Little Women Big Minds: The Role of Women in 19th Century America
For over 300 years women in the United States have been trying to rewrite their roles in society. From Abigail Adams to Hillary Clinton women throughout American history have fought to break down the barriers set before them in order to gain equal rights. During the 19th century, Louisa May Alcott dedicated her life’s work to such issues. In her classic fictional novel, Little Women, Louisa May Alcott uses the literary devices of self-insertion, setting, and specific characterization to analyze the position of women in society.
Alcott reveals the place of women in society through the setting, principally the location and time period, of her novel. The March family, the main
…show more content…
The majority of the first part of Little Women deals with the "deals with the autobiographical component", of Alcott’s life that is inserted into Little Women (MacDonald 10). Alcott and Jo are comparable in numerous ways. Both of the young women wanted "to do something splendid", before they were forgotten or too aged (Alcott 144). They relied on the support of their families and the lessons they had learned as young girls to benefit them as they rose to the top of the authorial society. Both women did not tend to care about the restrictions set before them and set a pathway for younger generations of women to come. The second part of the novel highlights the similarities between the authorial portions of the women’s lives. Jo goes "to New York", to accomplish her writing goals, while Alcott writes in Concord,Massachusetts, the city that Little Women occurred in (Alcott 323). Louisa 's and Jo 's similar climb upward to success showed how the women of the 19th century were "adjusting to changing times", and slowly breaking the molds of their traditional past (May 4). In writing her novel Little Women, Alcott tends to use "many of the incidents”, which “were taken from her own experiences", and impose them into the plot line (MacDonald 10). Alcott was an abolitionist and a feminist, which she imposes as characteristics onto Jo March and somewhat onto Mrs.March. Her writing also allows the three sisters to be compelled by their family to experience their lives to the fullest, much similar to how Alcott’s family did to Louisa. The three sisters had a very meaningful relationship with each other, much like Alcott had with her three
Both Alcott and Hawthorne provide brilliant examples of feminists and both, though different, are perfect for showing the complexities of American women. While many women make their cause global, many others contain their goals locally, and both are worthy of supporting feminism. Zenobia and Hope stand as examples of inredible characters that provide a Victorian era with a view of womanhood not often noticed.
Society continually places restrictive standards on the female gender not only fifty years ago, but in today’s society as well. While many women have overcome many unfair prejudices and oppressions in the last fifty or so years, late nineteenth and early twentieth century women were forced to deal with a less understanding culture. In its various formulations, patriarchy posits men's traits and/or intentions as the cause of women's oppression. This way of thinking diverts attention from theorizing the social relations that place women in a disadvantageous position in every sphere of life and channels it towards men as the cause of women's oppression (Gimenez). Different people had many ways of voicing their opinions concerning gender inequalities amound women, including expressing their voices and opinions through their literature. By writing stories such as Daisy Miller and The Yellow Wallpaper, Charlotte Perkins Gilman and Henry James let readers understand and develop their own ideas on such a serious topic that took a major toll in American History. In this essay, I am going to compare Gilman’s “The Yellow Wallpaper” to James’ “Daisy Miller” as portraits of American women in peril and also the men that had a great influence.
...a group and “Ladies Committee”. The men do this on a minor scale, but the women are the focal points of these various actions by human beings, especially the selflessness that Rose of Sharon portrays when she saves a dying man. Steinbeck plots a map of the emotional world connected through female influence, like the love for kin that Ma shows when Pa was about to leave Casey and Tom behind with the Wilsons.
In the story Little Women, the sisters all have to work together when their mother leaves. Mrs. March leaves to meet with the girls’ father after she is told he has become ill. During the weeks Mrs. March is gone it’s a test for the girls’ work ethic, since their mother is not there to tell them to do their work. The March girls start to change after a couple of weeks.
" I want something to do ' Write a book,' Qouth the author of my being. Don't know enough, sir. First live, then write.' Try teaching again,' suggested my mother. No thank you, ma'am, ten years of that is enough.' Take a husband like my Darby, and fulfill your mission,' said sister Joan. Can't afford expensive luxuries, Mrs. Coobiddy.' Go nurse the soldiers,' said my young brother, Tom. I will!' (Harper 14)." This is a dialog of Louisa May Alcott with her relatives. Miss Alcott, like many other African American women, helped serve in the Civil War. During the Civil War, Miss Alcott held a variety of jobs. Mainly working as a writer, she held positions as a nurse, teacher, and volunteered in Soldiers' Aid Societies (Harper 14). These were just a sample of jobs that African American women occupied during the Civil War.
