Alcott, Louisa May - Little Women (2)

Little Women

The sisters

The main protagonist of this book are the March sisters: Margaret (Meg) is the oldest sister, the most mature and kind (especially with Amy) but sometimes she can be careless. Josephine (Jo) she's considered the main protagonist of the whole little women series, she's very boyish and has a strong personality. Elizabeth (Beth) is 13 years old, she's sweet and kind and has a true passion for music and playing the piano. Amy is the youngest sister, she's elegant and alway try to act like a young lady, she's the artist of the family.

The plot

First of all this book has 2 original titles. The most used is Little Women but it can also be called Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy who are the main characters of the story. The first chapter starts with the four March sisters (Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy) sitting in the living room, discussing about their situation of poverty. Next they talk about their father, Mr March, who joined the war. It’s Christmas Eve and the girls decide to make their Christmas amazing by buying each one a small present but in the end they decide to make a nice gesture and buy a gift to their mom Marmee. Suddenly the mother returns home and brings a letter from their father. The March sisters are very happy with the letter and complain less about their poverty status. On Christmas Day the sisters receive books as a present then the mother convinces them to bring their breakfast to the Hummels family, which is very poor. As soon as Mr. Laurence noticed their kindness, he decides to invite them to a banquet. The older sisters (Meg and Jo) are also invited to a dance party held at the home of a rich friend of Meg, Sally Gardiner. Here Jo meets the young Laurie. While dancing, Meg twisted her ankle and at the end Laurie offers to take the two girls home. During the following days the sisters went to visit Mr. Laurence, who really loves the little ladies, decides to gift his old nephew's piano to Beth. Laurie and Jo become best friends, with his help and the family club the March founded, Jo finally succeded by publishing her first narration. As soon as the family received the news about Mr. March being hurt in a Washintong Hospital, Mrs. March decides to go visiting him and to do so, Jo cut and sold a big part of her hair in order to pay her mother's travel. The sisters are now alone, Beth got sick after helping the Hummels, Amy to not get sick go at Aunt March's maision for a while and Jo go to New York after publishing another story.

There is a time skip till 3 years later

After Jo returns from New York, Laurie confesses his feelings to her but Jo rejects him. Meg married Mr. Brooke (Laurie's tutor) and had two childrens. Eventually Beth died, Amy decides to marry Laurie and will have a daugther that they will name Beth. In conclusion Jo will marry the german professor Bhaer that she met at New York, inheriting aunt's March house which will be trasformed in a Seminary. The March family is now reunited and finally happy.