Marmee's Struggle In 'Little Women'

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“Little women” is a didactic novel set during and after the Civil War in a small New England town. The novel tells us of the hardships women during the 1860s had to endure and deal with. It also tells us the importance of being genuine, kind, and in a way convinces us that sacrifices aren’t always a way for us to end up with less than what we bargained for.
An omniscient narrator tells us of the Marches; Jo our tomboyish protagonist who aspires to become a great writer, Meg the family beauty, Beth the virtuous music lover, and Amy the family artist, Marmee the girls’ mother, and their loyal servant and friend Hannah, as well as the family’s neighbor Theodore Laurence. The Marches had just lost their fortune, and the sisters struggle to keep their household running. Marmee works hard for the family without complains, she acts as the girls’ role model and as the moral compass by which the girls are guided. Mr. March, the girls’ father, serves as a chaplain in the Union army.
Josephine ‘Jo’ March is our story’s protagonist, she acts like a tomboy despite her attempts at taming that side of her while she aspires and works hard to become a great writer. She hates the gender …show more content…

She quiet and bashful, always trying to please everyone and gentle in every way even when scolding her sisters for arguing. Beth loves music and playing the piano, her excitement is at its peak when Laurie’s grandfather gives her what used to be his granddaughter’s piano to play on. Beth never thinks of leaving home despite her sisters starting to move away. She is especially close to Jo, and when Beth develops scarlet fever after visiting the Hummels; the poor family next door, Jo takes the most care of her. Beth’s health improves but is never regained fully, and she eventually dies young. Beth’s death is the ultimate sacrifice in the novel, and she dies happy despite knowing her life only impacted those who lived with