Louisa May Alcott was an American writer of fiction for young teens. She was born in 1832 and died at the age of 55 in 1888. Louisa May Alcott is remembered for her novel ‘Little Women’ and its sequels ‘Good Wives’, ‘Little Men’ and ‘Jo’s Boys’. All these books are considered mini classics and in the world. These books form a niche of their own in English literature.

Little woman

‘Little Women’ was published in 1868. It was the first in a series of books that she wrote. The novel is based on an account of her childhood and her experience with her sisters. It’s a story of four sisters, namely Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy, and it still reads a lot like a classic. Louisa Alcott modeled the character of Jo on herself, with one subtle difference. In the novel, Jo marries, while in real life Alcott remains a spinster and never marries.

personal love

However, it would be a mistake to conclude that she did not have an emotional attachment to a man, as she had an affair with a Polish gentleman named Ladislas “Laddie” Wisniewski, whom she met during a visit to Europe. She made entries about him in her diary, which she deleted just before his death. This is typical of the morality of that time when it was not considered good to leave a memory of unrequited love.

Alcott and Christmas
Alcott grew up in a not very rich house. She experienced scarcity during her younger years. This is manifested in the opening scene of the book which begins with Christmas and presents for the sisters. The girls don’t have any new clothes, but Amy, the youngest of the girls, says with a snort that at least they have a mother and a father. So there is an element of anger in the novel and Christmas is the time when the girls realize that they are relatively poor.

Christmas scene and tone of the book
Alcott cleverly uses the Christmas scene to show his characters, the young heroines of his novel. Alcott lived during the civil war period (1861-65) and was a staunch advocate for black rights. She describes Christmas during the tumultuous years of the war. Although the family is poor, the girls get together and, in the true spirit of Christmas, donate their breakfast to a poor family and make gifts for dear Marmee. Marmee is her mother who raises the girls as her father was away as chaplain during the war. This is one of the most memorable Christmas scenes in Anglo-American literature.

Louisa May Alcott and her sisters were raised by parents, Abigail May and Amos Bronson, who were Transcendentalists. Transcendentalism has been influenced by Asian religions, particularly Hinduism and this has been acknowledged by Thoreau in his book ‘Walden’. Transcendentalists believe that people flourish to their capacity when they are self-sufficient and independent. This belief influenced Alcott’s life and finds expression in her book ‘Little Women’. In fact, the book’s opening Christmas scene sets the tone for the novel.

last word
Louisa May Alcott had contracted pneumonia and was treated with mercury, which never left her system and may have been the cause of her death. She died relatively young at the age of 55, an age at which the genius of most writers flourishes. The novel ‘Little Women’ remains popular and occupies an important place in American English literature. It is a book that is read around the world and has immortalized Louisa May Alcott forever. The Christmas scene can be read and reread to realize that Louisa was a genius.