Little Women is one of the most famous works of young adult literature of all time, particularly for its focus on young girls and young women.
In picturesque nineteenth-century New England, tomboyish Jo, beautiful Meg, fragile Beth, and romantic Amy come of age while their father is off to war.
Young Adult Mag: Your four main characters, Jo, Amy, Beth, and Meg, are said to have been based on yourself and your three sisters.
Louisa May Alcott: That’s true. But the characters that you will read about in the book are quite fictionalized.
YA: Why did you choose to write the story as a semi-autobiography?
LMA: There’s an old saying: write what you know. I felt that I wanted to create characters that were strong and memorable, so by infusing these characters with bits and pieces of my real sisters, I think I was able to make characters that people would love as much as I loved my sisters.
YA: What do you think about the claim that your story invented the idea of what’s come to have been known as the “all American girl”?
LMA: If being strong, independent, and having integrity translates into an American ideal, then I would say I’m very pleased to have contributed to that model.
YA: What advice would you give to young female readers?
LMA: Be strong. Be independent. Be yourself. But even more importantly, know yourself.