Proponents for Little Women in the Course
In the society, it is essential to inform the learners what are the necessities of a balanced lifestyle. Young students should understand the importance of having gender equality even in professional fields. Some authors composed texts that show women as minor human beings in the society and they end up not having any of the prestigious jobs around. Women are portrayed to be inferior beings who are expected to be submissive to men always. Those who support the patriarchal society where males should dominate everything do not support the presence of Little Women by Louisa May Alcott in courses on American literature. On the other hand, feminists use such books to show that women can also do different things on their own and it is not mandatory for them to rely on men for everything (Grasso 181). This paper will analyze why the text Little Women should be an integral part of American literature course. Because the novel is a reflection of Alcott’s real life, the paper will also draw examples from her life which inspired her to pen down the novel.
Apart from Beth who dies following the contraction of scarlet fever, Meg, Jo and Amy all fall in love and get married to establish their families (Alcott 493). The author weaves an incredible story from the beginning of how Mrs. March struggles to bring up her daughters, teach them good morals and even encourage them to pursue their dreams and passions (Alcott 21). Meg and Jo at a tender age of 16 and 15 respectively go out of their comfort zones to help their mother in raising and fending for their family. Jo takes care of Beth when she falls sick until she dies. The sisters learn to forgive each other and live harmoniously in spite of their poor status and challenges they undergo while their father is sick. Through presenting the March sisters as humanly as possible, Alcott argues that the family is the most important unit in the society and as such women ought to uphold it (Alcott 32). Her assertions are inclined to the fact that through empowering families, women empower themselves and ultimately create a place for them in a patriarchal society that will ensure gender equality. Jo chooses to marry Professor Bhaer; a German scholar over Laurie and end up establishing a school with him. Through her matrimony and establishment of the school, Jo gets an opportunity to join the male-dominated administrative circle (Fetterley 9). Little Women undoubtedly argue for gender equality not through fighting the position of men but through the advocacy of strong virtues and values by women that are acquired solely through strong and well knit families.
Little Women inevitably historical novel, as the bulk of the storyline, is built around the March family home. The Victorian patriarchal framework sires family life and relegates the March ladies Meg, Jo, Beth, Amy, and Marmee to the local circle (Alcott 20). Just like partriarchal society that Alcott depict in the novel, her quick yet unrealistic father, Bronson Alcott, showed his little girls to practice unbending discretion and fancied that they submit to him. His difficulty dropped the family into anobligation, compelling Louisa, her sisters, and their mom to look for work outside the home to bolster the family as he had neglected to do (Saxton 42). In the novel, the feministic nature of the March family did not modify the patriarchy of nineteenth-century American culture. Nonetheless, the ladies that included the March sisters battled out of financial need and the essential ability to prevail in a general public that tried to limit women to the home (Alcott 33).
Sarcastically, Louisa turned into the one fundamentally in charge of accommodating the Alcott family and in the end safeguarded them from the obligation. For quite a long time, the Alcott’s got charity from loved ones (Trites 328). This obligation mortified Louisa and made her savagely determined to operate unsurprisingly sustaining. The same searing, eager nature that Bronson endeavored to quell stimulated in Louisa a considerable understanding of others prospects for the necessities of her mother and siblings, but still the society restricted her to “female” work like instructing, local work, sewing, and nursing (Saxton 67). Regardless of conveying the weight of accommodating her family from a youthful age, Louisa did not scorn her dad, or if she did, she never communicate her outrage in her diaries or letters (Alcott 84). In spite of the fact that the work was a troublesome need for Louisa, she appears to have moved toward it with aspiration and a feeling of pride.
Alcott’s Little Women is a story of determination, hard work, focus, aggressiveness and fortitude by young women to realize their dreams and change their miserable lives (Alcott 284). The author is keen to challenge the belief and notion that gender equality will be realized only through agitations and negotiations by organizations tailored to champion for their rights. Gender equality to a significant extend can only be realized through actions and not blaming each other (Grasso 183). The March sisters do not let limitations, gender disparities and poverty to deter them from pursuing their goals. Beth is keen to perfect her musical skills by learning the piano consistently, Amy who possesses artistic skills struggles to overcome her obsession with her looks to perfect her sketching skills, Jo who is the literary sister is seen scribbling constantly while Megs who is the beauty queen focuses on domestic chores and in spite of her partying nature. The sisters know their passions and talents and go out of their means to perfect and cultivate them (Fetterley 6). Eventually, Jo’s efforts pay off as she starts making a living out writing’ a field that is dominated by men. Although she does not become famous, Amy perfects her artistic skills. Alcott argues for gender equality that will come as a result of women proving their worth (405). It is a novel that appreciates that women have the potential and ability to do what men can do much better and revolutionize a patriarchal society.
