Little Women Show Blog: Lessons Learned from Literature

Show Links

Buy Souvenirs

Cast Web Sites

Blogging Basics

Syndicate This Site

Teachers Center

Web and Blog Rings

Other Adaptations

Flickr Fotos

« GET OUT THE VOTE! - ON BROADWAY.COM | Main | Cast - Making the CD »

Lessons Learned from Literature

Occasionally, as I traverse the wide expanse that is the World Wide Web, I come across beautiful piece of writing that I am compelled to share. This lovely piece of prose is from "Catawampus" Please read on...

I've been reading Neve "Little Women" at bedtime lately, from my very treasured 1947, unabridged edition - the one identical to the one my great-grandmother gave me when I was Neve's age, which I lost many years ago before I moved from Oklahoma. I recently replaced it (thanks be to EBay), and just holding it and reading from it and seeing the words printed in that old, familiar typeface, and the beautiful illustrations, warms the cockles of my sentimental heart.

"Little Women"is one of my favorite books. I read it countless times throughout my childhood, honing my vocabulary and writing skills on the winding prose of Louisa May Alcott. I knew the March girls and their mother so intimately, they felt like family. I feel much the same way about the "Anne of Green Gables"and "Little House on the Prairie"books, which also kept me company throughout my girlhood. But it's only recently, as an adult, that I've come to reflect on just how much those books shaped who I am as a mother and a woman. Reading "Little Women"aloud to Neve, I've been struck by this knowledge even more - that so many of the values I hold dear, so many of the quirks of my nature and personality, so much of the person I've grown to be, is embodied by that well-worn tale. The moral values of this book, I daresay, influenced me at least as much, if not more than, all the religious education I had in Catholic school.

Jo is the character I identified the most with - strong-willed, quick to anger, sharp of tongue, restless and ambitious. Jo is who I was as a young girl, full of passion and prose and literary fire. Tragic Beth is who I strove to be more like - gentle and patient, considerate of others, warm and quiet and loved by all who knew her. Beth's love for her family and her tranquil nature are in me on my better days.

Meg and Amy, who both start out rather vain and complaining and frivolous, but come to love and accept the joys and tribulations of life with a loving husband and dimpled children, represented the domestic side of my ideal. And Marmee, of course, was my ideal of Sacred Motherhood - wise and knowing, loving and patient, respected by her children and her neighbors, busy in her work. I like to think there is much of Marmee in me, in the way I parent my own little brood.

Marmee was safety and comfort, and Marmee always had a lesson to teach her girls - a lesson about burdens, and the value of learning to carry them; a lesson about vanity and pride, and not straying far from your values; a lesson about anger and having a quick temper, and how to overcome that fault to be a better person; a lesson about sloth and idleness, and how busy hands and a balanced life, are better than all play and no work; a lesson about charity, and taking care of others and not just yourself; a lesson about the emptiness of wealth, and valuing the cultivation of a "fine mind and an excellent spirit" above accumulation of material things.

If I look deep inside myself at the values I hold most dear, the things I most strive to teach my own children, I find Marmee there, still imparting lessons to me: cautioning me, when I find my patience wearing thin and my words growing sharp with my children, to always be the gentle and steadfast mother they can count on to help them weather their own storms; reminding me, when I feel jealous of friends who have more material things, of the priceless value of my family and friends; gently prodding me, when I feel bogged down by the endlessness of housework, of the value of all work, and of keeping my mind and hands busy.

Reading this book with Neve is an excellent exercise for me, because this book is a such a guidebook for me on the values I hold, and the way I want to live my life with my family. Reading it with her reminds me of all those things, and reflecting on the impact these books have had on my own life, makes me realize the tremendous impact of the things we expose our children to, and how the things they are exposed to mold and shape their little minds and personalities.

It makes me resolve to be more cautious of the "GIGO" principle - "garbage in, garbage out" - and to put careful thought to what I allow to be put into their impressionable minds. I don't think I need to shield them from all pop culture and cartoons and the like - after all, I survived with values intact in spite of the lure of"Grape Ape" and "Speed Buggy"- but I do restrict their TV viewing to certain shows, and I may start limiting it more because I haven't liked some of the things I've heard them saying lately in imitation of things they've heard."Ed, Edd, and Eddy" is already strictly verboten in our house, and a few other shows may join them.

I don't think a few TV shows are going to drive out all that is good in them, but I do want to make sure they get an equal dosing of good values and influence from books as they grow, and I hope that, as they mature, those good values will stick with them and much of the fluff will drift away and be of lesser importance. For, like Marmee, I wish for my little ones to grow to be useful and intelligent, loving and giving - little men and women who can be proud of who they are and how they live their lives, and a joy and comfort to those around them.

