Four sisters bring a story to generations

Little Women, a classic novel by Louisa May Alcott, follows four sisters as they navigate through adolescence during the midst of the 1860s. However, despite its lasting literary reputation and several media interpretations, is Little Women worth the read?

In my opinion, the charming characters, heartwarming stories, and reliability make it an enjoyable read and an instant shelf favorite.

In Little Women we are introduced to the March sisters, each with their own unique personalities and goals. Each character speaks to a different reader: Meg, the oldest, shows maturity yet battles with her desires and responsibilities; Jo, a passionate writer demonstrates tomboyish ways that make her stand out against formal society; Beth, an innocent soul, expresses love for others and creates a balancing figure between her sisters; and lastly, Amy, the youngest and the people pleaser, represents a conflict with Jo and her actions.

Their relationships and interactions greatly show the joys and challenges of having siblings, but each individual’s endeavors allow for their own stories to shine through and be told. These lovable characters are what I believe make Little Women such a classic tale as it illustrates the well-known coming of age narrative with young and humorous characters.

Another factor that makes Alcott’s novel such a great read is the balance of challenges and happiness that the characters experience, bringing in a factor of reliability to the reader. For example, tales of school are told as Amy gets in trouble for causing mischief with some classmates, and another section reflects on the times when the sisters venture out for a day at the beach. Even tales of love are told as the girls grow up and experience their own relationships. There are also tales of sickness, war, and heartbreak as the characters battle their unique challenges.

As with most coming of age stories, the sisters learn how to grow from these painful experiences, creating a message that has endured for over 150 years, reflecting on just how meaningful this book can really be.

There have been film adaptations of the novel in 1917, 1918, 1939 and 1949, as more recent adaptations in 1994 and 2019, as well as a mini-series in 2017. While several of them are worthwhile, Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women is a worthy classic in book form, with its likable characters and captivating stories, and well-worth a read from a modern audience.