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Writer's pictureEllie

Book Review: Little Women by Louisa May Alcott (Part 2)

Updated: Aug 24, 2021


Little Women: Lessons and Inspiration


There were a lot of moral lessons that I wanted to include in this blog. (That’s why I kept putting off writing this review because I can’t choose!) You can learn so much from the book and it has a way of making you feel as if you are LIVING in that moment in the story and that helps you easily remember values as if you are reminiscing from your own past.


However, thinking it will make this a pretty long piece (And I’m too lazy to write all of them), I had finally decided to limit one from each sister and one from Marmee (Mrs. March, the mother) that really struck my heart.





Meg’s Lesson- When Meg was around sixteen, she was invited by her well-off friend, Annie Moffat, for a couple of weeks of socialization. Parties were held from evening to evening, at one point she heard Annie’s mother talking to another lady about her. They were gossiping about her dowdy dress and Marmee’s “plans” for her and Laurie to be married. Meg was then given the opportunity to be dressed finely. Instead of making her feel happy, Meg felt self-reproachfully in agreeing to become something that she was not, a spoiled “doll”.


There is kindness offered in the purity of our hearts and there is also kindness laced with biases and pride, and this is the type of kindness we don’t often realize we are giving to others.


When we value more the wealth and the material things, this is not kindness. The gossip stripped off the innocents of Meg and opened her eyes that people can be cruel. “Worldly and with vulgar ideas” Marmee had said.


Jo’s Lesson- Jo had done her best to make a name for herself from her writing. She tried different genres that might suit the palates of the masses. There was one that really solidified her moral code as a writer, but it almost led to losing an important friend.


Jo left for New York to accept a Governess job for a couple of months. She of course did not stop exploring her writing capabilities. She would shortly learn that “Morals don’t sell” and delved the realm of sensational literature. Jo’s purity began to be tarnished with research of poison, madness, crime and misfortune. “She was living in bad society, and imaginary though it was, its influence affected her, for she was feeding heart and fancy on dangerous and unsubstantial food…”. Luckily, it was her dear Professor Fritz, who helped her see the error of her ways. Without knowing what exactly Jo was writing, only speculating that what she was writing something she was not proud of, the Professor had gently taught Jo that these types of stories do cause harm by influencing the minds of the readers.


Even though there is a demand for it, if you are a sensible writer with a strong moral principle, you shouldn’t be writing it.


He rightly gave an example by saying: “There is a demand for whisky, but I think you and I do not care to sell it. If the respectable people knew what harm they did, they would not feel that the living was honest.”


This will serve as my own reminder to only write something that can be an inspiration and motivation to others.


Beth’s Lesson- In part one of this post, I wrote that I didn’t want to say much of Beth’s dream because I wanted to include it here.


Beth has always been portrayed as kind-hearted. There was a time that she caught scarlet fever after caring for a poor woman’s baby. It died in her lap. Beth, at a very young age, had seen the sad truth of life: young or old, no one escapes death. I think this was a kind of premonition of how short Beth’s life would be in the story, for although she temporarily evades being pulled through the veil, she will eventually succumbs to it. She lived through the age of nineteen, she saw her sisters blossom into the little women their mother hoped them to be, rejoiced during her sister Meg’s wedding, and able to love a niece and a nephew. But Beth had never recovered her health after her illness and her pain, which she carefully hid from her family all those years, became apparent to her mother. Marmee asked Jo to help her discover what ails Beth. At first, Jo thought that Beth was in love with Laurie, she even went away to New York, to give chance for romance to bloom between the two. It was quite a tearjerker when Jo finally discovers the truth. At nineteen! To carry such burden of knowing you don’t have much time left. Even through this, Beth still thinks of the happiness of her family. She didn’t tell anyone for fear of worrying the people she loves.


Simple, sincere people seldom speak much of their piety. It shows itself in acts rather than in words, and has more influence than homilies or protestations


And yes, Beth did fulfill her simple dream of staying at home. Until the very end of her life, she was able to serve and brought joy to her family and even total strangers who she gave little gifts dropped from her window. Beth faced death with such meekness, patience and in total surrender to God, that I became envious of her strength.


Marmee’s Lesson- Marmee’s lesson was an answer to Meg’s question about her plans for her. Marmee answered that she has indeed plans for all sisters, but it differs to what Mrs. Moffat might be thinking. She told both Meg and Jo (who was present when Meg confessed), that she wanted her girls to grow beautifully, accomplished and respected. Having a happy youth, with only little troubles that might come their way, but enough to prepare them if they possibly will marry to a good man and have a family of their own. Marmee further shared that to be chosen to be loved is the sweetest thing that could happen to a woman. She also reminded them to never marry due to wealth, but because of love. She would rather see them happily married and contended to a poor man than being queens but unloved and disrespected.


Money is needed but should not be a priority to strive for.


When they should become a love-worthy woman, even poverty won’t be a hindrance to find happy matches. However, if married life is not meant to be, then it is also alright. To end Marmee’s lesson, I will quote her lasts few words to Meg and Jo:” Leave this thing to time. Make this home happy so that you may be fit for your homes of your own, if they are offered you, and contented here if they are not.”


Amee’s Lesson- When Beth was sick with Scarlet Fever, Amy was sent away to Aunt March so she wouldn’t get infected too. As a little girl, living with a strict Aunt who doesn’t know how to entertain a kid, can make you feel like an exile. Amy made a friend named Esther, her aunt’s Frenchwoman maid. Esther made an important impact to Amy’s life which I presume was the turning point of how Amy overcame her selfishness. Amy had observed that the old maid took comfort in her prayers (Esther was Catholic) and she always seems to look contended after. Esther suggested, since the little girl was a Protestant, that she would make her a small chapel for her to have a place for solace and reflection.


In a world where you see distractions from left to right, we sometimes forget to take time to step back from all the chaos and simply pray. I do take time for my Gospel reflections every day, but I’m guilty of only thinking of negativity and to complain… A LOT.


Let us be like Amy,


Think of good thoughts and count our blessings


It certainly helped her became a model of obedience which made her Aunt so pleased that she gave Amy her inheritance early, a blue ring. Marmee also saw the change in her daughter’s personality and she let Amy continue wearing her ring which serves as a reminder of her pilgrim’s plight.


That was quite a journey, wasn’t it? I didn’t expect that this post will be so long. I hope I didn’t bore you (too much) and you learned something from these four brave Little Women.


If you want to read Little Women for free, click here.


End of Part 2


Click me for Part 1


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