The dominant theme of Little Women, as for girls in the nineteenth century, is family. The characters are defined by their familial relations and behaviors toward each other, and all are deeply invested in cultivating and supporting one another.Throughout the novel, Alcott emphasizes the importance of family as not only a practical or economic unit but also a deeply meaningful one. When Aunt March offers to adopt a child, Father and Mother reject, insisting that they stay together. Without money or an urge to be very active in society, much of the March family’s experiences and emotions take place within the family unit, inventing plays and clubs. Eventually the girls must find their own ways away from the family. This is difficult on mother but the girls are really needing to find their individual paths.