Louisa May Alcott and Little Women The morality of the 19th century Victorian Era is renown in modern times as a standard, from which the society of today has deferred from in as many ways as conceivably possible. Yet there were those at that time whom thought even then that the moral integrity of youthful society was degrading at a vicious speed. So when a novel filled with didactic tones, professing the assets of domesticism along with feminism, appeared in 1868, parents were clamoring to buy Little Women for their young girls. The young girls themselves loved to indulge in the antics of Jo March and Teddy Lawrence; reading each chapter like watching another episode in an ongoing sitcom. Coming from strong transcendentalist roots, Alcott was an idealistic as well as a realistic Victorian author, who's early experimentation with children's literature brought her the status as being one of the most influential writers in American history. The March family story begins during Christmas time amid the confusion of the Civil War. Though far away from the actual battlefields, this New England family still feels the affects of the war. Little Women starts off by the family hearth where sisters Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy anxiously await news from a chaplain father off on the front lines. As they sit there, the girls complain of their despondent situations, which in actuality are really not that bad. This picturesque beginning is important and informative for it casts the mold from which the girls' futures are shaped. As their mother, known lovingly as Marmee, bursts into the cozy scene, the main piece falls into place, and the timeless story of Little Women starts to unfold. Christmas is a time of joy, sharing, and love. The Marches do not have much, but on this particular occasion, the girls learn the essence of the golden rule. By giving up their Christmas breakfast to a family truly in need of this charity, the sisters not only find out the t...
