Review Detail

“Christmas won’t be Christmas without any presents.”

Everyone is no doubt familiar this opening line. It comes from Little Women, the beloved classic of the four young March girls. Meet sixteen-year-old Meg, the plump and matronly oldest sister; Jo, the awkward and rambunctious tomboy; Amy, the spoiled and artistic blond; and Beth, the quiet and reserved youngest sister. With their father away at war, the girls grow up under the watchful eye of Marmee.

Of course, the March family is not perfect, which is why we love them. Meg succumbs to vanity a party when she borrows a dress that is far too stiff with a train that is far too long. She also fears during dances that her earrings will fall off. Jo refuses to forgive her sister Amy for an act of vengeance, until a skating disaster reunites them. Amy receives the strap at school for ignoring a rule about candy. And Beth loses a beloved bird during a disastrous week when the girls experiment with idleness. Even the one who most often instills moral guidance, Mrs. March, admits that it’s taken her over forty years to only partially cure her anger.

While the entire family is creative, Jo is the writer amongst them. This is my main reason for liking her best. We’re both always reading. Jo likes to receive books as presents, is most attracted to homes where the owners have libraries, and typically cites examples from literature to prove her points. We’re also both always writing. Jo writes plays and contributes news to the family newsletter. She loves sharing stories about what happens in her life. I also most identify with her habit of getting herself into scrapes.

Despite the absence of their father, the family is close knit. The Marches sing together. They help the needy, even to the point of giving up their Christmas breakfast to help a starving family. Not being rich themselves, they produce their own plays and a family newspaper for entertainment. Under the moral direction of their mother, they also learn many life lessons. I embraced many of the principles myself such as refusing to let the sun go down on my anger. Little Women continues to be one of my favorite girl books.