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Description edit
Set in the Alcott family home, Orchard House, in Concord, Massachusetts. The story follows the lives of four sisters – Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy March. Meg is the oldest, and a beauty. She is happy to fall into the role of mother to her sisters when their mother is gone, and seeks to find a good... read more
Ridiculously Simplified Synopsis edit
Summary edit
The four March sisters and their mother, whom they call "Marmee", live in New England during the Civil War. Mr. March is a chaplain in the Union Army and rarely at home. The March girls suffer many privations because of the war and their poverty, but contrive to be happy by performing... read more (warning: may contain spoilers)
Characters edit
- Marmee: The mother of the March sisters. She participates in charities and attempts to shape the girls characters.
- Margaret 'Meg' March: Oldest of the March sisters. As the eldest, Meg essentially runs the household. Meg guards Amy from Jo when the two fight, just as Jo protects Beth. She is considered the 'beauty' of the March sisters. She works as a governess to the Kings' family.
- Josephine "Jo" March: Jo March is the second eldest, a tomboy, hot-tempered fifteen-year-old girl. She can't stand that she can't go and fight in the War alongside her father. Jo has to stay at home and try fit in with most nineteenth-century women, which is difficult for her. She's a klutz, blunt, and has an opinion about just about everything.
- Elizabeth 'Beth' March: She is the second youngest March sister, described as very sweet and selfless. She likes music and reading very much. Plays the piano often.
- Amy Curtis March: Youngest and most materialistic of the sisters. Very proper. Enjoys painting the most.
- Mr. March: The father of the March girls, away for most of the book serving as Chaplain in the Civil War.
- Theodore 'Laurie' Laurence: The Marchs' next door neighbor and Mr. James Laurence's grandson. He is the childhood friend of all four sisters, especially Jo. He is interested in music.
- John Brooke: Theodore Laurence's tutor.
- Mr. James Laurence: Theodore's grandfather and a friend of the March family.
- Hannah Mullet: The March's cook and housekeeper and family friend.
- Josephine March: 2nd oldest of the sisters, Jo is a tomboy, impulsive and clumsy.
- Mr. Tudor: Add a description of this character.
- Miss Norton
- Parker
- Sam Weller
- Annie Moffat
- Kate Vaughn
- Miss Crocker
- Sallie Gardiner
- Baptiste
- Robert Lennox
- Hortense
- Polly
- Pip
- Jenny Snow
- Esther
- Miss Lamb
- Christian
- Don Pedro
- Lotty
- Fred Vaughn
- Tina
- Minna
- Mrs. Grundy
- Mr. Davis
- Mr. Dashwood
- Mrs. Moffat
- Viola
- Daisy
- Kitty Bryant
- John Laurence
- Hayes
- Hagar
- Ned Moffat
- Rob
- Minnie Kirke
- Mrs. Chester
- Frank Vaughn
- Belle Moffat
- Roderigo
- Franz
- Mrs. Kirke
- Miss Clara
- Mr. Cutter
- Mrs. Gardiner
- Jack Scott
- Aunt Carrol
- Mr. Scott
- Miss Randal
- Dr. Bangs
- Friedrich Bhaer
- Little Teddy
- Zara
- Hugo
- Florence
- Mrs. Hummel
- Emil
- Susie Perkins
- Grace
Quotes edit
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“. . . love is a great beautifier.”
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“"For a minute her eyes were too dim for seeing, and, when they cleared, Beth was looking up at her so tenderly that there was hardly any need for her to say, 'Jo, dear, I'm glad you know it. I've tried to tell you, but I couldn't.'"”
Beth -
“"Touched to the heart, Mrs. March could only stretch out her arms, as if to gather children and grandchildren to herself, and say, with face and voice full of motherly love, gratitude, and humility--'Oh, my girls, however long you may live, I never can wish you a greater happiness than this!'"”
Mrs. March -
“"Laurie Laurence - what an odd name."”
Jo -
“Meg's high-heeled slippers were dreadfully tight, though she would not own it; and Jo's nineteen hairpins all seemed stuck straight into the head, but, dear me, let us be elegant or die.”
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“"I did not give something that wasn't my own."”
Jo
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Setting & Locations edit
The Alcott Family house, The Orchard House
First Sentence edit
"Christmas won't be Christmas without any presents," grumbled Jo, lying on the rug.
Table of Contents edit
Part 1.
1. Playing Pilgrims
2. A Merry Christmas
3. The Laurence Boy
4. Burdens
5. Being Neighborly
6. Beth Finds The Palace Beautiful
7. Amy's Valley Of Humiliation
8. Jo Meets Apollyon
9. Meg Goes To Vanity Fair
10. The P.C. And P.O.
11. Experiments
12. Camp Laurence
13. Castles In The Air
14. Secrets
15. A Telegram
16. Letters
17. Little Faithful
18. Dark Days
19. Amy's Will
20. Confidential
21. Laurie Makes Mischief, And Jo Makes Peace
22. Pleasant Meadows
23. Aunt March Settles The Question
Part 2.
