CPB: Little Women Chp. 22-34

During the "Pleasant Meadows" chapter, after Mr. Brooke's return to his home and family, he gives a speech to each of his daughters in turn about the changes he sees in them as a result of the time they spent in his absence. This section of the book seems to be a capstone for the first part of the novel, showing how each of the young women have grown and developed from their experiences and life lessons.

To Meg, he compliments the state of her roughened hands whereas he "remembered a time a time when her hand was white and smooth, and her first care was to keep it so" (222). This reflects back to the beginning of the novel when Meg was always examining the wealth of people around her and trying to refine herself so that she would resemble a member of their crowd. She has come a long way from that pristine and posh mindset. Unfortunately, her behavior does not change permanently, although it has improved. After her marriage with Mr. Brooke in Part 2, her jealousy for other people's material possessions returns when she sees her friend Sally's purchases and tries to elevate her own to match. She knows that she is living beyond her means, but she can't help but give into temptation.

Mr. Brooke tells Jo that she has turned into a more feminine type of behavior and that he sees it an improvement. Perhaps that was naturally thinking for the Victorian age, but I can see how it could grate against a lot of feminist minds today. The fact that it was better for Jo to shed her tomboy-ish ways suggests that female readers should do the same, seeing as readers could take Mr. Brooke's lectures as lessons for themselves. Although Jo takes his praise well, she never completely sheds her ways.

He says little to Beth, but the most important of his words seems to be that she is "not as shy as she used to be" (223).

Amy has become more humble and works more for the family without complaint, which is a true accomplishment for any young child. To note here is the returning subject of Aunt March's ring, which was giving to her according to the lady's will. I have a feeling that this will be an important object for future reference.

Now, to show that chapter 22 was not the only chapter that I read out of this batch, I wanted to quote the book from the "Artistic Attempts" chapter, when Marmee reflects that "experience was an excellent teacher, and, when it was possible, she left her children to learn alone the lessons which she would gladly have made easier" (259). I definitely agree to this version of parenting and in life in general. If someone doesn't listen to good advice the first time around, then dealing with the consequences of their actions will definitely pound the lesson into their heads! Amy hopefully paid attention to this after her party was a bust.

CPB: Little Women Chp. 11-20

*The Civil War is an obvious metaphor for internal conflict and its invocation as background to Little Women suggests the presence in the story of such conflict. There is tension in the book, attributable to the conflict between its overt messages and its covert messages. (19)*

This passage from Judith Fetterley's article suggests that Alcott used the Civil War as a backdrop to the happenings of the women of the March family to help reveal the nature of the inner conflicts of the four daughters. The article specifically points out the developing inner struggle of Jo, who, at the beginning of the story, is burdened with the knowledge that she cannot go and fight with the Union. However, as she learns to control her tempestuous temper, she finds that adapting to a life as a homemaker and a womanly identity is much more difficult than she expected. According to the novel, she says that *'keeping her temper at home was a much harder task than facing a rebel or two down South' (12).*

I can see similar comparisons throughout the current assigned chapters. In the "Camp Laurance" chapter, the group of youth are debating over their performances in a game when the dialogue commences:

*"We don't cheat in America; but you can, if you choose," said Jo, angrily.

"Yankees are a deal the most tricky, everybody knows. There you go," returned Fred, croqueting her ball far away. (125)*

And again a little later:

*"Yankees have a trick of being generous to their enemies," said Jo, with a look that made the lad redden, "especially when they beat them," she added, as, leaving Kate's ball untouched, she won the game by a clever stroke." (125)*

I have to wonder how much of this exchange could be commenting on the real state of the war as it was going on at this time. Obviously, the youth were teasing one another. Fred is one of the English young men and women who were visiting with Laurie and they would probably bring with them the stereotypes and mentalities that would be foreign to the March girls. I noticed how, during the story in the "Camp Laurence" chapter, Fred describes the battle between a pirate ship and a British ship, specifically stating that *"Of course the British beat - they always do". (129)*

In this instance, the side of America that this British group is being exposed to is the Union side. I'm sure that, if the same group were to be entertained by a Confederate family, they would hear a very different description of Yankee personality.

Another comparison lies in the "Dark Days" chapter. The state of the war effort is represented by the illness of Mr. March and the separation of Mrs. March from her daughters. While the young women are forced to stay at home and try to keep up the housekeeping effort, Beth contracts a deadly fever, similar to Mr. March's. Beth is the wounded soldier in this domestic atmosphere, the symbolic result of the inner struggle of the young girls, just as Mr. March is a result of the war effort.

CPB: Little Women Chp. 1-10

*...Alcott's books for girls reveal that she simultaneously resisted and revised traditional female models of femininity while mediating her readers' desire for conventional female plots. As a result, Alcott brought about an important development in the history of juvenile literature: in shaping a new kind of fiction aimed specifically at adolescent girls, she ushered in realistic female characters and plots that were as distinct from previous models of femininity and womanhood in fiction, as from the characters and plots of boys' books against which they were inevitably defined. (40)

This passage is from Wadsworth's article concerning the development of juvenile fiction from unisex-themed and styled fiction into two separate and distinct forms; one aimed at females and the other at males. Certainly Little Women is a primary example of a book meant for girls and young women. It was written during a time when the Separate Spheres had a strong influence on society. The majority of the novel describes the lifestyle and homemaking duties of women, which probably would not interest too many young men. Boys then and now have a natural inclination for action and adventure. While there is always some overlap, this general division is apparent.

