"LITTLE WOMEN" - THE STORY OF

This is part five and the last of the recognition and "mini series" of Louisa May Alcott and the story behind the famous novel "Little Women".

Little Women is the lovely and heart rendering tale about the March family-- a family who loses its wealth and gains much more -- love and unity. Just as the past posts in this series has shown, this story was much like Louisa's own life. Young girls are only human, and they have natural yearning for worldly possessions. It is up to them how they cope with it, which brings us back to the March girls. Their desire to help others even when they don't have much themselves is indeed remarkable. This book shows in all times, love and hope are the most faithful companions, for when all else fails...we can depend on them. Honest and true intentions are really the most valuable possessions one can have. And this novel shows us the beauty of simplicity and the importance of the small human deeds that count even though they cannot be visibly seen. Some may not like this story but the unique thing about it is that it is based on a completely true story of Louisa May Alcott's own life. The unlikely twists in this story make it only more human, since we are all humans and we cannot evade such scenes in our life.

Little Women is a well-told story that features suspense, humor and engaging characters, as well as lessons about the importance of honest, hard work, true love, and family unity. Brilliant in its portrayal of nineteenth-century family life, the novel depicts a secure, placid world in which the the home serves as the center for children's religious and moral education.

In Alcott's novel, the family-as the most important of social units -gives its strength to overcome life's obstacles...
T
he March girls - Meg,17, Jo,16, and Amy,12 - bemoan the fact that Christmas will be lacking because their poverty prevents them from having gifts and their father is away in the Civil War. Resolving to be better people, they decide to play Pilgrim's Progress, an ongoing makebelieve in which they follow the allegorical travels Christian in Pilgrim's Promise. On Christmas day, the girls take their
breakfast to the Hummels, a needy family nearby. Later they discover that their wealthy neighbor Mr. Lawrence has rewarded their kindness with flowers and treats.

******Many thanks go out to The National Historical Women's Society and The Literature Network for the material used in these posts****

I hope you have enjoyed reading this interesting biography on Louisa May Alcott as much as I have enjoyed writing it.

Erin

LOUISA, THE TOMBOY

In part four of this "mini" series of remembering Louisa May Alcott I am going to share with you a little bit about of Louisa's childhood and how she grew up.

Most of her childhood was spent in Concord Massachusetts, where her days were enlightned by visits to Ralph Waldo Emerson's library, excursions into nature with Henry David Thoreau and theatricals in the barn at Hillside. Like her character Jo March in Little Women, young Louisa was a tomboy: "No boy could be my friend till I beat him in a race", she claimed, "and no girl if she refused to climb trees, leap fences..."

For Louisa, writing was an early passion. She had a rich imagination and often her stories became melodramas that she and her sisters would act out for friends. Louisa preferred to play the "lurid" parts in these plays, "the villains", ghosts, bandits, and disdainful queens." At age 15, troubled by poverty that plagued her family, she vowed:"I will do something by and by. Don't care what ,teach, sew, act, write, anything to help the family; and be rich and famous and happy before I die , see if I won't!"

Confronting a society that offered little opportunity to women seeking employment, Louisa determined"... I will make a battering-ram of a head and make my way through this rough and tumble world." Whether as a teacher, seamstress, governess, or household servant, for many years Louisa did any work she could find.

What most people know about Louisa May ALcott is only that after some success at writing short stories and well-received novels, she wrote Little Women. It quickly became one of the most beloved books of its time in the late 19th century, was celebrated around the world and is still read today. Louisa's writing came out of necessity to help feed her family.

Louisa was a strong-minded woman who was ahead of her time and far more complex than the portrait of the dainty lady that others remember. Most people don't realize that Louisa was such a prolific writer, often turning out pulp fiction thrillers with plots that included the use of hashish and smoking opium, things that no proper Victorian young lady was suppose to know about. But knew them, she did from a stint at a Washington hospital during the Civil War where desperately injured soldiers underwent amputations without the benefit of ether. "Go nurse the soldiers", had her neighbor said when Louisa had stated "I want something to do."In 1862-1863 Louisa served at the Union Hospital in Georgetown, D.C. during which time she contracted typhoid and was sent home. Louisa was treated with large doses of calomel, a mercury compound and never completely recovered from the cure.


Hope you enjoyed! Erin

THE ORCHARD HOUSE

Number 3 in a "mini" series of the rememberence of Louisa May Alcott, pictured here is a photo of "The Orchard House", the very place where Louisa wrote the famous novel "Little women". This house was the family's most permanent home. The novel "Little Women" was written here in 1868 at a "shelf" desk built by her father especially for Louisa. She also set Little Women in this home, causing guests to comment that "a visit to the Orchard House is like walking through the book". The second photo is a photo of Louisa's chamber where she wrote a lot of her work. A room of her very own was a high priority for Louisa. With her often turbulent emotions, her vivid romantic imagination, and her constant proccupation with her family's welfare, she needed a haven in which to escape, where she could find solitude and where she could write.

