetic tomboy who aspires to be a writer, is a clear stand-in for Alcott herself.
The action also takes place in a Massachusetts town, very similar to that of Concord, MA, where the Alcotts resided for many years.
The first volume of Little Women was a hit, so a second volume was published a year later, in 1869.
Since then, the story of the March sisters, Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy, has been an enduring favorite, adapted to stage and screen many times over.
The book has proved to be a classic coming-of-age tale, with the title referring to those difficult transitional teenage years when the March sisters were called on to leave the innocence of childhood behind and learn to become adults.
Love Thy Neighbor
It was Christmas, and the four March sisters, Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy, were determined to make the best of it.
It wasn’t easy.
Meg, the oldest at sixteen years of age, hated the fact that the family had very little money these days.
Jo, a year younger than Meg, also had to wonder whether Christmas can really be Christmas without any presents.
Meanwhile, 13-year-old Beth hoped she would still be allowed to spend a little money and buy some new sheet music, while 12-year-old Amy longed for some new drawing pencils.
This less-than-ideal Christmas was the result of a couple extraordinary factors.
Years ago, when the sisters were quite young, their father, Robert March, lost a good deal of money trying to help out a friend.
Since then, the Marches had not enjoyed the level of comfort and wealth they once did.
But the more pressing matter was the ongoing American Civil War.
Mr.
March had enlisted to become a chaplain for the Union Army, meaning the four sisters were without a father this Christmas.
The war also meant that the matriarch of the family, Margaret – or “Marmee” as she is known among the siblings – believed that with so many men suffering in the army, the family could show their respects by not wasting money on frivolous pleasures.
Meg agreed that this was a sacrifice they should all make gladly, even though she admitted that she herself couldn’t quite rise to the “gladly” part.
But the family would make an even nobler sacrifice that morning.
When they got downstairs for breakfast, their mother explained that a nearby family, the Hummels, had six starving children with nothing at all to eat.
Marmee asked her daughters, would they give their breakfast to the Hummels as a Christmas present?
There was a pause, but then Jo spoke up, thanking her mother for speaking up before they began eating.
Quickly, the food was wrapped up and they all walked over to the Hummels to deliver the much needed and appreciated food.
Their sacrifice didn’t go unnoticed by their neighbors, the Laurences, who lived in a grand house across the way.
The house was occupied by Mr.
James Laurence, and his grandson Theodore – who more often went by either Laurie or Teddy.
Laurie was often holed up in the big house reading, studying and practicing the piano.
He had a habit of peering out his window and taking note of the games and lively activities that the March sisters were always engaged in.
That Christmas, Laurie brought the selfless actions of the March family to his grandfather’s attention, and a feast of cakes, bonbons, ice creams, and flowers awaited them on the dinner table.
Jo has a hunch that the “Laurence boy” was behind this, and her suspicions were eventually confirmed by the elder Mr.
Laurence.
Before this warmhearted gesture, the relationship between the Marches and the Lawrences had been mostly polite and formal.
But afterward, the two households grew quite close.
Jo always had a good feeling about Laurie, and the rest of the sisters found Jo’s intuition to be spot on.
The young gentleman – he was just a little bit older than Jo – was smart, polite, honest, and in need of the kind of imaginative fun that the sisters specialized in.
Laurie eventually took part in the plays that the sisters would put on, and joined the Pickwick Club, the secret society that the sisters created.
While many of the March sisters had previously thought Laurie’s grandfather was an intimidating figure, it turned out he was actually very kind.
He was grateful for the lively spirit that the sisters brought into his world.
Especially Beth.
She was the shyest of the sisters, but also the most talented musician.
Mr.
Laurence ended up gifting his baby grand piano to Beth who was beyond grateful, for the upright piano in the March house was old and worn out.
Through closeness to the Laurences, the March sisters are also introduced to Laurie’s tutor, John Brooke.
Okay.
Let’s put a pin in the story here, since we’ve just met nearly all of the major characters.
In the first couple of chapters, we get to know the four sisters rather well.
We know that Meg is the one who is most concerned with wealth and all of the trappings and comforts that comes with it.
As the oldest of the sisters, she best remembers what life was like before the family lost its money.
Jo is, in some ways, the opposite.
She hates sentimental nonsense and likes “boyish” things like climbing trees, racing, and other activities that Meg would consider unladylike.
At one point, in order to help the cash-strapped family, she cuts off her hair and sells it, much to Meg’s horror.
We also learn that Jo is a voracious reader and an aspiring writer, having written some of the plays that the sisters put on.
In one of the most memorable early scenes in the book, Amy is jealous of Jo’s friendly relationship with Laurie and burns one of her journals, in which she was writing poetry and short stories.
