An Analysis Of Feminism As Reflected In Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women

AN ANALYSIS OF FEMINISM AS REFLECTED IN LOUISA MAY

ALCOTT’S

LITTLE WOMEN

A THESIS

BY

LIANA YUNIKE MANURUNG

Reg. No. 070705018

UNIVERSITY OF SUMATERA UTARA

FACULTY OF LETTERS

ENGLISH DEPARTMENT

MEDAN

2010

First, I would like to praise and give Heavenly Father the Almighty God in the name of Jesus Christ the greatest honour who always gives me His blessings, guidance and spirit to finish this thesis.

I would like to say thank to some lecturers who helped and guided to write this thesis, they are:

1. Dr. Drs. Syahron Lubis, M.A as the Dean of Faculty of Letters in University of Sumatera Utara.

2. Dr. Drs. Muhizar Muchtar, M.S as the Head of English Literature Department in University of Sumatera Utara.

3. Dr. Dra. Nurlela, M.Hum as the Secretary of English Literature Department in University of Sumatera Utara.

4. Dra. Martha Pardede, M.S as my Supervisor and Dra. Syahyar Hanum, DPFE as my Co-Supervisor for the precious advices, supporting assistance and understanding that motivated me to finish this thesis.

5. Prof. Dra., Tengku Silvana Sinar, M.A., Ph.D as my Academic Supervisor for the encouragement during my study at English Literature Department in University of Sumatera Utara.

I also thank all of my sisters in my lovely small group “Famz in Christ”: K”Shera, Evy, Eva, Ana, Ayaqi, Herlina, Yulietha who always support me with their love, care, pray and attention. Thank you for everything that we have shared through all these years. May God Bless you all!

I will never forget to thank my incredible loving, supportive, and great family, my Father D. Manurung and my lovely Mother B. Silalahi, I dedicate this thesis to them. Special thank them that had struggled, tried to full fill all of my needs and prayed for me all the time. Moreover, I thank my

brothers and sister Heri, Dicky, Meylani for their loving, caring, and kindness that encourage me to finish this thesis. I will always love you all forever more.

Finally yet importantly, I would like to say thank to my best friend who always supports me and to my entire friends for their participation to help me to do and finish this thesis; Debora, Dewi Maya, Vita, Maya, Rinandes, Elisabeth, Citra and whose names cannot be put in this thesis. They will be in my heart. Thank a lot for everything that they have done for me. Finally, I hope this thesis will always be beneficial for the readers.

Medan,

Liana Yunike Manurung

ABSTRACT

Judul skripsi ini adalah An Analysis of the Aspect of Feminism in Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women. _{Skripsi ini menganalisis tentang kehidupan wanita pada abad ke-19 yang menjadi tonggak} dimulainya feminism yang tercermin melalui novel Little Women _{karya Louisa May Alcott. Metode} yang digunakan dalam penulisan skripsi ini adalah metode analisis deskriptif. Kesimpulan dari skripsi ini adalah perempuan memiliki sifat feminisme yang ditunjukkan dari kepercayaan diri yang kuat dan dapat menghadapi masalah yang dahulunya perempuan dianggap tidak layak untuk itu. Perempuan juga bisa memberikan keputusan yang tepat untuk dirinya sendiri tanpa ada pengaruh dari orang lain.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS……… . i

ABSTRACT……….. iii

TABLE OF CONTENTS……… . iv

CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION………... . 1

1.1 The Background of Analysis……… 1

1.2 The Problem of Analysis……….. 3

1.3 The Objectives of Analysis……….. 4

1.4 The Scope of Analysis………. 4

1.5 The Significance of Analysis……… 4

1.6 The Theoretical Approach……… 4

1.7 The Theoretical Review……… 5

1.8 Reviews to related Literature……… 8

CHAPTER II : METHOD OF THE ANALYSIS………. 9

2.1 Data Collecting Procedure……… 9

2.2 Data Selecting Procedure………. 10

2.3 The Analyzing Procedure……… 10

CHAPTER III: A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF FEMINISM……… 11

CHAPTER IV: AN ANALYSIS OF FEMINISM AS REFLECTED IN LOUISA MAY ALCOTT’S LITTLE WOMEN_{……… 20}

4.1 Women struggled against patriarchal culture ……… 23

4.3 Women can make decision in self determination……… 36

CHAPTER V : CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTIONS……….. 51

4.1 Conclusion……… 51 4.2 Suggestions……….. 51

BIBLIOGRAPHY

APPENDIXES

Appendix 1: Summary of Little Women novel

ABSTRACT

Judul skripsi ini adalah An Analysis of the Aspect of Feminism in Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women. _{Skripsi ini menganalisis tentang kehidupan wanita pada abad ke-19 yang menjadi tonggak} dimulainya feminism yang tercermin melalui novel Little Women _{karya Louisa May Alcott. Metode} yang digunakan dalam penulisan skripsi ini adalah metode analisis deskriptif. Kesimpulan dari skripsi ini adalah perempuan memiliki sifat feminisme yang ditunjukkan dari kepercayaan diri yang kuat dan dapat menghadapi masalah yang dahulunya perempuan dianggap tidak layak untuk itu. Perempuan juga bisa memberikan keputusan yang tepat untuk dirinya sendiri tanpa ada pengaruh dari orang lain.

CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

1.1 The Background of Analysis

There are so many thought that women are dominated by men in family and society and treated as the ‘second’ society because women are weak and powerless. Women are supposed to be good mothers and women are only to speak when they are spoken to. I am interest to talk about women because women should get their independence just like men have. I want to show about women’s independence from this thesis because women are not meek like the men thought.

Based on my opinion above, I found a good literary work which talked about women independence. This literary work shows us about women’s determination. The literary work entitled Little Women written by Louisa May Alcott (1832-1888), published in 1868. The book was written and set in the Alcott family home, Orchard House in Concord, Massachusetts. Little women is one of the best-loved children’s stories of all time, based on the author’s own youthful experiences. It chronicles the lives of March family; father, Marmee (Mrs. March), Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy and it details the struggles of the March women, especially Jo, to find sustenance for their family and identities of their own in the culture of a masculine society. When Mr. March lost his property in trying to help an unfortunate friend, the two oldest girls begged to be allowed to do something toward their own support. Meg, hired out as a governess, while Jo hired out to Aunt March as a companion. But Jo’s desire to be a successful writer and to support her family had long been cultivated in her strong and independent mind. Jo toiled at the confinement of being companion and then a governess, but her imagination could not be confined to the quarters of her mind. Write she must, and write she would, until she was good enough to earn her bread.

desire to become a fluent and financially independent writer. It also describes about the story of their domestic adventure, their attempts to increase the family, their friendship with the neighboring Laurence family and their later love affairs remain as fresh as ever.

I choose Little Women to be analyzed from the point of view of feminism because in

Little Women, the characters have to struggle for the life by their own support without men.

Alcott deliberately creates strong female characters in order to support the self determination of women. When Mr. March left for the war, Marmee should continue to take care for the girls by her own and can run their home without a man supporting it. And also the daughters should be strong females and make decision by their own choice and work to support their family.

In this thesis, I will discuss a novel since novel is the main object to be discussed. Novels are stories of book length written in prose. They are about imaginary people and events. Novels are about individual human beings, living in a particular time and place, caught up together in a series of events. Novel is included into the prose fiction besides myth, parables, romance and short stories. Based on Robert statement in Literature: An Introduction

to Reading and Writing (1995:2), prose fiction, poetry, drama and nonfiction prose are

classified as the literature genres.

Literature is one of the great creative and universal means of communicating the emotional, spiritual, or intellectual concern of mankind. The basic material of literature is experience. Through literature, an author tries to express his or her ideas about what he/she ever experienced in his/her life time or what was happening around them from natural phenomena to the lives of the people in their community. The word literature, basically, comes from the Latin ‘littera’ which refers to the written or printed works. Literature helps people grow, both personally and intellectually as it provides an objective base for knowledge

and understanding. It makes people understand human dreams, desires and struggles that happen in different places and times.

1.2 The Statement of Problem

From this analysis I want to show that women have to be independent to discover every aspect of their being and to develop each component in their own way by using Little Women.

The book, Little Women, chronicles the lives of the March Family; Father, Marmee, Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy, and it details the struggles of the March women, especially Jo, to find sustenance for their family and identities of their own in the culture of a masculine society.

Based on the statement above, I point out that the problems of analysis are: 1. How do the women struggle in Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women?

2. How do the characters fight for life in Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women?

1.3 The Objectives of Analysis

The objectives of the analysis tend to answer the problems of the analysis. Based on the problems above, the objectives of this analysis mainly:

1. To show the women struggle in Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women.

2. To show the characters fight for life in Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women.

1.4 The Scope of Analysis

In doing the analysis of literary work, actually there should be a scope of analysis, so the object that will be analyzed become clear and the purpose of the analysis are easy to

understand by the readers. In this thesis I would like to analyze the women struggle through the characters of Little Women.

