My favorite book to read so far has been Little Women. It was definitely different to read it now, as an adult, than it was fifteen or so years ago, especially knowing more about the era in which it was written. I also hadn't realized, way back when, that it was a book about manners for women. The only thing I think is interesting on that point is that Louisa May Alcott never strictly points out which girl was the BEST. All of them have their strengths and weaknesses, all of them appeal in some part to young ladies, and all of them suffer and sustain in life. I think it was an interesting twist that Beth, the best model that the girls of Alcott's era were supposed to look up to, died...was it, as Professor Hass suggested, because she was too good? Was Alcott simply suggesting that it was okay to have some faults, as long as one worked to improve them?
Hopefully this class will continue to help us understand questions such as these...
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ReplyDeleteI agree with you that "Little Women" was one of the best books that we have read so far. This book kept my attention and I really enjoyed the story. I also read the book when I was little, and when I read it again I did not realize how much I missed. I do believe that Alcott suggested that it was okay to have faults as long as you work to improve them. She shows this through the four very different girls. Each girl was taught a lesson and each learned to become a better woman. But I do find it ironic that Beth had to be the one to die. Maybe she was just too good and Alcott was trying to prove something through Beth's death. Also, I think it’s crazy that this was written as a manners book for young girls. I think that the idea of a manners book is ridiculous but the story was very good.
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