That being said, I can definitely see the realistic range of female personalities that Alcott wrote into the story (it's sometimes hard to believe they are sisters because they are so different). Meg is the oldest and as such remembers a time when the family had a fortune and a fine home. She always longs to be a part of higher-living. The best way to describe Jo would be to repeat what she says on page 3:

*"I hate to think I've got to grow up and be Miss March, and wear long gowns, and look as prim as a China-aster. It's bad enough to be a girl, any-way, when I like boy's games, and work, and manners." (3)* Jo's personality acknowledges the tomboyish nature of girls and young women that many proper adults wished they could stamp out. Jo herself shows a desire to be free from stereotypes and the will of society over her life. It's worthy to note that it is at the wish of a man, her father, in his letter to his family, that she decides to try and be more mindful of her womanly duties around the home.

While Amy is more rambunctious and Beth is quiet and content, both young girls have the innocence of youth and the will to learn about the world. Through them, Alcott presents the reader with a view of the world that is different than how most people would perceive. The reader finds himself or herself learning life lessons along with the girls rather than standing as an indifferent outside force.

Question: I want to know more about the play in chapter 2: "A Merry Christmas." I feel like the characters of Zara, Hagar, and Don Pedro are important commentary on the novel's themes as a whole, but I can't figure out how.

Also, I'm noticing a lot of motherhood imagery in all the girls. Interesting to note is how Jo has taken Beth under her wing whereas Meg has a special connection with Amy. The older girls naturally have maternal instincts for the dear sisters younger than themselves. It's almost like them pairing off is teaching Meg and Jo what it is like to be a mother.

Commonplace Book: Alice in Wonderland

Any block of text with asterisks around it is a quotation listed from the in-class texts.

*"A likely story indeed!" said the Pigeon, in a tone of the deepest contempt. "I've seen a good many little girls in my time, but never one with such a neck as that! No, no! You're a serpent; and there's no use denying it!" (48)*

For some reason, when I read this passage I'm reminded of the Adam and Eve story. Eve was seduced by a serpent into partaking of the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge, which instilled the knowledge of good and evil into the couple. This could be seen as a type of "growing up" from a childlike, innocent state. Alice's journeys in Wonderland produce a maturing effect on her. It is possible that the Pigeon is pointing this out when it says that Alice is nothing like the "little girls" that it has seen. It refers to Alice having a long neck like a serpent, suggesting that the evils of maturity have already had an effect on Alice, like the serpent had on Eve. The Pigeon's disgust at the perceived transformation could be the same reaction that the animals in the Garden of Eden had towards their masters after the fruit had affected them.

*However, this bottle was not marked "poison," so Alice ventured to taste it, and, finding it very nice...she very soon finished it off. (14)*

Alice probably hasn't studied poisons at her age. She still clings to the idea that everything dangerous either has a label or is obviously dangerous. She's innocent enough not to know about tasteless or odorless poisons. I also find it amusing that the tonic tasted like the entire food pyramid. If something like that was created, the inventor would make millions.

*"You're thinking about something, my dear, and that makes you forget to talk. I ca'n't tell you just now what the moral of that is, but I shall remember it in a bit."

"Perhaps it hasn't one," Alive ventured to remark.

"Tut, tut, child!" said the Duchess. "Every thing's got a moral, if only you can find it." (78)*

In one of my creative writing classes (I forget which, I've had a ton), I heard the idea that a story must be able to transfer an idea or a lesson to the reader in order to be considered a successful story. While this may or may not be true, I see the same concept here. In the Victorian Era, making sense of the world seemed to be society's top priority. Since this story was written during that time, it would make sense that this passage was meant to satirize the concept of stories or fairy tales always having "morals."

The following takes place at the very end of the story, after Alice's older sister has listened to Alice's description of her dream:

*So she sat on, with closed eyes, and half believed herself in Wonderland, though she knew she had but to open them again, and all would change to dull reality...Lastly, she pictured to herself how this same little sister of hers would, in the after-time, be herself a grown woman; and how she would keep, through all her riper years, the simple and loving heart of her childhood... (110)*

I think this is one of the best passages that describes the concept of "nostalgia" that Robert Hemmings presented in his article. His idea was that adults will make an idea of their childhood that is ideal and innocent, even going so far as to exclude any of the bad memories or ideas. Artists and writers will present the innocent qualities of children in their work. Alice's sister has heard an imaginative tale from a child that has somewhat grown out of her innocence, yet it still seems more fantastic than her "dull" reality. The last lines suggest that Alice will experience Hemming's 'nostalgia' when reflecting on her childhood. It is as though Alice has always had a simple and loving heart and is impervious to anger or annoyance. In reality, it is incredibly difficult to find an adult with such an ideal recollection of their childhood.