1.5 The Significance of Analysis

The analysis of this thesis is expected to give significance to the readers who want to understand and appreciate literature in general and the works of Louisa May Alcott in particular. I also hope this thesis will be useful for the readers or people who need this thesis as a reference. As for human being, this thesis hopefully can help us to give more respect to others especially women indeed.

1.6 The Theoretical Approach

In order to search the relationship between the novel and social values, there are two approaches which can be used. First, intrinsic approach which an approach that emphasized on the elements of the novel itself. As Rene Wellek and Austin Warren says in their book

Theory of Literature (1967:73, 81, 110) that the natural and sensible starting point to work in

literary scholarship is the interpretation and analysis of the work of literature themselves. It means that it is important to analyze the literary works from the elements of the literary works themselves in order to get the information. Second, extrinsic approach which analyzes the literary work from external factors of the literary work such as; biography, autobiography, history, psychology and other factors that support the making of the novel.

In analyzing this thesis, I use both of the approaches. Deals with the intrinsic approach, I have to attempt to read the text carefully, try to classify them into their own element and make a conclusion. I also use extrinsic approach because there is a relation between the novel and the author. Jo’s character in the novel has almost the same character of Alcott in the past.

M.H. Abrams in his book The Mirror and the Lamp in 1953 (Quoted from

into four kinds. They are mimetic theory, pragmatic theory, expressive theory, and objective theory.

Mimetic theory (the theory of imitation) defines literature in relation to life, seeing it as a way of reproducing or recreating the experiences of man’s life in words. Abrams (1976:8-9) stated that mimetic theory is the most primitive aesthetic approach. The idea was developed through Plato’s vision that the literary work itself cannot represent the real life, but is only the imitation of what happened in our surroundings. Aristotle, on the other hand, declined Plato’s argument by stated that literary work as an art aims to purify the emotion (the Latin word ‘catharsis’).

Pragmatic theory relates literary work to its readers. It is called pragmatic because literature may give the practical result to its readers, and is sometimes also called affective since literature may give emotional effect to its readers. Pragmatic theory is used to reveal the functions of literary work in the middle of society, the spread, and the development. Pragmatic theory deals with the competence of the readers.

Expressive theory focuses on the relation between the literary work and its writer. This kind of theory believes that literary work is produced through the expression and the emotion of its writer which are influenced by the background and the experience of the writer.

Objective theory focuses on the literary work itself, its language, forms, and devices. This kind of theory declines the relation among literary work, historical aspects, sociological aspects, cultural aspects, and biographical aspects.

In analyzing this thesis, I use expressive theory which will prove that the women character in Little Women actually reflect the women struggle at the nineteenth century and which will show that the novel is a result of the writer’s imagination and creativity to copy her life into the novel as one of the independent writer.

Feminism is a phenomenon in the society. When we hear the word “feminism”, the very first thing that comes up in our mind is “woman”. Feminism is, indeed, identical with women, especially in their struggle upon the equality with men. Ratna (2004:184) says, “Dalam pengertian yang paling luas, feminis adalah gerakan kaum wanita untuk menolak segala sesuatu yang dimarginalisasikan, disubordinasikan, dan direndahkan oleh kebudayaan dominan, baik dalam bidang politik dan ekonomi maupun kehidupan social pada

umumnya (In its broadest sense, feminist is a women’s movement which rejects the marginal,

subordinated and underestimated things by the dominating culture either in politics, economics or social life in general). Feminist rejects the injustice as the result of patriarchal society. Feminist also rejects the history and philosophy as they are assumed as male-oriented disciplines. Through feminism, women claim to cultural consciousness that they will not be assumed as the marginal and that the dynamic balance will be achieved (Ratna 2004:186-188).

Feminism is an idea and movement that appose the traditional view on woman. It is about women who want to struggle to raise their status and their right in family and society. They will discuss women who want to get free from the domination of men in family and society. They refuse to be treated as the ‘second’ society and regarded as inferior. They do not want to live under the shadow of men’s power. Selden states that in pre-Mendelian days men regarded their sperm as the active seeds which give form to the waiting ovum which lacks identity till it receives the male’s impress. (Selden et.al. 1997:121) This idea leads to a belief

(1968), apropos the sperm/ovum nexus above, ‘deconstructs’ male-dominated ways of seeing by suggesting that we might prefer to regard the ovum as daring, independent and individualistic (rather than ‘apathetic’) and the sperm as conforming and sheeplike (rather than ‘enthusiastic’).

Elaine Showalter in A Handbook to Literature (1999:211) says:

“Feminist criticism has become a wide-ranging exploration of the construction of gender and identity, the role of women in culture and society, and the possibilities of women’s creative expression.”

By using the feminist theory above, hopefully this analysis can show that women can do what men can do. Also, women can get the equal right with men. As we know that everything in this world is God’s creation and every person can have it, no exception for men and women.

1.8 Reviews to Related Literature

In supporting this analysis, a number of books deal with the study are needed. The several books are used as the main sources that useful to get further information, idea, or other inputs deal within the analysis. Those books are:

1. An Analysis of Feminism in Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre (2008) by Verawati Tarigan. This thesis discusses about feminism in the Jane Eyre to find out how far the attention of Charlotte Bronte in the social condition and how Charlotte face the women condition in the 19th century, also the ideas of Charlotte Bronte about women and how far the feminism ideas in Jane Eyre.

2. Feminism in Leo Tolstoy’s Anna Kareninna (2005) by Ramadani Fitri.

CHAPTER II

THE METHOD OF STUDY

In the analysis of the aspect of feminism in Little Women, I apply library research. I collect the data from related books and other literature that can be connected to the object of investigation. I also find suitable references from the internet in doing this analysis. I got the primary source from the novel (Little Women & Good Wives. 1993. London: Wordsworth Edition Limited), in this case through the characters, while my secondary source is from other books that related to Feminism.

2.1 Data Collecting Procedure

The very first procedure I collect the main sources of the data which is Little Women novel by Louisa May Alcott. The technique is used by gathering all the data from the library or from the internet and other supporting material relevant to the topic of this thesis as many as possible, and then I begin to read the data carefully, to take down notes and I compose it properly. In reading the novel I underline every data that show about feminism to make me easier in collecting from the whole data. The whole data, the quotation will be put in my thesis later on and find out the relations with the study. The right data are divided into parts to suit the parts of the study. All of the data are read carefully line by line to find out the relation with study.

2.2 Data Selecting Procedure

The second procedure is data selecting. After I read the novel many times and underline the data, then I select the data that show feminism. The whole data, the quotation will be put in my thesis later on and find out the relations with the study. The right data are divided into parts to suit the parts of the study. All of the data are read carefully line by line to find out the relation with study.

2.3 Data Analyzing Procedure

For the last procedure is data analyzing. In composing this analysis, I have to combine the important data from many sources which have been collected and analyzed them well. I apply library research. Library research is a kind of research where researcher gains the data from related books and other literature, I analyze the selected data, describe clearly the analysis and then I can make a conclusion in the end of the analysis.

CHAPTER III

A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF FEMINISM

When we talk about feminism, we talk about women who want to free themselves from men domination in family and society. They refuse to be treated as the “second” society and regarded as inferior.

The distinction between biological sex and society constructed in gender is a key concept to understand feminist theory, which underpins the woman’s movement of the subordinate status assigned to woman in patriarchal culture. Patriarchy is the popular sense of male domination either in home or outside home and the power relation by which man dominates woman. This cultural construction of gender forms the basis for feminist demands for sex equality and woman liberation. Feminism is not only about woman’s struggle for political rights but also a system of ideas and a social movement directed toward opposing men’s privilege of position and woman subordination. This term includes redistribution of power and recognition of sex equality. Feminism is also called woman freedom in which want to get the equal right with men. As Charlotte Perkins Gilman, in Women and Economics (1898), insisted that women not be liberated until they were freed from the ‘domestic mythology” of home and family that kept them dependent on men.

Cordelia Fine, in Delusions of Gender, argues that there is currently no scientific evidence for innate biological differences between men and women’s minds, and that cultural and societal beliefs contribute to commonly perceived sex differences.

In the late 14th- and early 15th-century France, the first feminist philosopher, Christine de Pisan, challenged prevailing attitudes toward women with a bold call for female education and feminists proclaimed that women would be the intellectual equals of men if they were

given equal access to education. In the late 16th century Mary Astell issued a more reasoned rejoinder in A Serious Proposal to the Ladies (1697). Astell suggested that women inclined neither toward motherhood nor religious vocation should set up secular convents where they might live, study, and teach.

Feminism is an idea and movement that appose the traditional view on woman. It is about women who want to struggle to raise their status and their right in family and society. They will discuss women who want to get free from the domination of men in family and society. They refuse to be treated as the ‘second’ society and regarded as inferior. They do not want to live under the shadow of men’s power. Selden states that in pre-Mendelian days men regarded their sperm as the active seeds which give form to the waiting ovum which lacks identity till it receives the male’s impress. This idea leads to a belief that the mother is no parent to her child. Mary Ellman, in her book Thinking about Women (1968), apropos the sperm/ovum nexus above, ‘deconstructs’ male-dominated ways of seeing by suggesting that we might prefer to regard the ovum as daring, independent and individualistic (rather than ‘apathetic’) and the sperm as conforming and sheeplike (rather than ‘enthusiastic’). (Selden et.al. 1997:121)

At the beginning, feminism was only a social movement, then it transformed into social theory with various theoretical forms. These terms oppose woman’s subordination after frontal challenge to patriarchal culture and social organization. It is a political label indicating support for the aim of the new woman’s movement. The movement’s history has gone through three waves, beginning in the late 18th century.