Louisa's father built her a half moon desk between two windows and a bookcase to hold her favorite books. Her sister May painted a panel of calla lilies beside the desk and an owl on the fireplace. Also I have include a photo of Louisa's sister May's chamber where the youngest of the Alcott daughters, who became the model for Amy March in the novel "Little Women" was a talented artist. Her blue and gray bedroom is the most preserved room in the house to date. It contains sketches of angelic, mythological and biblical figures on the woodwork and doors, original wallpaper, and bracketed shelves to hold flower vases.

Tommorrow - a look at some of Louisa's other novels an more great photo's of her and her surroundings.

Please follow this wonderful journey!

REMEMBERING "LITTLE WOMEN"

March is recognized as "National Historical Women" month, so I decided to recognize and remember one of my very favorite historical women, Louisa May Alcott. I can remember very well as a young girl reading "Little Women", "Jo's Boy's", and "Eight Cousins", all written by this famous author. I loved Jo and her sisters and I even remember not so long ago seeing the "Little Women" movie. You just can't seem to get enough of them. I have done a little research and in her honor, have decided to do a "mini" series of posts for the next few days of interesting tidbits of her life. I hope you enjoy.


Ralph Waldo Emerson, a very good friend of Louisa's father had a great influence over her. She visited his vast library frequently.Other great historical figures that played a large part in Louisa's life were fellow friends of her father, Margaret Fuller and Nathaniel Hawthorne. Also Henry David Thoreau, whom she went walking through the family orchard with often.

Louisa was the second daughter born to Abigail "Abba" May , a women's suffrage and abolitionist advocate. Louisa's father, Amos Bronson Alcott was a well known trancendentalist philosopher and education and social reformer.Louisa had three sisters, Anna, Elizabeth, and May.

The Orchard House in which her family lived in Concord was surrounded by acres of apple trees and served as the setting for her future novel "Little Women".

The sequels to this famous novel are: "Good Wives", 1869; "Little Men", 1871; and "Jo's Boy's", 1886.

At around the age of fifteen, Louisa began contributing to the family income by holding such positions as teacher, seamstress, and servant which was said to have inspired her later novel "Work: A Story of Experience", written in 1873. While she kept a journal from a very early age, she was always encouraged to write poems, sketches and plays, acted out by her and her sister's.

SPRING BLOOMS

I have recently discovered some wonderful photographers on flickr and thought I might show off some of their work. Since we are in the midst of Spring, from now thru the end of March, I will be sharing with you some beautiful spring flower photos that these great artists have taken. I will be posting the photos in the top right hand corner of my page under the caption "One Pretty Thing". I will be changing the photos out every few hours, so try to check back often to view these wonderful pictures. You will be amazed! Enjoy!

Erin

HISTORICAL WOMEN

Louisa May Alcott

March is Historical Women's Month.I thought it only befitting to shed a little light on and honor one of the many women in our history that brought a lot joy to many a girls childhood, including my own. Remember Jo and her sisters in "Little Women"? What young girl didn't love reading that story?

I will be sharing a little of Louisa's history each day with you for the next few days. I hope you enjoy!


Birthdate: November 29, 1832

Birthplace: Germantown (which is now a part of Philadelphia),Pennsylvania. Her family moved in 1834 to Boston, Mass. and then again in 1840 to Boston.

Date of Death: March 6, 1888, the date of own fathers funeral, of which she was unaware.

Place of Death: Boston, Mass.

Louisa was one of four daughters. Although her fathers association with the Transcendentalists allowed Louisa to grow up in an intellectual and non conventional environment, her own views challenged the transcendental philosophies. Her education served to foster her love and dedication to writing, acting, education and women's rights.Louisa attended a small school in Still River Village and a small classrom located in her family's barn for a short time although most of her early education was received by her father. Writers and family friends such as Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, Nathaniel Hawtorne and Margaret Fuller instructed Louisa throughout her childhood

CAN'T GET ENOUGH

I've been spending alot of time lately visiting blogs of all sorts. I consider myself a real newbie at this but I must say, I have been really impressed with some of the blogs I've read. I never realized there were sooo many out there. I have heard that it can become very addicting, and I NOW believe that. I have chosen several blogs to follow and I am sure as I dig deeper into "blog world" that there will be alot more that I come to LOVE! I am a grandmother of two precious little ones( one of which I guess I am more like a mother too since I have had full custody of him since about the age of 1 1/2 and he is 6 now)but I asure you I am a very YOUNG grandmother and have found myself really relating to so many issues that all of you really young mothers out there share. Though I may be a little older than some of you, I find that I truly connect with you on so many levels. Everyone that I have met in this "blog world" has been sooo sweet and welcoming!I want to say thank you and please keep up the wonderful writings that I so enjoy! I too need all the tips and advice that I can get and look forward to visiting all of your sites everyday! I have learned so much already and reading everyones postings makes my day a whole lot brighter! Thank you again, Erin