Character Analysis – Little Women

Meg March, the oldest sister, is a maternal figure who hopes to marry rich, settle into her own home, and start a family. Beyond this, the reader does not learn anything about her interests or life goals. In fact, once Meg does marry and have children, the only struggles we see from her are domestic and traditionally feminine; learning to keep a home well, saving money, spending enough time with her husband, and struggling to raise her children.

Jo March, the second-oldest sister, is a stark contrast to Meg. She is rebellious in nature, unkempt in her clothing and appearance, and extremely unladylike in behavior. Instead, the reader joins her throughout her trials and tribulations, and learns about the hopes and dreams she has to become an established writer, a self-made independent woman who works for her own money. Interestingly, Jo is also the protagonist of the novel and the one whose journey we follow the most. In making her the lead character, Alcott is giving her the greatest importance, indicating that she believes Jo’s outlook on life is significantly better than the traditional outlook attributed to women. Of course, it is also plausible that Alcott praises Jo’s character because she herself may be represented through Jo, or at least, through Jo’s persona as a writer.

However, it is interesting to note that while Jo published many articles under a false name, so as to be taken more seriously, Alcott never did; she published her work under her female name. Similarly, while initially opposed to the idea, Jo does get married in the end. Alcott however, defiantly refused to get married throughout her life. These are interesting points to make because it shows that Jo, while seemingly progressive for her time, was actually more in line with her society than Alcott herself. Of course, Jo’s character may have been purposefully toned down so that Alcott’s novel would still appeal to the women of her society.

Beth March, the second-youngest sister, is also opposite in character to Jo. Beth, much more similar to the eldest Meg, is best described as a kind, gentle, loving, and selfless woman who completely devotes herself to her sisters, parents, and home. She has no future life goals beyond her family and home, and we get the sense that Beth would follow Meg’s path of marrying and starting a family. The difference being that Beth would not have focused on marrying rich or being accepted into high society, as Meg did, but would have married a man who is as equally kind and compassionate as she is. She probably would have continued living at home, taking care of her aging parents, and/or devoted herself to a life of charity and goodwill. Ultimately, Beth is the prefect model of a traditional 19th-century woman. Unfortunately, however, the realities of Beth’s life make us wonder how Alcott felt about such a role in society. Remembering again, that she prided on Jo’s rebellious but hard-working nature, Beth in contrast is not what Alcott aims to focus on or promote.

Finally, the youngest sister, Amy March, is a wonderfully complex character. She is almost an amalgamation of her other three sisters. While she has artistic talents like Jo and also hopes to make a professional career of it, she just as equally, if not more so, wants to break into high society. In fact, it may be that she hopes to become an artist specifically for the fame, glory, and riches, more so than for her own personal fulfillment. Throughout the story we consistently see Amy trying to impress the other girls at school and win the fancy of the richer boys. Similar to Beth, Amy is also skilled in homely activities, such as sewing, singing, and housekeeping. Alcott’s depiction of Amy is interesting because just one character manages to represent all three of the following: the ideal domestic qualities of a woman, the desires of women during her society, especially those with less money, and professional ambitions that were usually only attributed to men.