1 - Summary
Unique Christmas
Four sisters Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy live with their mother, Mrs. March, and servant Hannah in a house next door to 16-year-old orphaned Theodore Lawrence and his grandfather.
Christmas is approaching but will look different from previous years as the father of the four sisters works as a doctor in the Civil War. There will also be no presents under the Christmas tree this year because the family does not have much to spend.
Mrs. March, also known as Marmee, therefore works extra hard for poor families, for example for the Hummel family who live in an old cottage.
Despite this unique Christmas, the sisters remain positive. Mrs. March explains that their poverty is not that bad and that there are many families who have it much harder than them. The sisters propose to make the best of it so that their father would be proud.
Friendship
A big Christmas breakfast is waiting for the sisters on Christmas morning, but just before they want to start, Marmee proposes to give it to the Hummel family, who are especially struggling at this time of year. The girls are sorry but agree.
When they return home, the table is completely covered with all kinds of goodies. Their neighbor Theodore, aka Laurie, had seen their good deed.
A week later, a grand New Year's Dance is held in town and Meg and Jo are invited. Meg likes pretty dresses and dancing, but Jo doesn't like it. When Jo enters a room behind the dance room she finds Laurie, Jo and Laurie start talking and a close friendship develops.
Illness
One day, the terrible news arrives that Mr. March is extremely ill. Marmee wants to travel to him, but money is needed for that. Jo cuts her hair and that makes enough money for the trip. John Brooke, Laurie's teacher, suggests going with Marmee.
Meanwhile, Beth takes responsibility for the Hummel family. One day, Beth comes home crying because the family's baby has died from the contagious disease scarlet fever. Not much later, Beth also gets scarlet fever and she becomes very ill. The sisters send a letter to Mother March telling her to come back home, which she does. Fortunately, Beth is doing better and she survives the illness.
The following Christmas, Father is again the only one who is missing. Laurie has a surprise and surprises the sisters and their mother with Mr. March. John Brooke also comes home and asks Meg to marry him.
2 - Explanation for the title
The title of the book is Little Women, the book is so called because it is about four sisters who all grow up in their own way and become who they are. The girls are their father’s little womens and all four of them try to make him proud.
I think this is a good title because it does have something mysterious about it because you don't immediately know what the book is about. So you want to read the book to know what it's about, it's a catchy title.
Another title for the book could be 'The four sisters'. It is a bit more specific and gives away more about the content of the book.
3 - Important persons
The book is mainly about the four sisters: Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy. Jo is the most common in the book and many stories are also about Jo's life. So I think Jo is the most important person in the book.
Jo was born with the name 'Josephine', but she finds this name too feminine and wants her environment to call her Jo from now on. At the beginning of the book she is fifteen years old. Jo is very tall and thin and has gray eyes, her long hair was always netted so it didn't get in the way.
‘Fifteen-year old Jo was very tall, thin and brown, and reminded one of a colt; for she never seemed to know what to do with her long limbs, which were very much in her way. She had a decided mouth, a comical nose, and sharp gray eyes, which appeared to see everything, and were by turns fierce, funny, or thoughtful.’
- p. 10 & 11
Jo loved writing and it meant everything to her. When Amy and Jo get into a little fight one day and Amy secretly burns Jo's stories and poems, it becomes clear that Jo is not served by this.
‘‘I burnt it up.’
‘ What! my little book I was so fond of, and worked over, and meant to finish before father got home? Have you really burnt it?’ said Jo, turning very pale, while her eyes kindled and her hands clutched Amy nervously’ … ‘You wicked, wiched girl! I never can write it again, and I’ll never forgive you as long as I live.’
- p. 129
Jo doesn't care much about her appearance and thinks other things are more important. When one day the massage comes that Mr. March is very ill and then Mrs. March has to travel to him, Jo springs into action and she will do anything to raise money for the trip, she comes home with 25 dollars.
‘My dear, where did you get it! Twenty-five dollars! Jo, I hope you haven’t done anything rash?’
‘No, it’s mine honestly; I didn’t beg, borrow, nor steal it. I earned it and I don’t think you’ll blame me, for I only sold what was my own.’
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