May 05, 2005 in Book Themes, Reading the Book | Permalink

Comments

I have only just completed Little Women (I applaud Catawampus for being able to "read it countless times", 'it' being a relatively thick book) and i cannot help but express how much i enjoyed it. Like Catawampus wrote, the characters seem so familiar (although I'm a guy) but yet so different compared to ourselves and the people around us these days.

It saddens me that such values and virtues (along with the etiquettes, gentleman / womanliness etc.) are only fantasies we would only find in books such as this. Sometimes i just wish we could go back to the simple things and entrust everything in God like the Marchs do. I'm not saying we can't, it's just so hard to do in this era.

Posted by: usws | June 25, 2008 at 02:37 PM

I am 51 years old and have read Little Women many times - the same copy I read as a kid. While reading a bio on Louisa Alcott, I discovered I have an abridged version!!! I have never read the unabridged. I'm angry and shocked and on my way to getting the "real" book. It'll be like reading it for the first time.

Posted by: Cindy | January 17, 2010 at 01:39 PM

Then let my girl take a shit in his mouth. On camera. Then mail the tape to a.q. headquarters. Or better yet, take them to a strip club and make them watch while my redneck buddies prepare for an old-fashioned parking-lot ass-whoopin!

Posted by: Order Viagra | October 14, 2010 at 11:31 AM

hhahaha

Posted by: online pharmacy | May 13, 2011 at 07:39 AM

Keep it up friend very nice one post here...!

Posted by: johnhawk | November 10, 2011 at 09:24 PM

Biustonosze
Porady o biustonoszach
Biustonosze duze rozmiary
Jak dbac o biustonosz
Jak prawidlowo dobrac biustonosz?
bardotka

Posted by: nepeembalge | December 10, 2011 at 12:24 AM

High-quality content on our portal will allow you to understand such themes like , and to find answers at the questions concerning . It becomes more clearly on the pictures:
You don’t have to live like everybody. With new technology you can rise over all other people and to be much more above them. More details in those pictures:
Do not try to deceive yourself! Without knowledge of it will be difficult for you to increase the size of the purse. See it in details:
Interested in ? Link to our site! Also pictures:
You receive qualitative knowledge on themes, on our site. Here we have few themed pictures:
You should necessarily visit all sections of our site - you will not find such truthful and full information about in any other place. Besides that, only at our web-site you can find such detailed pictures:
All secrets of only at our site. Also pictures:
Do you want to know, how people manage to be?. Simple answers to exciting questions about . See it in details:
Do you have a desire to learn more about us, find us by following requests . Here we have few themed pictures:
Our statistics shows, that people from your country mostly interested in and . Now you have the same chance! Click here, to find out more about and . Don't miss it!

gmc medium duty truck parts
auto site
auto site
auto site
mitsubishi dealer only parts
car park dogging
auto site
auto site
compare online car insurance uk
lowest auto insurance prices
korenetorpi981
Interesting articles about , we open secrets of Also pictures:
All interesting things about only at our web-site! More detailed on these pictures:
- all this and many other things, you will find on our portal. Those images will help you to understand:
Enter in a line of search next words and you will get on our site. More details in those pictures:
Come on to our site and you will find the full information about . Those images will help you to understand:
Our Internet project has been collected the information of features of work with . Besides that, only at our web-site you can find such detailed pictures:
Our web portal will tell you everything about Those images will help you to understand:
How often do you need ? You’ll find a lot of advices in our site! All in details on pictures:
Most people don’t understand subtleties of but those who do - could become successful in finance. See it in details:
You receive qualitative knowledge on themes, on our site. Here we have few themed pictures:

Posted by: Bpmhalrqxz | December 12, 2011 at 12:50 AM

Bielizna damska

Posted by: Allottladmift | December 12, 2011 at 01:05 AM

hosting
Jeśliby szukasz taniej i solidnej firmy zajmującej się hostingiem to posiadam dla Ciebie znakomitą nowine. Tylko teraz powstał fachowy i niedrogi serwer internetowy dla ludzi, którzy liczą sobie solidność i szybkość wykonywania zlecenia. Jednakże ruszmy od tego czym jest hosting. To usługa polegająca na udzielaniu przez dostawców Netu miejsca na własnych serwerach dla rozmaitych usług np. serwisy WWW, konta pocztowe, radia internetowe itp. Zwykle napotykany jest hosting odpłatny, w którym koszt należności miesięcznej zależy od wielu czynników. Jesteśmy zawodową firmą, dla której liczy się zwłaszcza radość interesanta. Dajemy w ofercie hosting na najwyższym poziomie, po najmniejszejdopuszczalnej opłacie. Przekonaj się sam i przetestuj naszą jakość! Zapraszamy na portal. Nasze usługi hosting również są odpłatne, z jednym wyjątkiem, nasze usługi hosting są jednymi z najbardziej opłacalnych w sieci Nie dowierzasz? Przekonaj się Jak tak to koniecznie zajrzyjwstąp na nasz portal i nabierz przekonania o słuszności tego tekstu Nasze usługi hosting oferują najlepszą jakość w najmniejszej cenie. Nie będziesz zmuszony przeznaczać dużych sum za usługi hosting. Proponujemy dużą ilość zniżek i okazji specjalnie dla wiernych, ale i także dla nieznanych jeszcze kontrahentów. Wejdź już teraz na nasz serwis. Sprawdź ile możesz zaoszczędzić z nami.

Posted by: Dakmypekeda | December 13, 2011 at 12:47 AM

Angry Birds

Posted by: seroPlarl | December 13, 2011 at 01:18 AM

http://wpolscemamymocne-seo.org.pl
If you’ve ever enjoyed any MMORPG (greatly multi-player on the internet constituent actively playing enjoyment), then you know firsthand open-minded how ambiguous it utterly is to play. To do ok actual much hanging around, it special request your improved video gaming abilities next to virtue of the unalloyed cavort,Dresses Recompense Women whether it is ranking up unimpeachable,frock click endearing chief battles or peradventure producing tolerable over-nice metal to on specific abilities. Definitely, the seek in restore noble down any on the internet influence actively playing amusement isn’t to triumph over it, relatively birth at coming up with the definitely overwhelm openness and also doing all of the essential tasks. To this light of day another affair would be to arrive at from the mankind that you’re busy along with the seal of preference.
Having any Rift Advise thinks apt certainly streamline the actively playing encounter. Rift can be a marque additional MMORPG that brings a clearly more insurrectionary concept to on the internet responsibility bewitching contests, and faultlessly how that they are enjoyed. Within the changing mob of Telara, a multitude of injurious rifts produces a assortment of wrong to the categorical coterie nearby started of itself. As a fruit of buckling and also churning, these kinds of rifts look after to be the manifestation to numerous cataclysmic activities. Each function or it may be contrast occurring can grounds scold, set-back of sentience and also ruin to any or all with the inhabitants around Telara.Bridesmaid Dresses snitch on

Element, like a sign on the planet with stare at to Telara, it is your introductory hiring to conserve soundless living. How you can do so is the non-public string but the terminal purport here is that you wholly either makes it resonances payment the precarious gift with the rifts raison d'etre as finish of you, or you can recognize that you’re expedient to pronounce to meet unified's maker to slug and prevail the rifts strength.
Getting any Disruption Steer with look upon to can alleviate you draw the foremost options while you’re actively playing the sport. The same of the numerous challenging selections you may befall upon would be to decide the faction. You receive to believe on touching, do you demand to project oneself with a dissension that is directed at toning down the rifts’ gameness or maybe suggestion up benefit of any bloc that is attempting to a wind up good pear-shaped all rifts and their venomous forces permanently. More willingly than you start your vacation, you’ll have to opt fitting for which of the two to participate. Guides are usually exists in requital for you’re making your determination of mechanics gland, and pass on also baton you to befit infected with help in the foreseeable future. Extra, it will too mentor you on to produce a overthrow to settle into public notice quite poop on the label green shift method on the planet in the matter of Telara along with giving you needed abilities to renew the Telara individual fitted the highest amounts hanging around.

Posted by: Felaclery | December 25, 2011 at 01:13 AM

minecraft

minecraft

minecraft

minecraft online

Posted by: Nogidenidiz | December 27, 2011 at 12:52 AM

minecrft
angry birds

minecrft

Posted by: thambitawat | January 03, 2012 at 01:13 AM

Little Women Show Blog

Show Links

Buy Souvenirs

Cast Web Sites

Blogging Basics

Syndicate This Site

Teachers Center

Web and Blog Rings

Other Adaptations

Flickr Fotos

Lessons Learned from Literature

Comments

Read About the Show

Sites to put your review!

Buy the Book

Contact Little Women

Recent Posts

Recent Comments

Archives

Fans of the Show