Jo doesn’t believe she’ll ever forgive Amy, who immediately becomes contrite and apologetic for her action.
But Jo is stubborn, and doesn’t want anything to do with her sister.
Then, when trying to make amends and join Jo and Laurie as they go ice skating, Amy falls into the water and nearly drowns.
She’s rescued by Laurie and Jo, and the sisterly bond is mended, but it serves to remind Jo of her inability to control her temper.
If Amy had died as a result of being shunned by Jo, she’d never forgive herself.
She promises to be better.
One of the continuing themes in Little Women is having a self-awareness of our shortcomings and wanting to do better.
Beth knows that there are more important things in life than money, parties, and fancy clothes.
Jo knows that she has a temper that needs to be better controlled.
Throughout the story, Marmee is there to remind her “little women” of the virtues of modesty, being a good neighbor, and practicing self-control.
In a conversation with Jo, Marmee reveals that she too once had trouble controlling her temper – and that she still experiences anger, but that over the years, by being diligent, she has learned to control it.
In the following sections we’ll see how the sisters continue to be tested, and how they are able to learn from their experiences and – more often than not – rise to the occasion.
Growing Pains
It was June 1st and the sisters wanted to conduct an experiment.
Meg usually had to work as a governess for the King family, but they were going on vacation so she had the next three months off.
So, wouldn’t it be wonderful if they could all forget their duties, if just for a little while?
Everyone thought so.
Everyone except perhaps for Mrs.
March who, to prove a point, also decided to step away from household duties.
Much of the house soon became a mess, and a week into the experiment Beth’s pet canary Pip died in his cage from neglect.
It was a tragic thing and Beth was heartbroken and miserable with guilt over the matter.
Jo faced a crisis of her own by trying to throw a dinner party that failed to result in one edible dish.
Even the desert of fruit and cream managed to contain salt rather than the intended sugar.
The week-long experiment did provide results though.
Jo admitted that being lazy and thinking only of oneself doesn’t pay off, and everyone agreed that life was better when plans were made and responsibilities were taken care of.
In fact, all of the sisters gave themselves a great task to accomplish before the summer holidays were over.
It was part of an endeavor known as the Busy Bee Society.
When Laurie began to ask questions about this project, he learned that each of the sisters had what they called a “castle in the air,” which was essentially their most perfect dream life.
Meg’s was to have a luxurious home full of handsome furniture and pleasant people.
Jo would have a stable full of horses and a house full of books, where she would write popular stories.
Meanwhile, Amy wished to go to Rome and be the world’s most celebrated artist, while Beth was content with her piano, and staying at home with her mother and father.
Jo’s ideal future was getting closer to becoming a reality, as she recently began to sell some short stories to a local newspaper.
Beth’s future, however, became highly uncertain in the months that followed.
A telegram arrived notifying the family that their father had been wounded.
This prompted Mrs.
March, accompanied by Laurie’s tutor John Brooke, to head to the hospital in Washington D.
C.
where Mr.
March was recovering.
With Marmee gone, Beth began to regularly visit the Hummels and help to care for them and look after their sick child.
That child ended up tragically dying in Beth’s arms, and to make matters worse she contracted the illness herself – scarlet fever.
Jo had already survived the fever, so she could help look after Beth.
For her safety, Amy was sent to live with Aunt March, a wealthy relative who’d taken a liking to Amy.
Further complications ensued, however, as around this time Jo found out that a romance had been brewing between Meg and John Brooke.
So now it felt to Jo as if she were on the verge of losing two sisters – one to scarlet fever and the other to Mr.
Brooke.
Eventually Mrs.
March learned of Beth’s illness and quickly returned home.
In addition to lifting Beth’s spirits, Marmee was also able to provide some calm to Jo.
She told her that Mr.
Brooke had been of great service to the family while in Washington, and that’d he’d explained to both Mr.
and Mrs.
March that he loved Meg and had only the most honorable of intentions.
Both parents were supportive of the union.
All of this was put on hold however, as Christmas day arrived once again and, as if by some holiday miracle, Mr.
March strode through the front door to be reunited with his family.
Beth’s health had recovered sufficiently enough that she could hug her father and be thankful that the past year without him was finally over.
So, at this point we’ve reached the end of the book’s first volume.
The meaning behind the phrase “little women” should be pretty clear.
Over the full year that this section covers, the teenaged characters are inching closer to becoming adult women – especially Meg and Jo.
Meg is about to get married, and Jo is starting to sell her writing.
In this section, we also get a deeper sense of just how strong the sisterhood is.
They put on plays together, they have a secret society, they form groups like the Pickwick Club and the Busy Bee Society, and they share their hopes and dreams by describing their “castles in the air.
