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The novel Little Women by Louisa May Alcott is a timeless, coming of age story of four sisters who conquer domestic struggles and question the gender standards of women. The reader explores the lives of the four March sisters, Margaret or known as Meg, Josephine or Jo, Elizabeth or Beth, and Amy. Each sister struggles with the hardships of daily life, growing up, and their father being away at war. This story takes place in the middle of America’s civil war, sometime in the early 1860s where life is anything but easy and women have little freedom.
In the midst of these sister’s lives, author Louisa May Alcott is able to give the reader classic life lessons that they can hold unto for years to come. Here are six of the most heart quenching life lessons through the eyes of the four headstrong, big-hearted, and adventurous sisters.
1. Cherishing The People Around You
“There are many Beths in the world, shy and quiet, sitting in corners til needed, and living for others so cheerfully that no one sees the sacrifices til the little cricket on the hearth stops chirping, and the sweet, sunshiny presence vanishes, leaving silence and shadow behind.”
(( Alcott, Louisa May. Little Women. )).
In this part of the story, the author is taking a moment to acknowledge the character of the beloved third sister, Beth. Beth was a sensitive little girl whose life purpose was to make her family happy, give to others, and loyally take care of her cats and dolls. This quote foreshadows her untimely death, for when this time of the novel comes, her family and friends are devastated at the hole in their lives once Beth is gone.
Author Alcott reminds the reader to cherish the ones in their life for one day they could be gone. Rather it’s your mother making you breakfast in the morning, your friend giving you a ride to school, or your coworker helping you at work, cherish these small acts of kindness. Everyone in Beth’s life felt her rays of love and when they ended, how deeply missed they were. Similarly, Beth’s family missed her; one day, we will miss the love of family, friends, and old times.
2. Forgiveness
“[Jo] had cherished her anger till it grew strong and took possession of her, as evil thoughts and feelings always do unless cast out at once.”
(( Alcott, Louisa May. Little Women. )).
After a petty sibling’s fight, Jo was determined to hate and disown Amy for the rest of their lives. However, Jo would soon learn to regret this when her anger almost cost Amy her life in a turn of events. Jo, out of anger, would ignore Amy playing on a frozen lake until Amy, in desperation to reach Jo, would fall through the ice and almost drown. Although an accident, Jo would be devastated at the consequences of her actions and anger.
This is a weary lesson for readers, as untamed anger can multiply into something uncontrollable. Like Marmee, the girl’s mother, says in this novel, “Never let the sun go down on your anger.” Anger, frustration, and bitterness are normal emotions and are what make us all human. These emotions should not be ignored or be something of shame, but instead accepted and worked through. These feelings are valid and at times healthy, but when left to sit and fester can cause damage not only to others but for oneself.
3. Gratitude
“Then it was that Margaret, sitting alone with tears dropping often on her work, felt how rich she had been in things more precious than any luxuries money could buy- in love, protection, peace, and health, the real blessings of life.”
(( Alcott, Louisa May. Little Women. )).
Margaret is a doting sister and daughter. Despite her best efforts, she cannot help feeling dissatisfied with what she has. Surrounded by rich friends, she longs for their fancy clothes, rich parties, and ability not to work but instead go to theaters, parks, and expensive dinners. Margaret, who always secretly wishes for more, does not realize how blessed she was until Beth gets sick. Only then does she realize all the material things in the world are meaningless if her sister is gone.
In a world that idolizes material goods and wealth, it is often easy to lose track of the things that really matter. Stated best by Alcott, all the money in the world cannot compare to the real blessings of life: love, protection, peace, and health. While jealousy and envy are again normal human emotions, they can make one forget how truly blessed they are. Like Margaret, many of us have more than we realize when we stop looking at our neighbor and instead focus on ourselves.
4. Acceptance
“I wish wearing flatirons on our heads would keep us from growing up. But buds will be roses, and kittens cats, more’s the pity!”
(( Alcott, Louisa May. Little Women. )).
Jo takes Meg’s engagement to Mr.Brooke as a personal attack and attempts to steal her beloved sister away into the curses of adulthood. Jo will scheme, stomp around, and pout, but nothing can stop the hands of time as her older sister Meg grows from a girl into a woman. If things could be Jo’s way, they would all be young forever and able to play like kids until the end of time. Unfortunately, life does not always work in the will of the wisher, no matter how hard one tries.
One day you’re ten, and in a blink of an eye, ten years will pass. There is no trick in the book to slow the spinning hands of the clock but only acceptance. As time passes, things will not always stay the same, no matter how much one wishes. Instead of focusing on things that cannot be changed, it’s better to live in the moment and look forward instead of backward. As Jo will find out, letting go of childhood and looking towards the future will be more amiable and filling than she could’ve imagined.
5. The Value Of Hardwork
“Then let me advise you to take up your little burdens again, for though they seem heavy sometimes, they are good for us, and lighten as we learn to carry them. Work is wholesome, and there is plenty for everyone… and gives us a sense of power and independence better than money or fashion.”
(( Alcott, Louisa May. Little Women. )).
The March sisters are no different from us, and the girls grow impatient with their daily chores and jobs. Why waste time cleaning and working when you can lay around, play, and sleep in? In order to teach the girls a lesson, Marmee lets them off the hook and relinquishes any chores or work from them. Despite their endless free time, the girls become restless, bored, and irritable. The house is dirty, the beds are unmade, there are no warm meals, and no one to socialize with but each other.
After a long week of their freedom, the girls long for their past busy days and the ability to work once more. The girls realize that in life, too much of anything can be a bad thing. It’s better to have a healthy mix of rest and play, work, and leisure. This lesson can remind the reader that as repetitive as work, school, or chores can be, hard work and consistency brings value and fulfillment into our lives.
6. Courage
“Just because my dreams are different than yours, doesn’t mean they are unimportant.”
(( Alcott, Louisa May. Little Women. )).
All the girl’s in this novel will face discrimination or critique on varying levels. From being told to act like “a lady” to their life choices being questioned, the girls are not only hard on themselves but each other. Jo begs Meg not to get married, puts her down, and tells her she will live an unhappy life as a wife. But Meg lovingly reminds Jo that these are her dreams and her life.
Meg reminds us all to have the courage to stand up for ourselves. This life we’ve been given is solely ours to live, and if we have dreams to follow them. Meg’s dream was to marry Mr.Brooke and be the mother to his children. Jo’s dreams were to be a famous author and never stop having fun. Amy dreamed of art, traveling, and riches, while Beth dreamed of family and the comfort of home. While all of these girl’s dreams were different, none were less important than the other.
What’s Next?
If you love the novel Little Women, you can follow the lives of the March sisters even further. The sequel Good Wives follows the lives of the girls after they grow up and get married. It is important to note that some copies of Little Women may contain the sequel, Good Wives, while others do not because the novels were originally published separately. Alcott’s other popular novels include Little Men, Jo’s Boys, Eight Cousins, and many more. Altogether, Louisa May Alcott has a special ability to write about life through her flawed characters. Although each character has their own struggle and sins, they all continuously try to be the best version of themselves.
The girls face hard battles in this novel, from financial stress and other domestic troubles to being held back by patriarchal expectations. But as Jo’ famously says, “Women, they have minds, and they have souls, as well as just hearts. And they’ve got ambition, and they’ve got talent, as well as just beauty. I’m so sick of people saying that love is all a woman is fit for”(( Alcott, Louisa May. Little Women. )). Jo’s words are a lesson for us all, to face life’s battles head-on and call out what’s wrong with society. Reading Little Women reminds us all to slow down, take a look around, be thankful for what we have, and always stand up for ourselves.