Louisa May Alcotts Succes as an Adult and Childrens Author
Louisa May Alcott’s Succes as an Adult and Children’s AuthorLouisa May Alcott was a famous writer, who wrote in a variety of genres, ranging from fairy tales and fictional children’s stories to sensational Gothic thrillers for adults. She was born on November 29, 1832, in Germantown, Pennsylvania, and died on March 6, 1888, in Boston, Massachusetts. Alcott spent most of her childhood in Concord, Massachusetts where American writers, Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau, educated her. The four Alcott daughters had to go to work at an early age in order to support the family because the Alcott’s did not have much money. Later, Louisa May Alcott became a Civil War nurse in the Union Hotel Hospital. It was here that she contracted typhoid fever, due to poor sanitation and a bad diet, from which she would never fully recover. Louisa May Alcott used these life experiences a basis to write many books for both adults and children. Although Louisa May Alcott received praise and fame for her children’s stories during her lifetime, her adult books were harshly criticized and were not positively recognized until after her death.
Even though Louisa May Alcott did not set out to be a children’s writer, that is where her greatest popularity was achieved (MacDonald). She first began writing short stories, poems, and fairy tales, and then wrote fictional children’s novels which were largely based on her own childhood. These children’s stories frequently contained morals while still being entertaining and not preachy. They were also praised for their simple language and clear style. Alcott wrote with the idea that a long word never needed to be used when a short one would do as well. Critics lauded her fast paced, episodic storylines that held the attention of the reader (McMahon 8). Alcott’s characterization also became the subject of many compliments. She developed characters with well-rounded personalities that could think for themselves (MacDonald). Her characters were humanized and showed both the positive and negative traits of children (MacDonald). In one novel, An Old Fashioned Girl, the main character, Polly, was seen as a standard for independent girls with purpose, talent, and ambition (Myerson xxxix).
Louisa May Alcott’s most famous work of children’s literature was Little Women. She wrote this book in only six weeks and yet it became an instant success (McMahon 6). Little Women realistically portrayed the domestic adventures of a New England family, but kept an optimistic outlook that readers could easily identify with (Unger 30). This book was praised for its feminist themes, such as limited financial opportunities for females, and insightful characterization (Unger 31). The characters were honest and forthright and each of the four sisters showed strong individuality (Wells 1). The most popular character of this novel was Jo. “Jo is a unique creation, the one young woman in...
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