Jo's Increasing Maturity in Louisa May Alcott's Little Women
Summary:
In her novel Little Women, Louisa May Alcott used many elements to show how Jo, the protagonist of the story, matured in her thinking and behavior throughout the story as she struggled to find herself. The ways in which Jo showed maturity include her view of men, her demand for independence, and her sense of realism in her views of herself and of others. The changes in Jo's style, attitude, and outlook on life helps the reader to see the degree to which the the influence of family and friends is important in one's life.
Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott, is an excellent novel portraying the lives of four young girls as they make the transition from adolescence into adulthood. Alcott used many elements to show how Jo, the protagonist of the story, matured in her thinking and behavior throughout the story. Jo's style, attitude, and outlook on life are changed by the end of the story, which helps the reader to see how important the influence of family and friends is in one's life.
One way in which Jo showed increasing maturity is in her view of the opposite sex. In the beginning of the book, Jo was a complete tomboy, wanting nothing to interfere with her writing. After meeting Laurie, her next door neighbor, Jo began to feel an attraction to him, but still remained only friends. When Laurie went off to college, he professed his love for Jo, which only scared her, and made her push him away. Toward the end of the book, Jo went to New York in order to get out and further advance her career in writing. In New York, Jo met a man named Frederick Bhaer, who related to her in a new way, and ultimately became her husband.
Another way in which Jo showed maturity is in her demand for independence. In the beginning of the book, Jo was very rebellious, and stood up for her rights as a woman. She wanted nothing more than to live on her own, pursue her writing career, and not to be a conventional housewife. Jo evidenced her independence by cutting off all of her hair to pay Marmee's fare to visit Mr. March in the hospital. She refused to take an charity from anyone, and resolved that she was going to make things work out for good, and that she was going to do it on her own. In the end of the book, Jo realized that she couldn't go through life on her own, and that she needed love. She gave up her stubborn independence and decided to marry Professor Bhaer.
Thirdly, Jo showed increasing maturity by becoming more realistic in her view of the herself and of others. An example of this is Jo's writing. Throughout the story, Jo was determined to make her success writing silly, dramatic stories. Through the death of her sister, Beth, and through the influence of her mother, she realized that her true story was the story of her family and the love they shared. Jo was always trying to expand her imagination in order to write a better story that, she hoped, might be published. In the end of the book, Jo realized that she had known the story all along. It was a story of a family, and four, "Little Women."
Little Women is an excellent novel that portrays the lives of four young girls as they make the transition from adolescence into adulthood. Many lessons can be learned through Jo and her struggle to find herself. Ultimately, Little Women teaches the uncertainty of life, and the necessity of a loving family, faithful friends, and most importantly, a relationship with our Heavenly Father. Through this book, one can learn that no matter how they decide that their life is going to be, God already has the full picture, and trusting Him is the most important lesson.
This is the complete article, containing 555 words
(approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page).
