Eight Cousins (1875) (edit title/settings)

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Characters/People edit see section history

• Rose: The central character of the novel is the daughter of the recently deceased George Campbell, one of six Campbell brothers who are nephews of Aunts Plenty and Peace Campbell. (The Campbells, wealthy residents of Boston, are of Scottish descent, and some of them are engaged in the China trade.) Rose, 13, is a pretty and sweet-natured child without marked talents of any kind. She has never known her mother and has lived apart from the rest of the Campbell family all her life. As the story opens, she is mourning the death of her father and awaiting with apprehension the arrival of her unknown guardian, Alec Campbell.
• Phebe: Housemaid of Aunts Plenty and Peace, a girl from the orphanage employed on trial at the opening of the story. Lonely Rose befriends Phebe and then “adopts” her as a sister, teaches her to read and write, admires Phebe’s marked musical talent and upright character, and includes her in all aspects of her life as Phebe becomes her personal maid. (At a time in our social history when it was unusual for members of a wealthy household to develop close personal relationships with “the help,” this is a testament to the sweetness of Rose’s unspoiled character.)
• Uncle Alec: The principal male character. A sea-faring doctor, he became Rose’s guardian when her father George Campbell died. He has never married; the great love of his life was Rose’s mother, who chose to marry George. Alec has “advanced” ideas about child-rearing, which he implements in so gentle and loving a fashion that Rose is restored to health and happiness in spite of her fears. The aunts are nervous about (or even opposed to) some of Alec’s ideas, but they come to trust him implicitly.
• Charlie: Also known as Prince Charlie, the “flower of the family,” considered the most handsome, talented, and promising of the lot. He is the spoiled only child of Stephen and Clara – spoiled by his too-indulgent mother, with no father present to give him guidance. Charlie and Archie are inseparable friends and lead the way in all exploits. He is sixteen years old.
• Archie: Eldest son of Jem and Jessie. Eldest of all the cousins, sixteen years of age, of steady and thoughtful character, he is the Chief, much respected by all the boys and an “older brother” figure to Rose.
• Steve: Younger brother of Mac. A good-natured though rather conceited dandy, he idolizes Charlie and copies him in everything, not always to his own advantage.
• Jamie: Youngest son of Jem and Jessie. Six years old, the much-loved but unspoiled baby of the family.
• Myra: Widow of one of the Campbell brothers whose name we never learn. Myra is a gloomy, self-absorbed hypochondriac, obsessed with medicines and mortality. Her presence is tolerated rather than welcomed by the rest of the family. She is the mother of the only other female Campbell cousin, Caroline, who died young – possibly “dosed to death” – inadvertently poisoned with patent medicines by her mother.
• Mrs. Jessie: Wife of Uncle Jem, a sea captain. Jessie has raised four sons – Archie, Will, Geordie, Jamie – almost without the assistance of her husband, who is always away at sea. Steady, wise, and loving, Jessie is Rose’s favorite aunt and the nearest substitute she has to a mother. Jessie is the aunt most trusted by Rose’s guardian, Uncle Alec.
• Mac: Married to Jane and father to Rose’s cousins Mac and Steve. He is engaged in the China trade and has a warehouse on the Bay full of Asian treasures. A trifle henpecked by his masterful wife, he spends most of his time in his counting-house. He is very fond of Rose and secretly hopes that she will marry one of his sons.
• Mrs. Jane: Add a description of this character.
• Will
• Geordie
• Mrs. Clara
• Rosy
• Mother Atkinson
• Ariadne
• Debby
• Barkis
• Dolly

Setting & Locations edit see section history

• Island: A small island near the homes of the major characters. Small expeditions are taken and fun had.
• China

First Sentence edit see section history

Table of Contents edit see section history

Series & Lists edit see section history

Followed by Rose in Bloom.

Preceded by Good Wives, and followed by Jardin Sur Le Toit.

Authors & Contributors edit see section history

1. Louisa May Alcott (Author)

Other Contributors:

1. Manuela Porto (Translator)
2. José Antunes (Cover Artist)
3. João Pedro Cochofel (Illustrator)

First Edition edit see section history

Classification edit see section history

• Library of Congress: Add the Library of Congress Classification.
• Dewey: 813.4

Notes for Parents edit see section history

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Subjects edit see section history

• Books › Children's Books › Authors & Illustrators, A-Z › ( A ) › Alcott, Louisa May
• Books › Literature & Fiction › Authors, A-Z › ( A ) › Alcott, Louisa May
• Books › Teens › Literature & Fiction › Classics
• Books › Children's Books › People & Places › Family Life
• Books › Children's Books › Literature › Classics by Age
• Books › Teens › Social Issues

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