Little Women by Louisa May Alcott | Part 1, Chapters 16-19

Louisa May Alcott's Little Women explained with chapter summaries in just a few minutes! Course Hero Literature Instructor Russell Jaffe provides an in-depth summary and analysis of Part 1, Chapters 16-19 of Louisa May Alcott's novel Little Women. Download the free study guide and infographic for Little Women here: https://www.coursehero.com/lit/Little-Women/infographic/ Louisa May Alcott's novel Little Women concerns the struggles of a family of young girls supported only by their mother when their father is called to fight in the Civil War. The four sisters are close, but have different personalities. Meg, the eldest, is vain and inclined to abide by social conventions. Jo, a writer, is feisty and temperamental. Beth, the shy and sensitive musician of the family, struggles with scarlet fever, drawing the family closer together. And Amy, the youngest, is an artist. The four sisters, along with their mother and aunt, deal with various hardships and romantic entanglements. The sisters are bound to each other and their parents in love, which extends itself to embrace the wider world. They ultimately settle into comfortable domesticity, but not without having learned of the ways of the world and of the value of their family. American author Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women was first published in 1868-69. The second daughter of nonconformists and abolitionists, Alcott grew up around philosophers and reformers. Her family was poor, so she helped bring in money by working and writing. Penning many short stories, plays, and books—including a number of thrillers—Alcott achieved success with the publication of Little Women. The novel Little Women contains many enduring themes, including the value of sacrifice, as by giving up their dreams, the March sisters show that self-sacrifice is necessary for self-conquest, the keystone of perfect character; family as a model society, as a loving family that works together for the good of the whole is the model for an ideal society; and gender and femininity, as as Jo matures, she fights the strictures of femininity but ultimately gives up writing to accept her role as a wife and mother. Important motifs include womanhood, fire and burning, and the Pilgrim’s Progress. Explore Course Hero’s collection of free literature study guides, Q&A pairs, and infographics here: https://www.coursehero.com/lit/ About Course Hero: Course Hero helps empower students and educators to succeed! We’re fueled by a passionate community of students and educators who share their course-specific knowledge and resources to help others learn. Learn more at http://www.coursehero.com Master Your Classes™ with Course Hero! Get the latest updates: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/coursehero Twitter: https://twitter.com/coursehero

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