Little Women was originally published in two volumes in 1868 and 1869, though today the two are frequently published together as a singular work. It is easily Alcott's most famous work, and is often held up as an example of high-minded literature intended for younger readers. According to Alcott herself, Little Women deals with three primary themes: "domesticity, work, and true love."
The novel follows the four March sisters, Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy, from childhood to adulthood. The reader watches each girl grow up and become her own person as she leaves her mother's home and builds on the strengths she developed while at home. Each chapter is a "slice of life" of the March family: the...