The first wave was oriented around the station of middle or upper-class white women, and involved suffrage and political equality. Writers such as Virginia Woolf are associated with the ideas of the first wave of feminism. In her book A Room of One’s Own, Woolf

“describes how men socially and physically dominate women”. The argument of the book is that “women are simultaneously victims of themselves as well as victims of men and are upholders of society by acting as mirrors to men”. She recognizes the social constructs that restrict women in society and uses literature to contextualize it for other women.

The second wave is identifying from the record publication of Betty Friedan’s The Feminine Mystique. In the book Friedan hypothesizes that women are victims of a false belief system that requires them to find identity and meaning in their lives through their husband and children. Here Friedan as a housewife and mother also writing about middle class wives and mothers like herself too, who looking at their nice homes and families.

The third wave was a reaction to and continuation of the second wave, taking a post-structuralist analysis of femininity to argue that there is in fact no all encompassing single feminist idea. The feminist movement has brought a sweeping variety of social and cultural change, its impact touching family relations, the place of women in society, gendered language, and relationships between men and men.

According to Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, Feminism is the belief and aim that the women should have the same rights and opportunities as men. It is about woman liberalization, sexual equality between woman and man that have the same responsibilities and privileges in society, against woman and children violence, rape, and pillage a woman’s body and emotion, also teaches woman to defense herself from improper condition, how to maximize her talents and side by side work with man to make a better life.

Feminism teaches woman how to give birth and how to raise their children. It shows us that relationship between women and her children never ends. It demands that society be compelled to refrain inserting itself into that relationship at all stages of motherhood.

Feminism teaches us that we have both the responsibility and the right to educate our own children. This is a paramount duty that belongs to both the mother and father. The feminist rebels against the involuntary intermittent incarceration of children for the crime of being young. The feminist seek to educate mother and father so that they are able to have and use their intellect and to develop it to full capacity.

‘Gender studies’ Healey, J. F. (2003:31), is a field of study of interdisciplinary studies which analyze the phenomenon of gender. Gender studies are sometimes related to studies of social class, race classification of human beings race, ethnicity, and gender identity sexuality and location geography location.

In gender studies, the term ‘gender’ is used to refer to the social and cultural constructions of masculinities and femininities, not to the state of being male or female in its entirety.

Nancy F. Cott tells the term feminist entered the English language sometimes around 1910. Then, as known, it means a “complete social revolution” in the roles of women. Cott explain that early feminism had “two dominating ideas: the emancipation of woman both as a human-being and as a sex being”. It goals were the elimination of all barriers that prevented women from achieving their complete development as individuals. More radical in its demands that the suffrage movement, it attracted only a few of the youngest and most educated woman of its day. It persisted organizationally as the Nationally Woman’s Party, with its demand for complete constitutional equality of women and men.

The premises of modern day feminism are traceable to its roots in early feminism. Three main tenets of this philosophy continue today:

ii. Women’s roles and status are a product of the social structure, and thus changeable

iii. Women are self-identified as a social group; thus they are positioned to act “as a group” to change their status.

Castro (1990:46) says that true feminism embraces all women. It is not the product of one political ideology. It embraces conservative and libertarian women as well as liberals and socialists. It is not the exclusive property of white middle to upper class women in the United States, who dictate to the rest of the world what it means to be a woman.

Feminism bring about the world in which people of all ages and both sexes embrace full responsibility for their action, it teaches that women are not slaves to men. Our bodies are our most precious material possession we will only have one body. We deserve to have that body respected by men. This means that rape is unacceptable. Assault is unacceptable. We have a right to a fortress of peace in which or raise our children and we have right to be free of the mind control which is used a woman to convince them that do not deserve peace in their homes.

Mary Wollstonecraft as the first feminist or mother of feminism in her book length essay talk about women’s rights and especially on women’s education, A Vindication of the Rights of Woman argues that women are not naturally inferior to men, but appear to be only because they lack of education. She suggests that both men and women should be treated as rational beings and imagines a social order founded on reason.

Mary Wollstonecraft is usually considered a liberal feminist because her approach is primarily concerned with the individual woman and about rights. She could be considered as

a difference feminist in her honoring on women’s natural talents and her insistence that women not be measured by men’s standards.

Lubis (2006:122) stated that there are several feminist theories that develop in the society, such as liberal, social, Marxist, psychoanalytic, post-modernism, post-structuralism and ecofeminism, which develop in different situation and condition to represent women’s experiences which cannot be equated to men’s.

Liberal feminist believe that “female” subordination is rooted in a set of customary and legal constraints that blocks women’s entrance into and/or success in so called public world.

Liberal feminist thus believe that if the rules of the game are defined by constitutions, laws, and the mechanisms established fro their implementation, enforcement, and adjudication and if they encourage or permit unfair policies to exist then the constitutions, laws, and mechanisms must be changed.

Socialist feminists see prostitution, domestic work, childcare and marriage as ways in which women are exploited by a patriarchal system that devalues women and the substantial work they do. Socialist feminists focus their energies on broad change that affects society as a whole, rather than on an individual basis. According to some socialist feminists, this view of gender oppression as a sub-class of class oppression is naive and much of the work of socialist feminists has gone towards separating gender phenomena from class phenomena.

Marxist feminism attributes women’s oppression to a capitalist economy and the private property system. Argues that capitalism must be overtrown if the oppression of women is to end. Draws parallels between women and “workers” and emphasizes collectives change rather than individual change.

Lesbianism is considered as one of the result of Second-Wave Feminism. The dissatisfaction of women towards the men makes the women to search for the fulfillment in women. The beginning of lesbianism was in World-War II where many of women participated in the army. They used man’s clothing, acted like man and fell in love with women. The lesbians assume the heterosexuality as a part of patriarchy. Lesbian ethics is not just a sexual orientation; it is a refusal to be defined either sexually or morally by men.

Liberal feminism is a kind of feminism which focuses on women’s ability to show and maintain their equality through their own actions and choices. The important issues to liberal feminism include reproductive and abortion rights, sexual harassment, voting, education, equality of wage, affordable childcare, affordable health care, and the reduction of sexual and domestic violence against women.

Post-feminism is a reaction against second-wave feminism, especially lesbianism. Post-feminists believe that women have achieved the goal of feminism; the equality for everyone has been done. The characteristic of this idea is when a woman is happy with her sexuality and is confidence with it. Marrying a man is not considered as something patriarchal. Instead, it is the realization of finding someone who will make everything worthwhile. Anti-man is rejected by post-feminism.

The post-structural feminism combines various epistemological movements, including psychoanalysis and political theory (Marxist), which maintains that difference is one of the most powerful tools that females posses in their struggle with patriarchal domination, and that the definition of equality is still defined from the masculine or patriarchal perspective.

The ecofeminism evaluates the patriarchal systems, where men own and control the land which is seen as an oppression of women and destruction of the natural environment because of the exploitation for men’s own profit and success.

The social feminism evaluates the unequal standing in both the workplace and the domestic sphere which holds women down. Social feminism sees prostitution, domestic work, childcare and marriage as ways in which women are exploited by a patriarchal system that devalues women and the substantial work they do. Socialist feminists gain their power so that the effect of the movement will spread out to the whole of society rather than to individual basis.

According to Rosemary Tong, Radical Feminism focused on two parts. First, it focuses on man’s manner in controlling woman’s body, dealing with sterilization, contraception, abortion law, and violence. Second, it articulates the way of man’s construction on woman’s sexuality to serve their need, desire, without considering women’s need and desire. Radical feminism focused on reproduction and motherhood, gender and sexuality themes.

Radical feminism: Cutting-edge branch of feminism focused on sweeping social reforms, social change, and revolution. Argues against institutions like patriarchy, heterosexism, and racism and instead emphasizes gender as a social construction, denouncing biological roots of gender difference. Often paves the way for other branches of feminism.

CHAPTER IV

AN ANALYSIS OF THE ASPECT OF FEMINISM IN LOUISA MAY ALCOTT’S

LITTLE WOMEN

Little Women is a book that values the experiences of women and empowers women

control the characters lives. Little Women shows how women struggled in the nineteenth-century when women are supposed to be good mothers and women are only speak when they are spoken to. This novel offer much to young today in the way of feminist virtue, it also does portray young women with a strong work ethnic and a strong moral foundation. It also depicts young women with independent minds. In 1869 female independence was simply chatter. Alcott introduces characters who have the ability to go on and achieve dreams that were virtually forbidden to women of that time.

All the characters have their own style in living the life from that century. Start from Margareth called Meg who love the luxurious things because she has ever been rich before Mr. March lost his property in trying to help an unfortunate friend.