24. Gossip
25. The First Wedding
26. Artistic Attempts
27. Literary Lessons
28. Domestic Experiences
29. Calls
30. Consequences
31. Our Foreign Correspondent
32. Tender Troubles
33. Jo's Journal
34. Friend
35. Heartache
36. Beth's Secret
37. New Impressions
38. On The Shelf
39. Lazy Laurence
40. The Valley Of The Shadow
41. Learning To Forget
42. All Alone
43. Surprises
44. My Lord And Lady
45. Daisy And Demi
46. Under The Umbrella
47. Harvest Time
Glossary edit
- boards (quit the boards): The stage (acting).
- vivan: Vivandi re (French) - a civilian woman accompanying an army to sell provisions.
- baize: Coarse, feltlike fabric.
- philter: Magic potion.
- Martin House: Birdhouse with several small entry holes for purple martins (a type of swallow).
- bad breadth: Burnt section of dress.
- prink: Primping; careful grooming.
- grinding: Studying hard.
- skylarking: Frolicking.
- redowa: Fast-paced Eastern European folk dance.
- arnica: Medicinal herb.
- sack, sacque: Woman's loose-fitting dress or coat.
- blancmange: Milky gelatinous dessert.
- lingy: Lapsus linguae (Latin) - slip of the tongue.
- ferrule: Punish by striking hands with a flat piece of wood.
- tarlatan: Sheer cotton fabric.
- rig: Dress up beyond their station (or class).
- soup on: French - little bit.
- ruche: Ruffle.
- Silence la mort: French - silence until death.
Themes & Symbolism edit
- Coming of Age: Growing from girlhood into womanhood.
Series & Lists edit
This is book 1 of 5 in Little Women. (standard series)
Followed by Good Wives.
This book is in Movie Tie-Ins 1994. (community list)
This book is in 100 Fantabulous Book Challenge. (community list)
This is book 52 of 194 in Shelfari Most Popular (December 2010). (authoritative list)
Preceded by Wicked, and followed by The Little Prince.
This is book 745 of 986 in 1001 Children's Books You Must Read Before You Grow Up. (authoritative list)
Preceded by Un Bon Petit Diable, and followed by Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea.
This book is in Most Surprising Banned Books. (community list)
This is book 4 of 56 in Biblioteca das Raparigas. (edition-based publisher list)
Preceded by Northanger Abbey, and followed by Os Sonhos de Katy.
This book is in Puffin Classics. (edition-based publisher list)
This book is in Bantam Classics. (edition-based publisher list)
This is book 864 of 1272 in 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die. (authoritative list)
Preceded by The Moonstone, and followed by Thérèse Raquin.
This book is in Sterling Hardcover Classics. (edition-based publisher list)
This book is in Dodo Classics. (edition-based publisher list)
This book is in Penguin Classics. (edition-based publisher list)
This book is in Barnes & Noble Classics. (community list)
This is book 47 of 195 in Shelfari Most Popular (June 2010). (authoritative list)
Preceded by The Chronicles of Narnia, and followed by The Little Prince.
This is book 11 of 95 in Telegraph Top 100 Books, 2008. (authoritative list)
Preceded by Great Expectations, and followed by Tess of the d'Urbervilles.
This is book 91 of 113 in Book Smart Reading List. (community list)
Preceded by Candide, and followed by My Ántonia.
This is book 18 of 196 in BBC 'Big Read' Top 200 Novels, 2003. (authoritative list)
Preceded by Great Expectations, and followed by Corelli's Mandolin.
This is book 12 of 0 in Colecção Histórias Selecção. (community list)
This is book 85 of 37 in 100 Books Every Child Should Read - Part 03: Early Teens (The Telegraph). (authoritative list)
Preceded by Treasure Island, and followed by Smack.
This book is in Penguin Classic Deluxe Edition Book Covers. (community list)
This is book 50 of 195 in Shelfari Most Popular (June 2011). (authoritative list)
Preceded by The Book Thief, and followed by One Hundred Years of Solitude.
This book is in Reader's Digest Best Loved Classics. (edition-based publisher list)
This book is in Random Synapses: 100 Book Reading Challenge (2011). (community list)
This book is in Guardian 1000 Novels Everyone Must Read. (authoritative list)
This is book 52 of 195 in Shelfari Most Popular (December 2011). (authoritative list)
Preceded by Digital Fortress, and followed by Tuesdays With Morrie.
