The representation of gender in Alcott’s Little Women

Abstract

Behind stories for children, authors try to entertain or educate. However, when looking deeper, other objectives can be depicted. The first reading of Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott, shows a middle– class family facing the hardships of Civil War in America. However, when looking deeper, one can depict the criticism of the writer to her society concerning the education given to the girls. A closer analysis of the four main female characters reveals the feminist inclination of the author. Hence, a children’s novel can convey an adults’ message. This dissertation deals with the issue of gender within Little Women as a children’s book. In the first part of this research, the historical as well as the literary background of the novel are provided