Friday, September 21, 2012

Little Women


I just finished Little Women by Louisa May Alcott.  It was my first time reading Little Women, and I loved it.  It reminded me of my mother, three little sisters, grandmother, aunts and cousins.  I have so many memories of wonderful times we shared doing womanly things such as canning, cross stitching and gardening.   My mother has always been a shining example of a capable, classy and loving woman.  Furthermore, I can truly say my sisters are all finely accomplished ladies.  Although, unlike the girls in the book, we sisters are lucky to have a wonderful big brother.

Throughout the book, Alcott uses the kind voice of Mrs. March to remind us all to be better.  Mrs. March sets a good example for her girls and gently reminds and teaches her daughters important lessons.  Furthermore, as the little women endeavor to make their mother proud and improve, it inspires the reader (and consequently me) to work on becoming more grateful, patient, and humble.

Amazingly, Louisa May Alcott's father was told by an editor of The Atlantic magazine, James T. Fields, "Tell Louisa to stick to her teaching; she can never succeed as a writer".  To this, Alcott told her father, "Tell him I will succeed as a writer, and some day I shall write for the Atlantic!"  She did write for the Atlantic and proved Mr. Fields wrong.  Ironically, Alcott's literary achievements are now significantly more famous then her pessimistic critic's (Smith).


Works Cited
Alcott, Louisa May. Little Women. New York: Baronet /Playmore, 1989. Print.
Smith, Bonnie H. "Advice from Louisa May Alcott." Www.historysmiths. N.p., 2012. Web. 21 Sept. 2012. <https://historysmiths.com/Alcott.html>.

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