Little Women

After watching two film adaptations of Little Women over the weekend, I feel the need to read this classic yet again. The 1949 and 1994 adaptations are both wonderful in their own ways, but I kept asking myself, "Was that how the book describes it?".  Both films have topics not addressed in the other. The 1994 version has many modern views and "feminist" speeches by Marmee. Christopher Columbus!! I wish they'd let it stand in its own strength.

And so last night at bedtime, my family broke out my old copy and started to read this wonderful classic. While not truly a Christian novel, it is amazing to see the religious references just chapter 1. I look forward to refreshing my memory. Although the Alcott family may have had some unusual religious influences, this work reflects much of the morality and sensibility of the time period.

I wonder how many young girls in our day and age have read this lasting work. I wonder how many in my own family and extended family have read it. Guess I'll just have to ask.

This all started while doing some decorating the other day with my daughter for a ladies tea party. I have the Ashton Drake Collection of Little Women dolls, and she was fascinated with them. They are DOLLS, after all. Next we had to get all the names down, each ones interests, their birth order, and finally pulled out the 1949 film (my favorite) so she could see them interact, at least on stage. It might have gone a little over her head, but she was definitely interested, and now we're reading the book. I even got a few chuckles from her at the girls descriptions in chapter 1, and so we continue tonight...

It's Christmas morning at the March home. What will the girls find under their pillows? What is the present that Marmee promised them?  Dust it off and see.