I remember reading an abridged copy of “Little Women” by Louisa May Alcott when I was fairly young and I read the full novel when I got a bit older. 

I decided to re-read it again after seeing the PBS adaption this spring. 

“Little Women” was published for the first time in 1868, which makes it 150 years old this year. And if you haven’t read it in a while, now’s a good time to get re-acquainted with the March sisters: Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy.

Alcott borrowed heavily from her early life with her own sisters: Jo was based on Alcott herself. Originally, the book ended shortly after Aunt March’s fight with Meg over John Brooke. The rest of the March family saga might never have been told, for Alcott ended it with a small note:

“So grouped, the curtain falls upon Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy. Whether it ever rises again, depends upon the reception given to the first act of the domestic drama called ‘Little Women.’”

“Little Women” was such a success and reader demand so high for more stories about the March sisters that Alcott published “Good Wives” the next year. Now, they are often printed as one book. They were followed by “Little Men” in 1871 and “Jo’s Boys” in 1886.

“Little Women” opens just before Christmas during the early part of the Civil War: Father is away serving as a chaplain and Marmee and their daughters are managing as best they can. Meg is 16 and a governess. Jo is 15, feisty and an aspiring writer. Beth is 13, musically talented, and painfully shy. Amy is 12, an aspiring artist and rather spoiled. 

Life is hard because the family lost almost all their money; but they are rich in love for each other. They make their own fun with skating, picnics, plays written by Jo and acted by all, and meeting new people, like the boy-next-door Laurie. 

That doesn’t mean everything is wonderful. The girls make mistakes and learn things along the way. A telegram brings bad news about their father; he’s very sick and Marmee must go to him at once. While she is away, Beth gets sick with scarlet fever, a very dangerous disease that can kill. Jo and her sisters are left home wondering if their family as they know it will survive.

One of the things I’ve always liked about “Little Women” is each girl is different, with her own distinct personality. They are not always complimentary portrayals, but they are recognizable even 150 years later because Alcott was very observant and understood human nature. Meg likes pretty things and can be materialistic; she also is too easily swayed by others. Jo is headstrong and quick to speak her mind; sometimes to her hardship. 

Beth is kind and gentle, but overly sensitive to the point she is nearly homebound. Amy is talented artistically, but puts on airs, is self-absorbed, and vengeful. Fortunately, their parents have given them a good grounding in life and when they do stray, they know their way back, even if the path isn’t smooth or easy.

Another reason “Little Women” resonates in modern times is the way the March sisters were encouraged to develop their own talents: Jo is a writer determined to use her talent to get her family out of poverty but is never pressured to do so. Beth’s musical talent is encouraged because she loves to play piano and it brings joy to others. Amy’s drawing and sculpting is joked about when she’s a novice and not very good, but she’s always encouraged to keep improving and striving to become the best she can be for no other reason than she enjoys doing it. Each sister is recognized for who she is and her own talents, not for what she is expected to be. Many women of that era were only expected to be wives and mothers, to keep house and tend children – but the March sisters were warned against entering into unsuitable marriages by Marmee, who has some wise words on that subject. 

Interestingly, Alcott and her sister May reached a level of success not many women did back then. Alcott was a prolific and best-selling author in her own time, writing many other short stories and books, some for children and others for adults. May was a critically acclaimed artist, mostly known for her still life portraits. She had work exhibited twice at the Paris Salon, including a still life in 1877 and “La Negresse” in 1879.

Another thing that was fun for me was taking note of all the books Jo was reading. Alcott didn’t make them up, they’re real books that were around at the time and she probably read, such as “The Wide, Wide World” which was published in 1850. 

“Pilgrim’s Progress” is, of course, a classic. So is “Ivanhoe.” “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” is one of America’s best-known novels and one of its most controversial. There’s Dickens and Shakespeare, too, but there’s lesser known works, such as “Evelina,” “The Heir of Redclyffe,” and “The Vicar of Wakefield.” “Little Women” fans know “Sintram” makes an appearance throughout the series.

The style of writing has certainly changed over the past century and a half and some kids might need their parents or grandparents to explain the use of some words that were in common usage back then and mean something entirely different now, but the main core of the books still rings true. 

It’s still best to work hard, but leave time for fun, act and speak modestly, treat others as you would wish to be treated, and take time for family, always. These lessons, most learned at Marmee’s knee, are timeless and kids today should take them to heart because kindness, friendship and perseverance will serve them well all their lives.