‘We shouldn’t enjoy ourselves half so much as we do now. But it does seem so nice to have little suppers and bouquets, and go to parties, and drive home, and read and rest, and not work. It’s like other people, you know, and I always envy girls who do such things, I’m so fond of luxury,’ said Meg, trying to decide which of two shabby gowns was the least shabby. (p.37)

Josephine March, the second daughter of March family who love being called Jo, a little bit different with Meg. Joe loves writing and act like a boy because she thinks that a boy can do everything by their own without any consideration from others. And being a boy she feels free like use slang words and do whistle.

‘Jo does use such slang words!’ observed Amy, with a reproving look at the long figure stretched on the rug. Jo immediately sat up, put her hands in her pockets, and began to whistle.

‘Don’t, Jo. It’s so boyish!’ ‘That’s why I do it.’

‘I detest rude, unladylike girls!’

‘I hate affected, niminy-piminy chits!’ (p.9)

…I agree not to expect anything from Mother or you, but I do want to buy UNDINE AND SINTRAM for myself. I’ve wanted it so long,’ said Jo, who was a bookworm. (p.7)

‘Jo! Jo! Where are you?’ cried Meg at the foot of the garret stairs. ‘Here!’ answered a husky voice from above, and, running up, Meg found her sister eating apples and crying over the Heir of Redclyffe, wrapped up in a comforter on an old three-legged sofa by the sunny window. This was Jo’s favorite refuge, and here she loved to retire with half a dozen russets and a nice book, to enjoy the quiet and the society of pet rat who lived near by and didn’t mind her a particle. (p.27)

The dim, dusty room, with the busts staring down from the tall bookcases, the cozy chairs, the globes, and best of all, the wilderness of books in which she could wander where she liked, made the library a region of bliss to her. The moment Aunt March took her nap, or was busy with company, Jo hurried to this quiet place, and curling herself up in the easy chair, devoured poetry, romance, history, travels, and pictures like a regular bookworm. (p.40-41)

Beth is a quiet, kind young woman, and a pianist. She enjoys her dolls and cats. She prefers to be homeschooled and avoids most public situations.

Beth was too bashful to go to school.It had been tried, but she suffered so much that it was given up, and she did her lessons at home with her father. Even when he went away, and her mother was called to devote her skill and energy to Soldiers’ Aid Societies, Beth went faithfully on by herself and did the best she could. She was a housewifely little creature, and helped Hannah keep home neat and comfortable for the workers, never thinking of any reward but to be loved. Long, quiet days she spent, not lonely nor idle, for her little world was peopled with imaginary friends, and she was by nature a busy bee. There were six dolls to be taken up and dressed every morning, for Beth was a child still and and loved her pets as well as ever. Not one whole or handsome one among them, all were outcasts till Beth took them in, for when her sisters outgrew these idols, they passed to her because Amy

would have nothing old or ugly. Beth cherished them all the more tenderly for that very reason, and set up a hospital for infirm dolls. No pins were ever stuck into their cotton vitals, no harsh words or blows were ever given them, no neglect ever saddened the heart or the most

repulsive, but all were fed and clothed, nursed and caressed with an affection which never failed. (p.41)

Amy is interested in arts and always acts like a very proper young lady. ‘Little Raphael,’ as her sisters called her, had a decided talent for drawing, and was never so happy as when copying flowers, designing fairies, or illustrating stories with queer specimens of art. Her teachers complained that instead of doing her sums she covered her slate with animals, the blank pages of her atlas were used to copy maps on, and caricatures of the most ludicrous description came fluttering out of all her books at unlucky moments. She got through her lessons as well as she could, and managed to escape reprimands by being a model of deportment. She was a great favorite with her mates, being good-tempered and possessing the happy art of pleasing without effort. Her little airs and graces were much admired, so were her accomplishments, for besides her drawing, she could play twelve tunes, crochet, and read French without mispronouncing more than two-thirds of the words. She had a plaintive way of saying, ‘When Papa was rich we did so-and-so,’ which was very touching, and her long words were considered ‘perfectly elegant’ by the girls. (p.42-43)

Those are the differences among the March sister. Now, I would like to show us how the women against the patriarchal culture because women are not weak and don’t want to be called as the second inferior in society because women can earn money and run the house by her own money and absolutely women can make her own decision with the self determination with no consideration by others and do it in responsibility.

4.1 Women struggled against patriarchal culture

The convention of the nineteenth century dictated that women stay in the home, marry, have children and find happiness in so doing. In Little Women appears the self determination of women through the characters. From the quotation below, it can be seen women are not weak and here women try to break the patriarchal culture.

Margareth “Marmee” March or Mrs. March is the head of household while her husband is away at war. She engages in charitable works and attempts to guide her girls’

moral and to shape their characters, usually through experiment. As a mother and being a father for a while of four daughters she still has time to help and join herself to Soldiers’ Aid Societies.

….and her mother was called to devote her skill and energy to Soldiers’ Aid Societies….(p.41)

‘As I sat cutting out blue flannel jackets today at the rooms, I felt very anxious about Father, and thought how lonely and helpless we should be , if anything happened to him. It was not a wise thing to do, but I kept on worrying till an old man came in with an order for some clothes. He sat down near me, and I began to talk to him, for he looked poor and tired and anxious. ‘‘Have you sons in the army?’ I asked, for the note he brought was not to me. ‘Yes, ma’am. I had four, but two were killed, one is a prisoner, and I’m going to the other, who is very sick in a Washington hospital.’ he answered quietly.

‘‘You have done a great deal for your country, sir, ‘ I said feeling respect now, instead of pity.

‘‘Not a mite more than I ought, ma’am. I’d go myself, if I was any use. As I ain’t, I give my boys, and give ‘em free.’ ‘He spoke so cheerfully, looked so sincere, and seemed so glad to give his all, that I was ashamed of myself. I’d given one man and thought it too much, while he gave four without grudging them. I had all my girls to comfort me at home, and his last son was waiting, miles away, to say good-by to him perhaps! I felt so rich, so happy thinking of my blessings, that I made him a nice bundle, gave him some money, and thanked him heartily for the lesson he had taught me.’ (p.46)

In raising her daughters without her husband next to her, Mrs. March who always been called Marmee by the March family often gives advices to them and make them feel free to talk and say anything and never have any secret to be hidden from her. The quotation above is one of the moral lessons from her. Marmee wants her daughters be free to talk about everything with her and she is very close to all of them.

‘Tell another story, Mother, one with a moral to it, like this. I like to think about them afterward, if they are real and not too preachy,’ said Jo, after a minute’s silence. Mrs. March smiled and began at once, for she had told stories to this little audience for many years, and knew how to please them. ‘Once upon a time, there were four girls, who had enough to eat and drink and wear, a good many comforts and pleasures, kind friends and parents who loved them dearly, and yet they were not contented.’ (Here the listeners stole sly looks at one another, and began

to sew diligently.) ‘These girls were anxious to be good and made many excellent resolutions, but they did not keep them very well, and were constantly saying, ‘If only we had this, ‘ or ‘If we could only do that, ‘ quite forgetting how much they already had, and how many things they actually could do. So they asked an old woman what spell they could use to make them happy, and she said, ‘When you feel discontented, think over your blessings, and be grateful.’’ (Here Jo looked up quickly, as if about to speak, but changed her mind, seeing that the story was not done yet.) ‘Being sensible girls, they decided to try her advice, and soon were surprised to see how well off they were. One discovered that money couldn’t keep shame and sorrow out of rich people’s houses, another that, though she was poor, she was a great deal happier, with her youth, health, and good spirits, than a certain fretful, feeble old lady who couldn’t enjoy her comforts, a third that, disagreeable as it was to help get dinner, it was harder still to go begging for it and the fourth, that even carnelian rings were not so valuable as good behavior. So they agreed to stop complaining, to enjoy the blessings already possessed, and try to deserve them, lest they should be taken away entirely, instead of increased, and I believe they were never disappointed or sorry that they took the old woman’s advice.’ ‘Now, Marmee, that is very cunning of you to turn our own stories against us, and give us a sermon instead of a romance!’ cried Meg. ‘I like that kind of sermon. It’s the sort Father used to tell us,’ said Beth thoughtfully, putting the needles straight on Jo’s cushion. ‘I don’t complain near as much as the others do, and I shall be more careful than ever now, for I’ve had warning from Susies’s downfall,’ said Amy morally. ‘We needed that lesson, and we won’t forget it. If we do so, you just say to us, as old Chloe did in UNCLE TOM, ‘Tink ob yer marcies, chillen! ‘Tink ob yer marcies!’’ added Jo, who could not, for the life of her, help getting morsel of fun out of the little sermon, though she took it to heart as much as any of them. (p.46-48)

Josephine “Jo” March consistently struggles with the boundaries 19th century society placed on females, including not being able to fight in war, not being able to attend college. The society at that time believes that a man is able to join the war not a woman. But the fact Jo wants to help in the war as the nurse to help the victim or even she can fight with her father. For the education, a man is more proper to get the high level education than a woman. Because in this case people believe that man will be the one to earn money in a family and woman just stay at home and waiting for her husband. Jo wants to show that a woman has a good think that education must be equal for woman and man or maybe better.

