Louisa May Alcott was an American writer of fiction for young teenagers. She was born in 1832 and died at the age of 55 in 1888. Louisa may Alcott is remembered for her novel ‘Little Women’ and its sequels ‘Good Wives’, ‘Little Men’ and ‘Jo’s Boys’. All these books are considered mini classics and of the world. These books form a niche of their own in English literature.
Little woman
‘Little Women’ was published in 1868. It was the first in a series of books he wrote. The novel is based on an account of his childhood and experience with his sisters. It’s a story of four sisters, namely Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy, and it is still widely read as a classic. Louisa Alcott modeled the character of Jo on herself, with a subtle difference. In the novel Jo gets married, while in real life Alcott was still a spinster and never married.
Personal love
However, it would be wrong to conclude that she had no emotional ties to a man, as she had an affair with a Polish gentleman named Ladislas “Laddie” Wisniewski, whom she met during a visit to Europe. He made entries about him in his diary, which he deleted just before his death. This is typical of the morals of that time when it was not thought well to leave a memory of unrequited love.
Alcott and Christmas
Alcott grew up in a poor household. He experienced shortages during his youth. This is manifested in the opening scene of the book that begins with Christmas and presents for the sisters. The girls don’t have new clothes, but Amy, the youngest of the girls, snorts that at least they have a father and mother. Therefore, there is an element of anger in the novel and Christmas is the time when girls realize that they are relatively poor.
Christmas Scene and Book Tone
Alcott cleverly uses the Christmas scene to show his characters, the young heroines of his novel. Alcott lived during the Civil War period (1861-65) and was a staunch protagonist of Black rights. She describes Christmas during the tumultuous war years. Although the family is poor, the girls come together and, in true Christmas spirit, donate their breakfast to a poor family and make gifts for dear Marmee. Marmee is her mother, who raises the girls since her father was absent as a chaplain during the war. This is one of the most memorable Christmas scenes in Anglo-American literature.
Louisa May Alcott and her sisters were raised by their parents, Abigail May and Amos Bronson, who were transcendentalists. Transcendentalism has been influenced by Asian religions, particularly Hinduism, and this has been recognized by Thoreau in his book ‘Walden’. Transcendentalists believe that people flourish to their capacity when they are self-reliant and independent. This belief influenced Alcott’s life and finds expression in his book ‘Little Women’. In fact, the book’s opening Christmas scene sets the tone for the novel.
Last word
Louisa May Alcott had contracted pneumonia and was treated with mercury, which never left her system and could have been the cause of her death. He died relatively young at the age of 55, an age at which the genius of most writers flourishes. The novel ‘Little Women’ remains popular and occupies an important place in American English literature. It is a book that is read all over the world and that has immortalized Louisa May Alcott forever. The Christmas scene can be read and reread to realize that Louisa was a genius.