Student Name Professor Name Course Date: Little Women by Alcott - Symbols

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Little Women by Alcott – Symbols
The novel is popularly regarded

as a ‘woman’s
novel’ and is a coming-of-age
novel that focuses on the March
family during the time of the
civil
war. The characters mainly
involve the four March sisters,
Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy
respectively
and the plot of the novel
surrounds the four sisters and
their
2
The novel is popularly regarded

as a ‘woman’s
novel’ and is a coming-of-age
novel that focuses on the March
family during the time of the
civil
war. The characters mainly
involve the four March sisters,
Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy
respectively
and the plot of the novel
surrounds the four sisters and
their
Four teenage girls in nineteenth-century New England are the main characters of Louis a
May Alcott's popular coming-of-age novel Little Women. They live in a society where marriage
comes before career and passivity is favored above independence. The March sisters, Meg, Jo,
Beth and Amy, find it difficult to fit in when they are exposed to lavish events or receive
condescending treatment because of the wealth of their family. Alcott depicts and exemplifies
the conflict between adhering to social rules and staying true to oneself using symbols that are
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drawn from nature and everyday objects. The most prominent topics in this book are poverty and
hardship, which are represented by symbols like flowers, umbrellas, and fire.
The author frequently and significantly uses flowers as a metaphor to highlight class
inequalities between various families. For example, the Laurences are wealthy enough to have
their own greenhouse where they produce exotic plants and flowers (Cristine 194). March girls
cannot afford jewelry, as so that they adorn themselves with flower. Therefore, Meg uses lilies of
the valley to embellish herself for her wedding (Alcott 680). Alcott rarely goes too far in
describing what each flower means in each circumstance in the voice of her narrator. At least in the
world of Little Women, ideal beauty appears to be uncomplicated, pure, and natural. The blooms
that the March girls use to decorate themselves thus become a commentary on less ideal beauty
that is prized by the wealthy as well as a symbol of ideal beauty.
An umbrella illustrates the protection a man could provide towards a woman. Jo becomes
upset with Mr. Brooke’s umbrella, before John Brooke and her sister Meg get married. It looks
like that Jo are not happy with the fact that Mr. Brooke is going to look after and protect her
sister (Smith 3). Jo ultimately gains the ability to tolerate the idea of losing her sister if Meg was
content to marry at such a young age. Jo is covered by Professor Bhaer's umbrella at the book's
conclusion. Jo's acceptance of his umbrella signifies her acceptance of the notion that men may
offer their love and security, and she may accept it.
Burning images that simultaneously depict writing, genius, and rage are prevalent in the
novel. Jo wears a dress with a burn mark on the back to a party as a representation of her
opposition to having to perform a stereotypical female role (Hooper 421). Amy destroys Jo's book
in a fit of rage after Jo refuses to let her attend a play. Jo's family refers to her inspiration as
"genius blazing" whenever she writes. Jo burns her sensationalist stories at the book's conclusion
after Professor Bhaer critiques that kind of writing. The burning Jo of the novel's opening appears
to be destroyed by this fire, along with her former self.

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Thus, using seemingly quite insignificant elements, the author managed to draw attention to
problems that remain relevant to this day. The roles of women and men, class differences, poverty
and hardships, are all the themes that the Alcott has successfully illustrated by implementing the
methods of symbolism in her work. Besides pointing out to the issues mentioned, symbols have
also helped to show the characters development, feelings and attitudes as well.
Works Cited
Alcott, Louisa May. Little Women. Planet eBook, 1868. Planet eBook,
www.planetebook.com/free-ebooks/little-women.pdf
Hooper, Elise. "Girl Power: A Look at Recent Little Women Adaptations." Women's Studies,
vol. 48 no.4, 2019, pp.421-432.
Christine, Doyle. “Marriage in the Nineteenth Century: The Influence of Margaret Fuller’s “The
Great Lawsuit” on Little Women” Little Women at 150, edited by Shealy Daniel, Univ. Press of
Mississippi, 2022, pp.193-198.
Smith, Shardai. "Dismantling Gender Roles and Redefining Womanhood in Louisa May Alcott's
Little Women." Locus: The Seton Hall Journal of Undergraduate Research, vol. 4, no.1,
2021.
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Little Women by Alcott – Symbols

The novel is popularly regarded

The novel is popularly regarded

that is prized by the wealthy as well as a symbol of ideal beauty.

to be destroyed by this fire, along with her former self.

vol. 48 no.4, 2019, pp.421-432.

Mississippi, 2022, pp.193-198.

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