…And it’s worse than ever now, for I’m dyin to go and fight with Papa. And I can only stay home and knit, like a poky old woman!’ (p.8)

‘Don’t I wish I could go as a drummer, a vivan—what’s its name? Or a nurse, so I could be near him and help him,’ exclaimed Jo, with a groan. (p.13)

‘I suppose you are going to college soon? I see you pegging away at your books, no, I mean studying hard.’ And Jo blushed at the dreadful ‘pegging’ which had escaped her.Laurie smiled but didn’t seem shocked, and answered with a shrug. ‘Not for a year or two. I won’t go before seventeen, anyway.’ ‘Aren’t you but fifteen?’ asked Jo, looking at the tall lad, whom she had imagined seventeen already. ‘Sixteen, next month.’ ‘How I wish I was going to college! You don’t look as if you liked it.(p.33)

As Jo ever said before that she wants to be the man while Mr. March gone to the battle, Jo also wants to be independent woman, as she said below.

‘I don’t like favors, they oppress and make me feel like a slave. I’d rather do everything for myself, and be perfectly independent.’ (p.283)

Jo always wants to be a boy, not by the physically appearance but being a woman with no difference between man and woman. She thinks that woman can do what man can do and man has one thing he can not do as giving birth to a child. Jo wants woman speak when woman have to speak something that is true. As seen below Jo wants girls show when they disapprove men.

‘But I think girls ought to show when they disapprove of young men, and how can they do it except by their manners? Preaching does not do any good, as I know to my sorrow, since I’ve had Teddie to manage. But there are many little ways in which I can influence him without a word, and I say we ought to do it to others if we can….

‘I can’t argue about it I only know that it’s the way of the world, and people who set themselves against it only get laughed at for their pains. I don’t like reformers, and I hope you never try to be one.’ (p.281)

Because too independent, Jo has been left by Aunt March and choose Amy to France. Jo feel it is not fair Amy can go to France and learn to paint while Jo just wait and find her own way to be a great writer. But the fact she really wants to go to France with Aunt March because she has being a companion for her aunt longer than her sister Amy.

‘I’m afraid it’s impossible, Jo. Aunt says Amy, decidedly, and it is not for us to dictate when she offers such a favor.’ ‘It’s always so. Amy has all the fun and I have all the work. It isn’t fair, oh, it isn’t fair!’ cried Jo passionately.

‘I’m afraid it’s partly your own fault, dear. When Aunt spoke to me the other day, she regretted your blunt manners and too independent spirit, and here she writes, as if quoting something you had said—‘I planned at first to ask Jo, but as ‘favors burden her’, and she ‘hates French’,

I think I won’t venture to invite her. Amy is more docile, will make a good companion for Flo, and receive gratefully any help the trip may give her.’ (p.292-293)

As a new mother, Meg loved it very much. She loved to do the house keeping and loved being a wife for her husband. Meg still runs her role to be a good mother fir her little family. Meg has the great jobs to be a good mother for her children and be a good wife for her husband.

‘Yes, Mother, I’m sure of that,’ said Meg, listening respectfully to the little lecture, for the best of women will hold forth upon the all absorbing subject of house keeping. ‘Do you know I like this room most of all in my baby house,’ added Meg, a minute after, as they went upstairs and she looked into her well-stored linen closet. (p.231)

Jo is a fighter for March family.

…. But, you see, Jo wasn’t a heroine, she was only struggling human girl like hundreds of others, and she just acted out her nature, being sad, cross, listless, or energetic, as the mood suggested. It’s highly virtuous to say we’ll be good, but we can’t do it all at once, and it takes a long pull, a strong

pull, and a pull all together before some of us even get our feet set in the right way. Jo had got so far, she was learning to do her duty, and to feel unhappy if she did not, but to do it cheerfully, ah, that was another thing! She had often said she wanted to do something splendid, no matter how hard, and now she had her wish, for what could be more beautiful that to

devote her life to Father and Mother, trying to make home as happy to them as they had to her?

And if difficulties were necessary to increase the splendor of the effort, what could be harder for a restless, ambitious girl than to give up her own hopes, plans, and desires, and cheerfully live for others? (p.411)

Money come to the people who still waiting for it because God still has plan for everyone who wants to wait. After the death of the rich Aunt March, she gives Plumfield, a big house to be run by Jo. Being not so greedy, Jo simply change the use of the house being a school for little lady, a good, happy and homelike school. Finally she decides that she would like to open a boys home with her and the Professor as teachers. The home would provide a place for both rich and poor boys so that each could learn and grow up in a giving environment. In the nineteenth-century, running a big house and change it into a school like is still unbelievable because woman at that time are supposed to be a good mother for her own children not to run any school like that.

The second year began rather soberly, for their prospects did not brighten, and Aunt March died suddenly. But when their first sorrow was over—for they loved the old lady in spite of her sharp tongue—they found they had cause for rejoicing, for she had left Plumfield to Jo, which made all sorts of joyful things possible. ‘Boys. I want to open a school for little lads—a good, happy, homelike school, with me to take care of them and Fritz to teach them.’ ‘That’s a truly Joian plan for you! Isn’t that just like her?’ cried Laurie, appealing to the family, who looked as much surprised as he.

‘I like it,’ said Mrs. March decidedly. ‘So do I,’ added her husband, who welcomed the thought of a chance for trying the Socratic method of education on modern youth.

‘It will be an immense care for Jo,’ said Meg, stroking the head or her one all-absorbing son.

‘Jo can do it, and be happy in it. It’s a splendid idea. Tell us all about it,’ cried Mr. Laurence, who had been

longing to lend the lovers a hand, but knew that they would refuse his help.

‘I knew you’d stand by me, sir. Amy does too—I see it in her eyes, though she prudently waits to turn it over in her mind before she speaks. Now, my dear people,’ continued Jo earnestly, ‘just understand that this isn’t a new idea of mine, but a long cherished plan. Before my Fritz came, I used to think how, when I’d made my fortune, and no one needed me at home, I’d hire a big house, and pick up some poor, forlorn

jolly for them before it was too late. I see so many going to ruin for want of help at the right minute, I love so to

do anything for them, I seem to feel their wants, and sympathize with their troubles, and oh, I should so like to be a mother to them!’ (p.454-456)

4.2 Women can work

Society in the nineteenth-century did not expect women to work to support themselves. Family obligations and duties takes away from the woman’s ability to attend to her own needs and wants. As the American society grew and changed, so did the household. The American nineteenth-century family often consisted of a man working outside the home, while the women took care of the house and the family. According to the old English Common laws, men had absolute power over the family. A woman who has turned into their puberty will be managed to marry a man who is usually her relative or acquaintance. Most of them were not permitted to enter the school, even to work. From the statement below, the characters of Little Women show us that women can work just like men and earn money.

Margareth “Meg” March, as the oldest daughter help mother in run the house. By being a nursery governess for King’s family and raise a small salary, Meg shows that woman can do everything even though Meg has ever felt being a daughter with everything served by her parents before the lost of her parents’ property.

‘I know I do—teaching those tiresome children nearly all day, when I’m longing to enjoy myself at home,’ began Meg, in the complaining tone again. (p.8)

When Mr. March lost his property in trying to help an unfortunate friend, the two oldest girls begged to be allowed to do something toward their own support, at least. Believing that they could not begin too early to cultivate energy, industry, and independence, their parents consented, and both fell to work with the hearty good will which in spite of all obstacles is sure to succeed at last. Margaret found a place as nursery governess and felt rich with her small salary. As she said, she was ‘fond of luxury’, and her chief trouble was poverty. She found it harder to bear than the others because she could remember a time when home was

beautiful, life full of ease and pleasure, and want of any kind unknown. She

tried not to be envious or discontented, but it was very natural that the young girl should long for pretty things, gay friends, accomplishments, and a happy life. At the Kings’ she daily saw all she wanted, for the children’s older sisters were just out, and Meg caught frequent glimpses of dainty ball dresses and bouquets, heard lively gossip about theaters, concerts, sleighing parties, and merrymakings of all kinds, and saw money lavished on trifles which would have been so precious to her. Poor Meg seldom complained, but a sense of injustice made her feel bitter toward everyone sometimes, for she had not yet learned to know how rich she was in the blessings which alone can make life happy. (p.39-40)

Josephine “Jo” March as the second daughter is a tomboy, outspoken and has a passion of writing. In helping the March financial Jo is working with Aunt March being her companion. Jo is unhappy employed as a companion by her aunt, but in order to get money she has to do it.

‘You don’t have half such a hard time as I do,’ said Jo. ‘How would you like to be shut up for hours with a nervous, fussy old lady, who keeps you trotting, is never satisfied, and worries you till you you’re ready to fly out the window or cry? (p.8)

When March family receives a telegram from Washington told about Mr. March is seriously ill makes Marmee has to come to Washington and taking care of Mr. March. In order to be there Mrs. March need money and asked Jo to borrow money from the rich Aunt March, but knowing the stingy of Aunt March finally Jo decide to make money by her own. In the way to get to Aunt March house, she decides to sell something that belongs to her. It is her long hair such a good sacrifice that Jo made. Jo goes and has her hair cut off and so that she can provide the family $25.00.

