Louisa May Alcott was born in Germantown, Pennsylvania on November 29, 1832, to Abby May and Amos Bronson Alcott (Price). In a letter to her father twenty-five years later, Alcott described herself as being born “bawling at the disagreeable world” (Kort). Louisa May Alcott’s father was a philosopher and educator, a leader in transcendentalism, and a spokesman for the abolitionist movement (Heginbotham). Fascinated by child development, he observed his own children in various stages, including, infancy, toddlerhood, and childhood. He recorded his notes in journals. These journals, numbering 2,500 pages, have been called “the first work of child psychology in the United States” (Heginbotham). To further his work, Bronson Alcott created an
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Details in her best-selling novel, Little Women parallel her childhood. The novel depicts a family with four girls and tells a tale of family relationships and economic struggles (Wayne). At the opening of Little Women, the March family has lost their fortune and social status. Erin Blakemore believes that Little Women is more than the sweet story that it appears to be on the surface. She wrote in her article, “For one scholar, Little Women illustrates desire for social status, not romance.” Blakemore argues that the March sisters are bitter and focuses on the negative emotions depicted in the novel. They experience poverty and are excluded socially. The March girls become bitter of their financial situation and resentful of those who are better off. They are seen having negative reaction to those that either attempt to force gender restrictions or flaunt social status (Blakemore). Alcott’s writing often contains moral lessons and stresses the value of family and hard, honest work. These moral lessons are depicted through her characters. She portrayed the heroes and heroines of her stories as flawed people that try to overcome their own weakness. However, she avoided using her novels to blatantly push social or political issues. Louisa May Alcott faced criticism and changing literary preferences from readers, but her novels are considered timeless for the values that they teach (Price, page
Details in her best-selling novel, Little Women parallel her childhood. The novel depicts a family with four girls and tells a tale of family relationships and economic struggles (Wayne). At the opening of Little Women, the March family has lost their fortune and social status. Erin Blakemore believes that Little Women is more than the sweet story that it appears to be on the surface. She wrote in her article, “For one scholar, Little Women illustrates desire for social status, not romance.” Blakemore argues that the March sisters are bitter and focuses on the negative emotions depicted in the novel. They experience poverty and are excluded socially. The March girls become bitter of their financial situation and resentful of those who are better off. They are seen having negative reaction to those that either attempt to force gender restrictions or flaunt social status (Blakemore). Alcott’s writing often contains moral lessons and stresses the value of family and hard, honest work. These moral lessons are depicted through her characters. She portrayed the heroes and heroines of her stories as flawed people that try to overcome their own weakness. However, she avoided using her novels to blatantly push social or political issues. Louisa May Alcott faced criticism and changing literary preferences from readers, but her novels are considered timeless for the values that they teach (Price, page