...hetypes of these primary characters, both of these novels make a parallel statement on feminism. The expectations of both themselves and society greatly determine the way that these women function in their families and in other relationships. Looking at the time periods in which these novels were written and take place, it is clear that these gender roles greatly influence whether a female character displays independence or dependence. From a contemporary viewpoint, readers can see how these women either fit or push the boundaries of these expected gender roles.
Watson, N. (2009) ‘Louisa May Alcott, Little Women (1868-9) Introduction’, in Montgomery H and Watson N (eds), Children’s Literature Classic Texts and Contemporary Trends, Basingstoke, Palgrave Macmillan in association with Open University, pp.13-17
... Now that people of all economic groups were becoming more educated and more importantly literate, society changed. The first great, American, woman authors began to write. Lousia May Alcott wrote Little Women. This was a story attempting to give a realistic and sentimental view on life. This story was, like the works of Twain, relating everyday experiences and romanticizing mundane daily life, making her stories popular to the common person and most importantly, the children of the time.
Through the intelligent use of various concrete appeals, Elizabeth Cady Stanton brings to light the injustices against women and provokes the audience to take action and form a better nation. Her words pull the heartstrings of the audience while adding emphasis to the wrongdoings happening every day. She calls for gender equality, not just in social life, but in civic and political as well. Among a plethora of inequality, her words ring true. “The right is ours,” she asserts. “The right is ours.”
There once was a time when females had basically no rights or opportunities. Women were expected to stay at home and keep their interests purely on chores at home involving cleaning, cooking, and taking care of the kids. American Women have come a long way since this time in only around 90 years. Henrik Ibsen’s play A Doll House depicts most of the outdated views on women’s rights compared to the equality women have in this day and age.
Katherine Mansfield, a writer known for challenging her readers’ notion of femininity, manages in “The Daughters of the Late Colonel” to further challenge the perception of women in twentieth century society. Mansfield outlines a relationship between two sisters, Josephine and Constantia; as well, Mansfield frames each woman’s struggle in coping with the loss of her father, Colonel Pinner. Each sister is dependent on the late Colonel and without him this dependence becomes over exaggerated and mindless. In part XII, the women seem to achieve a moment of enlightenment but by the end, each woman’s sense of clarity is gone. Mansfield explores each sister’s own female individuality despite a lack of maternal guidance. Even though both have an intrinsic sense of independence embedded deep within their feminine selves, Mansfield reveals to her readers that each sister has become dependent on a male-dominated society; thus, neither can fully grasp insight into her existence as a woman.
The story Little Women takes place at a time when women were taking on uncustomary roles like physical laborer, family protector and provider, and military volunteer while their husbands served during the Civil War. Keeping within the boundaries of the time, Louisa May Alcott uses herself and her own three sisters to create this classical novel from personal experiences. Each sister is different. They each set goals and dreams for their selves whether it goes along with their contemporary society or not. With the assistance of their mother, friends and experiences, Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy struggle between their personal expectations and society’s expectations as they plan for their future and choose their destinies.
Austen was raised in an unusually liberal family where her father was a part of the middle-landowning class. They had a moderate amount of luxuries, but were not considered well off. Unlike many girls of her time Austen received a fairly comprehensive education. She received this mainly through the undivided support of her family. Austen and her sisters, like most girls of their time, were homeschooled. Austen’s zealous parents encouraged the girls to play piano, read and write. Her parent’s encouragement led to her interest in writing. Austen’s father housed an extensive library filled with books which kept Austen occupied for years (“Sense and Sensibility” 119). Through her observant nature and passion to read and write, Austen was able to eloquently write of the many “hidden truths” of social and class distinction during her time. They included daily societal changes some of which foreshadowed future societal leniency. Familial support also extended societal norm of marriage. Her parents attempt...
Little Women shows the independence of the March sisters, what actions make them independent, and how they become independent women. The Laurence and March family show every different kind of love in this story, from love of family to romance. The March girls and Laurie Laurence face challenges and are taught that, in the end, experiencing problems in life are there to teach them to learn from their past mistakes, ultimately helping them grow and make wiser choices in the future. Unbelievably different from when they were teenagers, Jo, Meg, Beth, Amy, and Laurie grow tremendously by learning happiness, love, and independence. In Little Women, Louisa May Alcott depicts female independence, love, and coming of age through the lives of the March family.
Throughout literature’s history, female authors have been hardly recognized for their groundbreaking and eye-opening accounts of what it means to be a woman of society. In most cases of early literature, women are portrayed as weak and unintelligent characters who rely solely on their male counterparts. Also during this time period, it would be shocking to have women character in some stories, especially since their purpose is only secondary to that of the male protagonist. But, in the late 17th to early 18th century, a crop of courageous women began publishing their works, beginning the literary feminist movement. Together, Aphra Behn, Charlotte Smith, Fanny Burney, and Mary Wollstonecraft challenge the status quo of what it means to be a