They began to get anxious, and Laurie went off to find her for no one knew what freak Jo might take into her head. He missed her, however, and she came walking in with a very queer expression of countenance, for there was a mixture of fun and fear, satisfaction and regret in it, which puzzled the family as much as did the roll of bills she laid before her mother, saying with a little choke in her voice, ‘That’s my

‘My dear, where did you get it? Twenty-five dollars! Jo, I hope you haven’t done anything rash?’ ‘No, it’s mine honestly. I didn’t beg, borrow, or steal it. I earned it, and I don’t think you’ll blame me, for I only sold what was my own.’ As she spoke, Jo took off her bonnet, and a general

outcry arose, for all her abundant hair was cut short. ‘Your hair! Your beautiful hair!’ ‘Oh, Jo, how could you? Your one beauty.’ ‘My dear girl, there was no need of this.’ ‘She doesn’t look like my Jo any more, but I love her dearly for it!’ (p.155-156)

Jo’s hobbies in writing any story she like, finally in bravely she decide to let her story to be printed even though she got nothing for it. It is because as beginners she paid for nothing, but let her story published is enough for her.

‘Tell us about it.’ ‘When did it come?’ ‘How much did you get for it?’ ‘What will Father say?’ ‘Won’t Laurie laugh?’ cried the family, all in one breath as they clustered about Jo, for these foolish, affectionate people mad a jubilee of every little household joy. ‘Stop jabbering, girls, and I’ll tell you everything,’ said Jo, wondering if Miss Burney felt any grander over her Evilina than she did over her ‘Rival Painters’. Having told how she disposed of her tales, Jo added, ‘And when I went to get my answer, the man said he liked them both, but didn’t pay beginners, only let them print in his paper, and noticed the stories. It was good practice, he said, and when the beginners improved, anyone would pay. So I let him have the two stories, and today this was sent to me, and Laurie caught me with it and insisted on seeing it, so I let him. And he said it was good, and I shall write more, and he’s going to get the next paid for, and I am so happy, for in time I may be able to support myself and help the girls.’ (p.150-151)

Joe finally can earn money from her story “rubbish” as she called it. The purpose of her to write a story is to satisfy her to do her hobby. As she and her family need money to stay alive, finally Jo sent her story to a newspaper to be published. And she made it well even the money she gets is to small, but she still tries it until she becomes a great writer. She called her story “rubbish” because the moral lesson of the story should be cut because of the demand of the market which likes the sensational story with no moral lesson in it.

As long as THE SPREAD EAGLE paid her a dollar a column for her ‘rubbish’, as she called it, Jo felt herself a woman of means, and spun her little romances diligently. But great plans fermented in her busy brain and ambitious mind, and the old tin kitchen in the garret held a

slowly increasing pile of blotted manuscript, which was one day to place the name of March upon the roll of fame. (p.227)

A good girl is a girl who can arrange her financial. Jo as one of the March daughter who has earn money by being a companion of her aunt know how difficult to earn money and warn her sister Amy to spend her money for such a need thing and not spend it for nothing.

‘Why in the world should you spend your money, worry your family, and turn the house upside down for a parcel of girls who don’t care a sixpence for you? I thought you had too much pride and sense to truckle to any mortal woman just because she wears French boots and rides in a coupe,’ said Jo, who, being called from the tragic climax of her novel, was not in the best mood for social enterprises. (p.246)

The purpose of Jo going to New York is to get money and can make her family and especially Beth happy and can get what Beth wants. Jo knows that with money she can buy an organ for Beth and filling home with comforts and going herself abroad.

Though very happy in the social atmosphere about her, and very busy with the daily work that earned her bread and made it sweeter for the effort, Jo still found time for literary labors. The purpose which now took possession of her was a natural one to a poor and ambitious girl, but the means she took to gain her end were not the best. She saw that money conferred power, therefore, she resolved to have, not to be used for herself alone, but for those whom she loved more than life.

The dream of filling home with comforts, giving Beth everything she wanted, from strawberries in winter to an organ in her bedroom, going abroad herself, and always having more than enough, so that she might indulge in the luxury of charity, had been for years Jo’s most cherished castle in the air. The prize-story experience had seemed to open a way which might, after long traveling and much uphill work, lead to this delightful chateau en Espagne. But the novel disaster quenched her courage for a time, for public opinion is a giant which has frightened stouter-hearted Jacks on bigger beanstalks than hers. Like that immortal hero, she reposed awhile after the first attempt, which resulted in a tumble and the least lovely of the giant’s treasures, if I remember rightly. But the ‘up again and take another’ spirit was as strong in Jo as in Jack, so she scrambled up on the shady side this time and got more booty, but nearly left behind her what was far more precious than the moneybags. (p.327)

Jo March has the story with moral lesson inside, but because the market ask something in sensational story with no moral lesson, so Jo should cut her story and just left the sensational part and lose the moral lesson part. There is a bad thing at her heart because she thinks that a story has to have a moral lesson inside, but because she needs money she just cut it and at the end she decide to write a story with moral lesson inside.

When she went again, Mr. Dashwood was alone, whereat she rejoiced. Mr. Dashwood was much wider awake than before, which was agreeable and Mr. Dashwood was not too deeply absorbed in a cigar to remember his manners, so the second interview was much more comfortable than the first. ‘We’ll take this (editors never say I), if you don’t object to a few alterations. It’s too long, but omitting the passages

I’ve marked will make it just the right length,’ he said, in a businesslike tone. Jo hardly knew her own MS again, so crumpled and underscored were its pages and paragraphs, but feeling as a tender patent might on being asked to cut off her baby’s legs in order that it might fit into a new cradle, she looked at the marked passages and was surprised to find that all the moral reflections—which she had carefully put in as ballast for much romance—had been stricken out.

‘But, Sir, I thought every story should have some sort of a moral, so I took care to have a few of my sinners repent.’

Mr. Dashwoods’s editorial gravity relaxed into a smile, for Jo had forgotten her ‘friend’, and spoken as only an author could. ‘People want to be amused, not preached at, you

know. Morals don’t sell nowadays.’ Which was not quite a correct statement, by the way.

‘You think it would do with these alterations, then?’

‘Yes, it’s a new plot, and pretty well worked up— language good, and so on,’ was Mr. Dashwood’s affable reply. (p.329)

‘What do you—that is, what compensation—’ began Jo, not exactly knowing how to express herself. ‘Oh, yes, well, we give from twenty-five to thirty for things of this sort. Pay when it comes out,’ returned Mr. Dashwood, as if that point had escaped him. Such trifles do escape the editorial mind, it is said. ‘Very well, you can have it,’ said Jo, handing back the story with a satisfied air, for after the dollar-a-column work, even twenty-five seemed good pay. (p.329-330)

After decide to write what is inside of her heart Jo finishes her new story and sent by her father to a magazine and got paid for it. Jo dedicates her work to her family. And also this story is another success for the independence of women in Little Women

An hour afterward her mother peeped in and there she was, scratching away, with her black pinafore on, and an absorbed expression, which caused Mrs. March to smile and slip away, well pleased with the success of her suggestion. Jo never knew how it happened, but something got into that story that went straight to the hearts of those who read it, for when her family had laughed and cried over it, her father sent it, much against her will, to one of the popular magazines, and to her utter surprise, it was not only paid for, but others requested.

Letters from several persons, whose praise was honor, followed the appearance of the little story, newspapers copied it, and strangers as well as friends, admired it. For a small thing it was a great success, and Jo was more astonished than when her novel was commended and condemned all at once.

‘I don’t understand it. What can there be in a simple little story like that to make people praise it so?’ she said, quite bewildered.

‘There is truth in it, Jo, that’s the secret. Humor and pathos make it alive, and you have found your style at last.

You wrote with not thoughts of fame and money, and put your heart into it, my daughter. You have had the bitter, now comes the sweet. Do your best, and grow as happy as we are in your success.’

‘If there is anything good or true in what I write, it isn’t mine. I owe it all to you and Mother and Beth,’ said Jo, more touched by her father’s words than by any amount of praise from the world.

So taught by love and sorrow, Jo wrote her little stories, and sent them away to make friends for themselves and her, finding it a very charitable world to such humble wanderers, for they were kindly welcomed, and sent home comfortable tokens to their mother, like dutiful children whom good fortune overtakes. (p.411-412)

4.3 Women can make decision in self determination

From Little Women, Alcott deliberately creates strong female characters in order to support self determination.

Amy is a strong character. She too succumbs to peer pressure as a youngster but emerges strong in the end. Amy and her friends enjoy sucking on limes in school even though it is forbidden. She succumbs to peer pressure by bringing the forbidden limes to school and gets caught by Mr. Davis, the teacher. Amy honestly hands over the limes and is still severely punished by Davis. After boldly enduring the punishment she leaves the school house forever, defying the behavior of her teacher. Her decision is supported at home by her mother

and sisters. By her own volition, Amy decides to stay at home to be schooled rather than be humiliated and bullied by Mr. Davis.