Alcott’s difficult family life combined with her involvement in the moving scene, a commonly male circle which covered on occasion with the customarily female residential circle. It drove her to a specific brand of women’s liberation that did not look for the topple of male specialist or parts yet rather looked for adjusting and fairness between the genders.The partition of circles has somehow filled women’s activist writing and grant in the course of the most recent century out of the dread. Unless the ladies focus on the different culture of, by, and for ladies, it is possible that girls will be left out (Foote 67). By differentiation, the Alcott’s strain of “residential” women’s liberation, as her fiction reflects, did not look for cancellation of the circles, but rather ‘saw an improved family as the way to a transformed society.’
Moreover, each of the March young ladies has some artisticability. However, the required obligations keep them from building up these attitudes. Meg, as Jo calls attention to, is “‘the best performing artist we have'” yet she has cravings to build up the “local” expressions and enjoy herself at home. Jo, apparently, appreciates composing; Beth is musically disposed of, and Amy’s ability lies in drawing and painting. Surprisingly, none of the young ladies find a specialty in either the customarily male circle of procuring a pay or the female household circle (Alcott 73). A remarkable opposite, each of them would rather seek after the gifts and dreams that recognize them, not as women, but rather at people. For example, in part, “Châteaux in the Air,” Meg longs for a “‘perfect house…with a lot of hirelings, so I never require work a bit. Indeed, even Beth concedes that she would be glad at home now that she has “‘my little piano'” (Alcott 118). Of the four young ladies, just Jo expects to profit, not for sustenance, but rather for notoriety. She pledges, “‘I should compose books, and get rich and well known'” (Alcott 118). Take note of that none of them had always wanted seek to obliterate the refurbishes of patriarchal society or wholly split far from home.
Alcott uses the encounter between classy and expensively dressed women and Meg at Belle Moffat’s party to emphasize the need for women to support and empower themselves if gender parity is to be realized (Alcott 111). Meg had spent two weeks with her friends partying and dancing with members of the opposite sex in an effort to improve their social skills and enjoy themselves. Laurie who came to know Meg through her sister Jo is invited to the party and the first thing she notices about Meg is that she was overdressed and not likeable to him with fuss and feathers. His candidness offended Meg but she later realizes that he was right. Meg realizes that “there is a charm about fine clothes that attracts a certain class of people and secures their respect” although it is an outward and shallow sort of regard (Alcott 113). The very women who despised and gossiped about her when she was in her old-fashioned dresses suddenly became affectionate towards her to hide their true character. Alcott is determined to point out that women are hypocritical and insincere to each other in their quest to establish themselves as equal players with men (Grasso 178). Paradoxically, the finest of feathers do not always hide the finest birds (Fetterley 9). It is such a strong lesson that not only makes Little Women an interesting read but also an important piece of literature that ought to feature in the American literature for many years to come.
Little Women is a story about women who could make critical decision about their lives that changed their lives completely. Alcott through this novel demonstrates that the power to change how the society views women lies in the decisions women themselves make (Fetterley 12). Mrs. March made a decision to bring up morally strong and determined girls who could claim their place in a male dominated world, and they did not let her down. Jo made a decision to turn down Laurie’s marriage proposal because she knew that she loved him only as a brother to get married to Professor Bhaer (Alcott 406). Amy decided to refuse being married to riches and instead chose Laurie while they were in Europe to make a happy family. Meg on the other hand fell in love with John Brooke at a tender age of 17 prompting her mother to intervene and postpone their marriage. They later got married after one year and got twins. Just but a few, these examples show that women either become successful or not depending on the decision they make.
In essence, Little Women is a good representation of novels that try to establish uniformity in the society. As most of the feminists do, they point out the evils that men in the society do and end up victimizing the males. Alcott comes up with a middle ground where women are taught how to rely on themselves, and the other hand men are brought out as characters who embrace change and stop being so self-centered. Initially, the efforts to unify the society appears futile, but after such texts are included in the courses that are taken by students in American Literature, patriarchal societies will have no room. Embracing literature that boldly point out the setbacks that limit development and advocate for gender equality is one of the biggest step towards realizing change that yields progress.
Works Cited
Alcott, Louisa May. Little Women. Bantam Classics, 2007.
Fetterley, Judith. “Impersonating “Little Women”: The Radicalism of Alcott’s Behind a Mask.” Women’s Studies: An Interdisciplinary Journal, vol. 10, no. 1, 1983, pp. 1-14.
Foote, Stephanie. “Resentful Little Women: Gender and Class Feeling in Louisa May Alcott.” College Literature, vol. 32, no. 1, 2005, pp. 63-85.
Grasso, Linda. “Louisa May Alcott’s” Magic Inkstand”: Little Women, Feminism, and the Myth of Regeneration.” Frontiers: A Journal of Women Studies, 1998, pp. 177-192.
Saxton, Martha. Louisa May: A Modern Biography of Louisa May Alcott. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 1977.
Trites, Roberta Seelinger. “Eden’s Outcasts: The Story of Louisa May Alcott and Her Father (review).” Children’s Literature Association Quarterly, vol. 33, no. 3, 2008, pp. 327-331.
