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.