Authors & Contributors edit
- Louisa May Alcott (Author)
Other Contributors:
- Camille Cauti (Introduction)
- Ann M. Magagna (Illustrator)
- Louis Jambour (Illustrator)
- Scott McKowen (Illustrator)
- Nina Auerbach (Afterword)
- José Godofredo de Moura Rangel (Translator) - Portuguese
- Maria Marti (Adapter)
- Jaime Ivez (Illustrator)
- Jorge Pimenta (Translator)
First Edition edit
Original Language: English
Publisher: Grosset & Dunlap Inc.
Country: United States
Publication Date: 1947
ISBN: 0-448-06019-1
Page Count: 643
Publisher: Grosset & Dunlap Inc.
Country: United States
Publication Date: 1947
ISBN: 0-448-06019-1
Page Count: 643
Awards edit
- BBC's Big Read (April 2003, #18)
- Publishing Triangle's 100 Best Lesbian and Gay Novels
Classification edit
- Copyright Status: Public Domain
- Library of Congress: PZ7
- Dewey: 813.4
Notes for Parents edit
Reading Level: Young AdultsThis novel is most enjoyed by girls in their tweens or early teens. It has a subtle but strong moral to 'be good', but is still quite fun.
Subjects edit
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Links to Supplemental Material edit
- Project Gutenberg: On Project Gutenberg the full text of this public domain work is available to read online, or to download for free in a variety of eBook and plain text formats.
- Internet Archive: 1868 Edition of Little Women, or Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy
- Project Gutenberg Audio: An unabridged audiobook of Little Women, available for free in a variety of audiobook formats.
Movie Connections edit
- Little Women (1917) (IMDb)
- Little Women (1918) (IMDb): Jo March and her sisters Meg, Beth, and Amy live in a happy family in Concord, Massachusetts. Jo yearns to be a writer, and through the course of the years, finds much within her own family to write about: the romance of Meg with the young tutor John Brooke, the tragic illness of gentle Beth, and Amy's marriage to Jo's bosom companion Laurie. Written by Jim Beaver
- Little Women (1933) (IMDb): Little Women is a "coming of age" drama tracing the lives of four sisters: Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy. During the American Civil War, the girls father is away serving as a minister to the troops. The family, headed by thier beloved Marmee, must struggle to make ends meet, with the help of their kind and wealthy neighbor, Mr. Laurence, and his high spirited grandson Laurie. Written by Liza Esser <essereli@student.msu.edu> Josephine March and her three sisters Margaret, Amy, and Beth grow up with their mother's guidance while their father fights in the American Civil War. The vivacious quartet are very close and happy despite limited means. Laurie Laurence, the well off boy next door, takes a liking to Jo, and his tutor John Brooke eyes older sister Margaret during a party. Margaret marries Mr. Brooke but Jo rejects Laurie's proposal and moves to New York for new adventures. When Beth starts to lose her battle with Scarlet Fever Jo returns to her deathbed. Sister Amy returns married to Jo's one true love, Laurie, and we wonder if she will ever find someone to replace him. Written by Gary Jackson
- Little Women (1939 TV Movie) (IMDb)
- Little Women (1946 TV Movie) (IMDb)
- Little Women (1949) (IMDb): Louisa May Alcott's autobiographical account of her life with her three sisters in Concord Mass in the 1860s. With their father fighting in the civil war, the sisters: Jo, Meg, Amy and Beth are at home with their mother - a very outspoken women for her time. The story is of how the sisters grow up, find love and find their place in the world. Written by Rob Hartill Meg, Josephine, Amy and Beth are the little women who, together with their mother, keep the home fires burning while their preacher father serves with the Union army during the Civil War. Meg, the eldest, is a second mother to the troupe while "Jo", the tomboy, takes on the role of man of the house. Amy yearns for the good things in life, and Beth, the youngest and frailest of the four, seeks comfort in gentle music. A simple tale of four young girls coming to womanhood. This is a great summary but, I wanted to mention that Beth is not the youngest March sister - Amy is. The order is Meg, Jo, Beth, Amy. Written by A.L.Beneteau
- Little Women (1950 TV Mini-Series) (IMDb)
- Xiao Fu Ren (1957) (IMDb): Chinese
- Little Women (1958 TV Movie) (IMDb)
- Little Women (1958 TV Mini-Series) (IMDb)
- Little Women (1970 TV Mini-Series) (IMDb): 9 Episodes
- Die Weibchen (1970) (IMDb): German
- Little Women (1978) (IMDb)
- Wakakusa Monogatari Yori Wakakusa No Yonshimai (1981 TV Animation Series) (IMDb): Japanese
- Ai No Wakakusa Monogatari (1987 TV Animated Mini-Series) (IMDb): Japanese
- Little Women (1994) (IMDb): The March sisters live and grow in post-Civil War America.
- Por Siempre Mujercitas (1995-1996 TV Series) (IMDb): Spanish
- Küçük Kadinlar (2008 TV Series) (IMDb): Turkish
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