” All of this reinforces the heartache that Jo feels when Beth gets sick, Amy is forced to leave, and Meg seems on the verge of getting married.
The sisterhood seems to be falling apart just as their father arrives back home and the family is once again reunited.
It’s a happy ending to the first half of the book, but an uncertain one.
In the section that follows, we’ll pick up these threads and bring the story to a close.
Love Lost and Found
Three years after returning home from the war, Mr.
March had resumed his role as a beloved neighborhood minister.
The war was over, though not before Mr.
Brooke had served a year in the army and was wounded.
When he returned home he took up a job as a bookkeeper, determined to make enough money to support Meg, his soon-to-be wife.
Jo’s head was still in her books, and she was still getting stories published in the paper at a constant pace.
Indeed, she won a hundred dollar prize for entering a contest with a romantic adventure story.
Meanwhile, Amy’s relationship with Aunt March grew closer.
Her wealthy benefactor had agreed to pay for art lessons with a world class teacher.
As for Beth, she continued to struggle after her bout with scarlet fever.
She wasn’t bedridden but she never returned to her old self, either.
Laurie was in the process of finishing his college career, but he was there when Meg and John’s wedding took place and everyone was in their finest summer attire.
But before vows could be said, Laurie got Jo flustered by telling her she’d be the next to get married.
Jo didn’t want to hear it, and certainly didn’t believe it.
To which Laurie had to blush and tell her, well, it’s only because you never give anyone a chance!
As for Meg, being a housewife didn’t come easy.
Fortunately, her mother was there to remind her that both Meg and John had their own shortcomings and it would take patience to be gracious in forgiving them.
The following summer their children, twins nicknamed Demi and Daisy, arrived with much joy throughout the family.
Meanwhile, during her time with Aunt March, Amy had been growing fond of her proximity to high society.
Jo, on the other hand, had no interest in observing all the snobbish rituals that came with it.
If she had more respect for a grocer's son than a man who is related to an English lord, she wasn’t going to pretend otherwise just because they were at a formal party.
Aunt March didn’t fail to notice this, so when it came time for her to book her trip abroad, she skipped over Jo and decided to take Amy as her companion instead.
Jo was hurt but tried to remain stoic and happy for Amy.
But when the ship set sail, everyone was in tears.
Not long after Amy went on her European tour, Jo and Laurie got into a difficult quarrel.
Once again, Laurie was trying to flirt with Jo, and once again all attempts were thoroughly rebuffed.
But this time, Jo could sense that Laurie was being more than just playful.
He desperately wanted Jo to return his affection in kind, but Jo simply couldn’t.
She didn’t feel that way about her friend.
In speaking to her mother, Marmee agreed.
They were too much alike.
If they got into a serious relationship, it was bound to be a disaster.
So it was decided that Jo would go away for the winter to New York, to become a governess for a family they knew well.
The hope was that the separation would help Laurie get over his misguided romantic notions.
While in New York, Jo meets Professor Friedrich Bhaer – deemed by Jo to be a German gentleman of good character – and his orphaned nephews Franz and Emil.
They all got along so well that Jo believed she’d made a friend worth keeping her entire life, and she invited him to visit her when her stay in New York ended.
Upon her return, Jo and the rest of the family attended Laurie’s graduation services.
And, as you might expect, Laurie’s fondness for Jo had not diminished while she was away.
In fact, much to her dismay, Laurie took this opportunity to confess his long-standing love for Jo.
All she could do was try to talk sense into him, to explain that she would never have that same kind of love for him.
It didn’t end well.
After much back and forth between the two, Laurie grew bitter and stomped away.
It was misery for Laurie, and for Jo too, as she felt as though she had betrayed her dearest friend.
When Laurie returned home, Mr.
Laurence gave him the idea of going with him to Europe.
It was only then, when he thought of leaving Jo behind, that his heart truly broke.
Meanwhile, Beth was not well.
Everyone could see it in her face, but no one spoke of it.
Word of her failing health reached Amy in France, just before Laurie arrived.
Amy greeted him with a big hug and the two ended up accompanying each other to a ball.
Laurie was completely taken by Amy and surprised by how she had shaken off her shyness since he saw her last, and Amy was just as taken by Laurie and the way he kept coming back for one dance after another that night.
Laurie was supposed to move on after his visit with Amy, but he lingered for a month.
But Amy soon realized that the poor young man didn’t know what to do with himself.
Her friends took to calling him Lazy Laurence and it prompted Amy to give him a wake up call, to help him realize that he was wasting his potential for being good, useful, and happy, and choosing instead to be passive and miserable.
She roused him from his self-pity and as he left he sent his thank-you’s to Amy.
She was glad to see him go, but would nevertheless miss him dearly.
Before long, however, Amy and Laurie were reunited when word reached them both that Beth had passed.
