Little Women by Louisa May Alcott is a sweet and innocent Civil War novel about four sisters ages 12 to 16. The girls and their mother are concerned with virtue and sin, taking care of those less fortunate, and avoiding pride. Their favorite book is Pilgrim’s Progress, a 1678 Christian allegory by John Bunyan.
This is an interesting book to compare to another 19th century classic, Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen about five sisters ages 15 to 22. Even considering age differences, the American March sisters seem so much more naïve than the British Bennet sisters.
In the end, Elizabeth Bennet (20) is in love with (rich) Mr. Darcy and Meg March (almost 17) is in love with (poor) Mr. Brooke. Both novels raise the issue of marrying a rich husband as opposed to marrying for love. While Miss Bennet does both, Miss March chooses the virtues of poverty.
To spite their differences, both families live in similar social settings. They both are poorer than those that socialize with. Both sets of girls/women are interested in reading, music, sewing, and caring for the less fortunate. Both families are challenged with serious illnesses. In both families, the daughters are free to turn down proposals from well-matched suitors. However, the Bennets are worldlier, while the Marches live in a world of innocent Sunday sermons.
I feel Pride and Prejudice holds up better into the 21st century than Little Women.
If you went an idyllic story about celebrating poverty while living amongst the rich, and the simple joys hard work, this is the book for you. Recommended for young children.
alcott https://amzn.to/2oxkNh2
austen https://amzn.to/2wDj0uC
bunyan https://amzn.to/2wDlHfJ
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