‘Young ladies, you remember what I said to you a week ago. I am sorry this has happened, but I never allow my rules to be infringed, and I never break my word. Miss

March, hold out your hand.’ Amy started, and put both hands behind her, turning on him an imploring look which pleaded for her better than the words she could not utter. She was rather a favorite with ‘old Davis’, as, of course, he was called, and it’s my private belief that he would have broken his word if the indignation of one irrepressible young lady had not found vent in a hiss. That hiss, faint as it was, irritated the irascible gentleman, and sealed the culprit’s fate. ‘Your hand, Miss March!’ was the only answer her mute appeal received, and too proud to cry or beseech, Amy set her teeth, threw bach her head defiantly, and bore without flinching several tingling blows on her little palm. They were neither many nor heavy, but that made no difference to her. For the first time in her life she had been struck, and the disgrace, in her eyes, was as deep as if he had knocked her down.

‘You will now stand on the platform till recess,’ said Mr. Davis, resolved to do the thing thoroughly, since he had begun.

The fifteen minutes seemed an hour, but they came to an end at last, and the word ‘Recess!’ had never seemed so welcome to her before.

‘You can go, Miss March,’ said Mr. Davis, looking, as he felt, uncomfortable.

He did not soon forget the reproachful glance Amy gave him, as she went, without a word to anyone, straight into the anteroom, snatched her things, and left the place ‘forever,’ as she passionately declared to herself.

Later in the novel Amy makes yet another independent decision that will affect the course of her life. Early in the novel Amy too makes her desires known. She wishes to “be an artist, and go to Rome and so fine pictures.” This wish is realized as Amy does go to Rome and keeps a part of her life until the end. While in Rome on an excursion to be trained in arts and culture Amy decides to marry Laurie without the consent or consideration of the opinions of others or her family.

‘Dear, how charming! I hope I shall go abroad some day, but I’d rather go to Rome than the row,’ said Amy, who had not the remotest idea what the Row was and wouldn’t have asked for the world. (p.131)

‘Little Raphael,’ as her sisters called her, had a decided talent for drawing, and was never so happy as when copying flowers, designing fairies, or illustrating stories with queer specimens of art. Her teachers complained that instead of doing her sums she covered her slate with animals, the blank pages of her atlas were used to copy maps on, and caricatures of the most ludicrous description came fluttering out of all her books at unlucky moments. (p.42-43)

If ‘genius is eternal patience’, as Michelangelo affirms, Amy had some claim to the divine attribute, for she persevered in spite of all obstacles, failures, and discouragements, firmly believing that in time she should do something worthy to be called ‘high art’. She was learning, doing, and enjoying other things, meanwhile, for she had resolved to be an attractive and accomplished woman, even if she never became a great artist. Here she succeeded better, for she was one of those happily created beings who please without effort, make friends everywhere, and take life so gracefully and easily that less fortunate souls are tempted to believe that such are born under a lucky star. Everybody liked her, for among her good gifts was tact. She had an instinctive sense of what was pleasing and proper, always said the right thing to the right person, did just what suited the time and place, and was so self-possessed that her sisters used to say, ‘If Amy went to court without any rehearsal beforehand, she’d know exactly what to do.’ (p.243-244)

Amy has ever said before that she will be a great painter in the future and now she has one step closer to make her dream come true. She goes to Rome and proves that she can be a teacher of drawing for her living next.

‘It isn’t a mere pleasure trip to me, girls,’ she said impressively, as she scraped her best palette.

‘It will decide my career, for if I have any genius, I shall find it out in Rome, and will do something to prove it.’ ‘Suppose you haven’t?’ said Jo, sewing away, with red eyes, at the new collars which were to be handed over to Amy.

‘Then I shall come home and teach drawing for my living,’ replied the aspirant for fame, with philosophic composure. But she made a wry face at the prospect, and scratched away at her palette as if bent on vigorous measures before she gave up her hopes. (p.293-294)

Amy finally realizes that a woman does not marry just for money but love. As can be seen she left Fred Vaughn and accept Laurie because she loves Laurie with the fact that Laurie is not as rich as Fred Vaughn.

If they love one another it doesn’t matter a particle how old they are nor how poor. Women never should marry for money...’ Amy caught herself up short as the words escaped her, and looked at her husband, who replied, with malicious gravity... ‘Certainly not, though you do hear charming girls say that they intend to do it sometimes. If my memory serves me, you once thought it your duty to make a rich match. That accounts, perhaps, for your marrying a good-for nothing like me.’ ‘Oh, my dearest boy, don’t, don’t say that! I forgot you were rich when I said ‘Yes’. I’d have married you if you hadn’t a penny, and I sometimes wish you were poor that I might show how much I love you.’ And Amy, who was very dignified in public and very fond in private, gave convincing proofs of the truth of her words. (p.431-432)

The independence of women is shown most frequently through Jo’s character. Jo’s wish is to “write books and get rich and famous some day”. While Jo does write, she does not become rich and famous. After entering a story to win a $100 prize Jo waits an excruciating six weeks. She does win the prize to the pleasant surprise of her family. Jo then continues to realize her dream to write and continues to do so throughout the story. It must have been difficult for a woman to take on such goals in the late 1800’s.

After knowing that Amy went to Rome with Aunt March, Jo decide to get out from her house and goes to New York to try her fortune. Marmee helps Jo in finding a boarding house of Marmee’ friend. Jo being a teacher of Mrs.Kirke’ children in New York before she can try her wings to be a good writer. Jo tries everything she can do to make her dream come true.

‘Why, Jo?’ And her mother looked up quickly, as if the words suggested a double meaning. With her eyes on her work Jo answered soberly, ‘I want something new. I feel restless and anxious to be seeing, doing, and learning more than I am. I brood too much over my own small affairs, and need stirring up, so as I can be spared this winter, I’d like to hop a little way and try my wings.’

‘To New York. I had a bright idea yesterday, and this is it. You know Mrs. Kirke wrote to you for some respectable young person to teach her children and sew. It’s rather hard to find just the thing, but I think I should suit if I tried. (p.312)

Mrs. Kirke welcomed me so kindly I felt at home at once, even in that big house full of strangers. She gave me a funny little sky parlor—all she had, but there is a stove in it, and a nice table in a sunny window, so I can sit here and write whenever I like. A fine view and a church tower opposite atone for the many stairs, and I took a fancy to my den on the spot. The nursery, where I am to teach and sew, is a pleasant room next Mrs. Kirke’s private parlor, and the two little girls are pretty children, rather spoiled, I fancy, but they took to me after telling them The Seven Bad Pigs, and I’ve no doubt I shall make a model governess. (p.315)

In the nineteenth century, they belief that a man has to work and women just wait to be chosen by the man and women marry for money, so men must have so much money. But for Jo and Meg, they belief that women can earn money too and help their family and they don’t want marry just because of money but because of love like their parents did.

men have to work and women marry for money ‘People don’t have fortunes left them in that style nowadays, men have to work and women marry for money. It’s a dreadfully unjust world,’ said Meg bitterly. ‘Jo and I are going to make fortunes for you all. Just wait ten years, and see if we don’t,’ said Amy, who sat in a corner making mud pies, as Hannah called her little clay models of birds, fruit, and faces. (p.152)

In the discussion about marriage, both father and Marmee let their daughters decide whether they are marriage or not. Here, mother help Jo to think that marriage is not about money or wealthy but love. Parents accept the daughters live in a poor life with a lovely husband and respect their daughters than their daughters’ marriage because of money with no respect from her husband. And also daughters learn from their parents that in every time father and Marmee always respect each other and live happily in every situation they faced.

‘I did wrong to sigh, Jo. It is natural and right you should all go to homes of your own in time, but I do want to keep my girls as long as I can, and I am sorry that this happened so soon, for Meg is only seventeen and it will be some years before John can make a home for her. Your father and I have agreed that she shall not bind herself in any way, nor be married, before twenty. If she and John love one another, they can wait, and test the love by doing so. She is conscientious, and I have no fear of

Little Women contains many autobiographical elements, and critics are quick to note that the stormy character Jo is modeled after Alcott herself. This novel, along with the seven others featuring the March family, is cherished for its cheerful depiction of domestic life, its wholesomeness, and its ability to teach life lessons without the preachy quality found in other children's novels.

Alcott began Little Women in 1868, after the Civil War, in which she had served as a nurse during the winter of 1862-1863. She completed part one in only six weeks, and did not revise it as she was in the habit of doing for her adult fiction. It was published as a complete novel. When her public demanded to know more about the Marches, she wrote part two the following year. The novel alludes to the war, but does not include lengthy passages about its disastrous effects on American families and the country as a whole. Her contemporaries, after all, did not need such explanations. In her introduction to the novel, Ann Douglas observes, "Little Women, like its avowed model, Pilgrim's Progress, is in part an allegory. Alcott was writing about a house in conflict but not divided, a family that offered an analogy and possibly a corrective to America."

