Verified Document

Book Analyses On Moral Life And Theme Little Women Essay

Morality in Little Women In Louisa May Alcott's Little Women, Josephine March is able to be moral despite the great pressures and responsibilities imposed on her by her gender, the economic and political circumstances of the time, her role as elder sister, and her immense creative talent. However, Jo is also notoriously stubborn, proud, and easily provoked to anger, vices that consistently challenge her moral resolve throughout her adolescence and early adulthood, but ultimately Jo is able to overcome these vices with the help of moral guidance given to her from her family and upbringing so that she matures into a humble, charitable, and temperate character, far more mature than the fiery character of her youth.

The first instance of Jo's vices getting the best of her is when she remains angry at Amy for burning her manuscript even after Amy apologizes. The next day Jo does not warn Amy about the thin ice when they go ice skating, saying "no matter whether she heard or not, let her take care of herself" (Alcott 145). Subsequently, Amy falls into the freezing water and Jo finally realizes that her "bitter temper" had gotten the best of her, to the point that her sister almost died. Luckily, Jo still tries to lead a moral life...

At this point the story reveals the source of moral inspiration for the main characters, because Jo finds guidance by looking to her family, and specifically her parents. Her mother encourages Jo that "we all have our temptations, some far greater than yours, and it often takes us all our lives to conquer them," and uses herself as an example of someone who has led a moral life through hard work and prayer (Alcott 147-148). This allows Jo to realize that although she struggles, she is not an immoral person to the core, and thus has hope of leading the kind of life she strives for.
A good example of Jo overcoming her vices out of a sense of charity and generosity can be found when her mother must travel to visit their injured father. Seeking a way to contribute to the cause, Jo cuts all of her hair off and sells it, saying that "it will be good for my vanity, I getting too proud of my wig" (Alcott 306). Although Jo does eventually mourn the loss of her hair a little bit, she demonstrates a humility and dedication to charity only made possible by her desire to lead a moral life even in the face of her own…

Sources used in this document:
Works Cited

Alcott, Louisa May. Little Women. Google ebook. Boston, MA: Roberts Brothers, 1868. eBook.

Retrieved from: http://books.google.com/books?id=Fzqjs08fIJ4C
Cite this Document:
Copy Bibliography Citation

Related Documents

Women Authors and the Harlem
Words: 4238 Length: 10 Document Type: Research Proposal

Some artists, such as Aaron Douglas, captured the feeling of Africa in their work because they wanted to show their ancestry through art. Others, like Archibald J. Motley Jr., obtained their inspiration from the surroundings in which they lived in; where jazz was at the forefront and African-Americans were just trying to get by day-to-day like any other Anglo-American. Additionally, some Black American artists felt more comfortable in Europe

The Effect of Integration on Ci Humint Collection Women in Combat
Words: 20308 Length: 20 Document Type: Essay

Women in Combat: The Effect of Integration on CI/HUMINT Collection The Effect of Integration on CI/HUMINT Collection: Women in Combat Key Words: #Combat # Integration # CI/HUMINT The success of any counterinsurgency operation depends largely on the effectiveness and appropriateness of intelligence gathered. Human subjects are a crucial source of intelligence for counterinsurgency operations. Recently, the Pentagon announced its plan to open up all ground combat roles that had previously been closed to

The Effect of Integration on Ci Humint Collection Women in Combat
Words: 20780 Length: 70 Document Type: Essay

Women in Combat: The Effect of Integration on CI/HUMINT Collection The Effect of Integration on CI/HUMINT Collection: Women in Combat Key Words: #Combat # Integration # CI/HUMINT The success of any counterinsurgency operation depends largely on the effectiveness and appropriateness of intelligence gathered. Human subjects are a crucial source of intelligence for counterinsurgency operations. Recently, the Pentagon announced its plan to open up all ground combat roles that had previously been closed to

Morality Then and Now the
Words: 7400 Length: 17 Document Type: Essay

This is the perfect way to end this poem. The ending is in fact effective and consistent. The entire time, the duke speaks about how it was to have his wife besides him and how much he did not agree with her behavior. He then makes an insinuation that it was him in fact that had her killed. The ending leaves the reader in a sort of shock. The lines,

Book of Psalms
Words: 2704 Length: 10 Document Type: Term Paper

Book of Psalms is a unique book of the Bible. More than any other book of the Bible, it is a personal testament of faith, an intimate communication between the author and his God. Its flowery, poetic style of writing sets it apart from most of the other books of the Old Testament. With the possible exception of Song of Songs, the book of Psalms is a series of lavish

Sensibility Women's Identities Are Determined and Limited
Words: 3459 Length: 8 Document Type: Term Paper

Sensibility Women's Identities Are Determined and Limited by the Expectations of Their Societies Literature written by and about women lends itself very well to feminist interpretative approaches of various kinds. Such approaches often examine the literature of earlier centuries for signs of discontent with or subversive suggestions against aspects of a society in which men have exclusive control of power. Such an approach is especially fruitful to use when examining

Sign Up for Unlimited Study Help

Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.

Get Started Now