I am participating in the Little Women Read Along hosted by Jenni, Kami, Suey. According to the schedule they will be discussing chapter 1-17 today at Suey's blog. Have to go and check them after this post. I completed part one of Little Women. As I said earlier I am reading it for the second time. I completely loved it again.
Little Women is a novel by American author Louisa May Alcott, which was originally published in two volumes in 1868 and 1869. She had no intention of writing this book and she wrote it at the request of her publisher Thomas Niles. She completed it over a span of ten weeks. It became an immediate commercial success. In 1880 the two volumes were compiled in a single work entitled Little Women. She then went on to write two sequels - Little Men (1871) and Jo's Boys (1886). The book has been adapted for film twice as silent film and four times with sound in 1933, 1949, 1978 and 1994. Four television series were made, two in Britain in the 1950's and two animated series in Japan in 1880. (Source - WWW)
It is a semi-autobiographical novel as it was based on Alcott's real experiences with her sisters.
Alcott set her novel in an imaginary orchard house modeled on her own residence. We follow the life of four sisters as they grow from adolescence to adulthood. The four sisters Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy March live with their mother and their father is away at war when the story begins. It was Christmas eve and the girls were little upset for not getting any presents. They receive a letter from their father asking his little girls to do their duty and conquer their faults. The girls then tell their mother their faults. Mrs. March then remind them of a game called Pilgrim's Progress which they played when they were young. Mrs. March suggest them to play it again, but in a grown up way. The burdens are their character flaws, their road is the life ahead of them and the celestial city is Heaven. Mrs. March tells them that they will find a guidebook under their pillow on Christmas morning.
The narrator describes the March sisters to the reader. Now, Meg is the eldest and she is sixteen, pretty and beautiful. She loves luxury and is little romantic. She wishes to be less vain and to work harder. Jo is fifteen, tomboyish, easily loses her temper, love reading books, writing and very very active. She wants to do something great when she grows up. Jo wishes to do the duties at home and stop being tomboyish. Beth is thirteen, too good and perfect. She is shy and happy to be at home. She loves music and envies girls with piano. She wish to stop being afraid of people and not envy other girls with piano. Amy, the youngest is twelve, pretty girl. The thing that bothers is her nose. She loves to paint and want to be a gentle woman. She wishes to be less selfish.
In the first part, we see how the girls grow, entertaining themselves, coping with poverty, trying to conquer their faults. They always seek their mother for guidance. Marmee is such a wonderful mom who allows her girls to grow for themselves and giving guidance when sought. Amy's intention to give a party to her wealthy friends and how Marmee made her realize her mistake is a nice example of proper parenting. I loved their neighbor Mr. Lawrence and Laurie in particular. I also loved the way the girls entertained themselves with plays, Pickwick club and Busybee society. The Lawrence camp was entertaining. At the end of part I, Meg's love for Mr. John Brooke is revealed.