By the time Little Women was published, Alcott had already become fiercely private. She dreaded interacting with her readers, preferring instead to stay home with her family. Her brief stint as a nurse left her health permanently weakened, a condition that got worse with age. She never married, and, as she grew older, she took very seriously her role as the provider and caretaker of her family. In the end, she was unhappy and unsatisfied with her life. She believed, as do many critics, that her talent was greater than the children's books for which she is so fondly remembered. Alcott died on March 6, 1888, in Boston.

Appendix B: Summary of Little Women

The story begins at Christmas time. The March girls, Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy, are unhappy because they have agreed to give up their Christmas presents. They have done this because it is war time, and, since their father is in the war, they have no means of support and very little money. The girls have a little money and decide to all buy their mother presents instead of buying things for themselves.

On Christmas, the girls give their large breakfast to some needy neighbors, the Hummels. This act of kindness is noticed by their wealthy neighbor, James Laurence, who sends them a large dinner. On Christmas afternoon, the girls put on a play, written by Jo and put together with various props found around the house, for an audience of girls.

Jo and Meg are invited to a party at the Gardiners' house. They dress up in their best and attend. Jo, hiding in an alcove, meets Laurie, James Laurence's grandson. They talk and become friends. Meg sprains her ankle and Laurie brings the girls home in his carriage.

After the holidays, the girls go back to their various duties. Meg is a governess. Jo is a companion for Aunt March. Beth studies and home and helps with the housekeeping. Amy goes to school.

Jo decides one day that Laurie is kept inside his house more than a boy should be. She throws a snowball at his window and gets his attention; he invites her over. She meets his grandfather, who realizes that Laurie is lonely.

The Marches and the Laurences become good friends. Beth begins going to the Laurences' to play the piano there. She makes Mr. Laurence a pair of slippers to thank him and he gives her a little piano of her own as a gift.

At school, Amy brings some pickled limes to trade with other girls and is caught by the teacher. He hits her hands and has her stand in front of the class. She goes home at recess and her mother agrees that she doesn't need togo back, but says that she disobeyed the rules by having the limes in class.

One Saturday, Meg and Jo go to a play. Amy is very upset that she is not invited. Jo is rude to her about it, so, when they have gone, Amy burns the book that Jo has been writing. Jo discovers this the next day and is very upset. She won't forgive Amy. Jo and Laurie go ice skating and Amy wants to go with them, so she follows them. Jo refuses to pay attention to her and skates away. Amy skates onto the ice and hits a thin patch. She falls through. Jo panics, and Laurie helps pull Amy out of the water; they get her home. Jo forgives Amy for burning her manuscript.

Meg is invited to stay with the Moffats for two weeks. She spends the time shopping, calling, and riding with the other guests. The Moffats have a party, and because Meg's dress is plain

the girls offer her one of their dresses, then dress her up fashionably. At the party, Laurie sees her and disapproves of her appearance. She tells him not to tell her family. When she gets home, she confesses to her mother about the party and admits that it wasn't right for her, even though it was nice to be complimented on the way she looked.

At this point, readers discover that the girls have secret society called the Pickwick Club, which puts out a paper each week. When Laurie gives them the gift of a mailbox set up between their yards to send letters and gifts to each other, Jo convinces her sisters to allow him into the club.

It is now summer, and the girls have a little vacation from their everyday duties. They decide to try an experiment: they will also take a vacation from housework. After a week has passed they cannot take it any more, and they decide it is no fun to play all the time.

Laurie has some English friends visiting him. He invites the girls to Camp Laurence, a picnic with food, croquet and games.

One day when Laurie is bored he sees the March sisters going into the woods. He follows them and finds that they are having a meeting of the Busy Bee society, a club in which they each have to keep busy while they sit outdoors. Laurie joins them, and they talk about what they each want to do some day. They decide to meet in ten years to see if they got their wishes.

Jo submits some stories to a local newspaper They are published. She tells Laurie about this; in return he tells Jo that his tutor, Mr. Brooke, has kept one of Meg's gloves because he has a crush on her.

In the fall, a telegram comes that tells the family their father is sick in a Washington hospital. Their mother goes to him, escorted by Mr. Brooke. The girls take care of the house while their mother is gone, but they start to get lazy. Because no one else is willing, Beth takes the needed food to the Hummels. Their baby has scarlet fever and dies in her arms while she is there. She comes home sick, having caught the fever from the baby. Because Amy has not yet had scarlet fever, she is sent to Aunt March's while Beth is sick. Beth has a high fever. The family at first doesn't contact their mother about it, but Beth gets so bad that the doctor advises them to do so. Just before she returns, the fever breaks.

While their mother has been in Washington, Mr. Brooke has told her and the girls' father about his feelings for Meg, but they agree she is too young to marry. Laurie sends Meg a few fake love letters from Mr. Brooke, and Meg is upset by them. Their mother make Laurie apologize.

Beth health improves, as does that of her father. Christmas arrives, and Mr. March comes home to the family. Soon after all of this, Mr. Brooke speaks to Meg about marriage; she says she isn't interested. Just at that moment, Aunt March comes in and forbids Meg to marry Mr. Brooke because he is poor. Because of this, Meg agrees to marry Mr. Brooke after all.

Time passes. Mr. March becomes a minister, and John (Mr. Brooke) goes to war briefly, then returns. Amy becomes Aunt March's new companion Jo begins to publish stories in the newspaper every week. John gets a bookkeeping job and a house; he and Meg are married in a simple ceremony at the Marchs' home.

Amy has been working on her drawing and has been improving. She invites her drawing class to her house, but none of them show up. She is very disappointed.

Jo wins a writing contest. She receives one hundred dollars and uses it to send her mother and Beth to the seaside for a vacation. Jo begins writing to help her family financially, and she publishes her first novel. Unfortunately, it is not very good.

Meg tries to be a good wife. She goes through several cooking disasters, including trying to make jam. She also struggles with money: she wants more things than she has or can afford, and at one point she buys a dress she cannot afford. She sells it and buys her husband a new coat instead to cover her mistake. Meg is pregnant, then gives birth to twins, Daisy and Demi. Amy drags Jo out of the house to visit several friends. Jo is in a bad mood and behaves poorly, which upsets Amy. Their last visit is to Aunt March, who notes how pleasant Amy is, and how rough Jo is.

There is a fair. Amy is asked to sit at the art table, but because of the jealousy of one of the other girls she is later asked to sit at the floral table instead. She takes the things she made for the fair with her when she moves from the art table to the floral table, but shelater decides to do the kind thing and replace her wares on the art table. Jo has Laurie and her friends buy all the flowers at Amy's table, then has them buy all the vases at the art table, as well.

Because of her sweetness, Amy is asked to go abroad with Aunt Carroll. She does. They tour Europe. While there, Amy runs into Laurie's English friends and becomes friends with them. At home, Mrs. March is worried about Beth, who doesn't seem as happy as usual. Jo tries to find out what is wrong. She decides that Beth is in love with Laurie, then realizes that Laurie loves her, not Beth. Once she understands Laurie's feelings for her, Jo decides to go to New York as a governess in order to be out of the way for a while. In New York, Jo meets Professor Bhaer, a kindly German man. She writes for a newspaper until she finds out that Bhaer disapproves of her sensation stories, at which point she stops writing.

Laurie graduates from college and Jo leaves New York to go back home. Laurie asks Jo to marry him, but Jo turns him down, explaining that she does not love him. Laurie is heartbroken and goes to Europe with his grandfather in order to recover.

Jo notices that Beth doesn't look very well. She takes her to the seaside for a vacation. She realizes that Beth is getting weaker and that she will not live long. Beth is relieved that Jo knows this because she had known it herself for a while.

In France, Laurie and Amy meet again. They begin spending time together. Amy notices there is a change in Laurie, but she can't figure out what it is. She discovers that Jo has turned down his offer of marriage. She tells him to take it like a man. He leaves her to go back to his grandfather, and he begins spending time on his music again.

Meg becomes so absorbed in her children that she doesn't spend enough time with her husband. Because he is lonely at home, Mr. Brooke begins spending evenings at a friend's house. Recognizing his need, Meg begins to include her husband more in taking care of the children and makes an effort to spend time with him.

The March family accepts that Beth is going to die, and they make things as comfortable as possible. She dies, and Jo falls into a depression. She doesn't know what to do, but her mother tells her to write. Jo writes a story from the heart, which is so good that her father publishes it for her. The story gets a great deal of attention, and Jo writes more like it.

When Laurie hears of Beth's death, he goes to Amy to comfort her. The two begin spending time together; they eventually fall in love. They marry in order for Amy to be allowed to go home with Laurie, and they surprise the family with this news when they arrive. Jo wonders

if she will ever marry. Professor Bhaer unexpectedly makes a visit and stays for some time. The March family grows fond of him. They notice the change in Jo when the Professor is around. Soon the two are engaged. The Professor does not have money for marriage yet, however. He goes out west for a year to teach and earn money. Aunt March dies, leaving her house to Jo and thus making it possible for her and the Professor to marry. Jo starts a school for boys in the large house.

At the end of the book, there is an apple picking festival at Jo's house. The March family reflects on the dreams they had for themselves when they were young and decide that everything has turned out for the best.