While they awaited the return of Amy, the family grieved the loss of Beth by coming together and supporting one another.
Jo felt that, for perhaps the first time, she could talk to her father as an adult, and not as a child.
Jo also felt that Meg had quickly become a strong woman, and how John, Meg and the children all benefited from one another.
But Jo was having trouble coping with it all, until finally her mother reminded her of the one thing that always made her feel better: writing.
She dutifully went to her desk and got to work.
Oddly enough, the personal and soulful story that she wrote that day not only impressed publishers, but spoke directly to the heart of every person who read it.
This helped change the kind of stories Jo would write from now on.
Around this time, Jo got the news that Amy and Laurie had gotten engaged.
Jo had to admit that she now felt much lonelier than before, and if Laurie had met her in this state and asked again, she'd probably give in.
But she was happy for them both.
When she went upstairs, she found a note from Mr.
Bhaer that read, “Wait for me, my friend.
I may be a little late, but I shall surely come.
” A lonely Jo cried to herself that night.
But it also felt like certain sentiments were awakening within her.
Soon Amy and Laurie were married and the two returned back home.
Jo met Laurie first, and there was talk of the newlywed putting his boyish passions behind him.
The love between him and Jo could now be grown-up and responsible – as if brother and sister.
At the same time, Laurie promised Jo she would never be lonely again.
Before her eyes, the boy was quickly changing into the man.
That day, the whole family was reunited – plus another surprise guest.
When there was a knock at the door, Jo was startled to see Mr.
Bhaer standing there.
Seeing the full house, he asked if he should come back another time, but Jo assured him that he was welcome to come in and meet her family.
The joy on Jo’s face surely made him feel as though his presence was greatly appreciated.
Everyone found Mr.
Bhaer to be a warm and engaging gentleman, and even Laurie was drawn to him after some initial skepticism.
That night, Jo and Mr.
Bhaer delighted everyone by singing together, and both Mr.
and Mrs.
March gave the man a hearty approval.
“I know he is a good one,” said Marmee.
For the next two weeks Mr.
Bhaer continued to visit and everyone noticed that Jo’s appearance and demeanor improved enormously.
But after those two weeks, he told Jo that he had to leave for the West Coast, where he’d secured a position at a college that would allow him to better care for his nephews.
Jo tried to hide her despair at the thought of Mr.
Bhaer leaving.
It was raining and they huddled under an umbrella and fumbled about with some shopping for later that evening.
But then Mr.
Bhaer couldn’t help but notice the tears under her eye.
Now he understood that he was more than just a friend to Jo, and it gave him the confidence to ask, “Can you make a little place in your heart for old Fritz?
” To which Jo happily replied, “Oh, yes!
” Plans were quickly made.
Mr.
Bhaer would have to go west and earn money.
Jo agreed that during this time apart she would also be hard at work.
A year went by, wherein they wrote to each other constantly.
And when the second year began, Aunt March passed away and much to Jo’s surprise she found that the aunt had left her the Plumfield estate – an immense house that Jo instantly knew what to do with.
She would turn it into a school for boys, where she and Professor Bhaer would serve as teachers.
Old Fritz loved the idea, as he would be doing what he’d already devoted his life to.
Sure enough, it all happened rather quickly.
A small crop of boys appeared at first.
Some poor, some rich.
But soon they multiplied until every room was full of life.
Jo and Fritz were married, and in time they had two little boys of their own, Rob and Teddy.
The family often gathered together at Plumfield for dinners, and Mr.
Bhaer would always start with the same toast, “To Aunt March!
God bless her!
” In the end, everyone’s life was different from the “castles in the air” they had once envisioned.
But Meg, Jo, and Amy all had to admit that despite the rain that had fallen and the dark and dreary days that passed, they had found a way to become happy women.
You’ve just listened to our Blink to Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott.
Final Summary
Little Women tells the story of the four March sisters, Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy.
Meg wishes to live in luxury.
Jo is independent and rebellious, wishes to be a writer and isn’t interested in sentimental nonsense.
Beth is shy and devoted to her parents and music.
Amy wishes to be a famous artist.
After the neighbor boy Laurie becomes part of their circle, Meg marries Laurie’s tutor and has two children.
Laurie loves Jo, but Jo can’t reciprocate his feelings.
Heartbroken, he runs away to Europe only to fall in love and marry Amy.
When Beth dies of complications from scarlet fever the family reunites and Jo falls in love with her friend Mr.
Bhaer who travels from New York to visit her family and propose to Jo.
After inheriting a large estate from her aunt, Jo and Mr.
Bhaer open a school for boys.
By the end of the story, many years have passed and the sisters have grown from teenagers to young, strong, and happy women.
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