A combination essay on Little women and the short story How it all Happens by Louis May Alcott

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Little Women and How it all Happened
“My child, the troubles and temptations of your life are beginning and may be many, but you can overcome and outlive them all if you learn to feel the strength and tenderness” (Alcott, “Little Women” 142). While examining a time when the state is experiencing a civil war, Alcott motivates the readers to show love and embrace the virtue of gratitude. She recommends that despite what one goes through they should learn to appreciate the little they have. At the same time, people must learn to accommodate their neighbors. This paper assesses how Alcott reveals the themes of gratefulness and not judging a book by its cover.
Christmas is a time when people celebrate, give presents, and travel. However, when there is a civil war and a family has been through hardship, there is too little to celebrate. In the stories, the characters are worried about their poor nature and inability to reward their relatives and friends. Dolly and Polly struggle to purchase a charismas tree so that they could not disappoint Will and Petkin. On her part, Polly is stressed that the red flannel shirts they sewed could only fetch six cents apiece. Even after having made fifty cents, they were willing to sacrifice the savings for toys for the brothers. In her statement, Polly comments that “I did not know how poor we were until I saw the tree and I could not help it” (Alcott, “How it all Happened” 2). When one thinks about the sisters, it is evident they must have been suffering all the year long.

This would be the first time they were about to celebrate the Christmas without presents. Since their father died, they had to work harder to sustain the house and take care of the ailing Petkin. Eventually, the girls could only imagine of a richer life like that of Mr. Chrome and Miss Kent who could afford to buy all that they needed. However, the girls appreciate the fact that they had a Christmas tree despite it having few items. On her side, Dolly is pleased that they made their mother happy. Her aim was to buy her mom some new bonnet and rubbers. Nevertheless, their mother is a sober and accommodating woman who train the girls to be thankful for the little they earned and be sociable.
Miss Kent is a good-hearted woman. Despite her high wage, she opts to dress simply and be fair to Mrs. Blake’s family. After spending her money on a Christmas dress, she is disgusted that she had not helped the girls. She vows to “hunt up the other things they wanted” and spice up their Christmas celebration (Alcott, “How it all Happened” 4). Even when she is of a higher social class, she has a heart and is up to atone for neglecting the family. This motivated Mr. Chrome and Mrs. Smith who also hand over some presents. Initially, the children considered their neighbors as unfriendly persons who had little concern for the poor. In her amusement, Polly claims she would never again state that “rich folks don’t remember poor folks” (Alcott, “How it all Happened” 10). The children were mistaken to have regarded the neighbors as antisocial. The neighbor’s involvement in Mrs. Blake’s Christmas day preparations helped them to interact with each other where, despite having considered Chrome as withdrawn, Miss Kent quickly mingles with him, and both have fun. This was against their expectations since they had perceived each other differently prior to the meeting. In the end, the children were grateful for what the neighbors had done for them despite having nothing to give back.
Similar to Dolly, Jo is not happy with their family being poor. When first met the family is facing hardships with their father serving as a minister in the civil war. They have to work harder to run the house and just like Dolly and Polly, they engage in sewing activities that earn them some cents. This is barely enough to sustain each of them owing to the high demand for money to spend at home and in school. Jo could not imagine a Christmas without any gifts. However, Meg is not disturbed by their poor state but instead appreciates that they still had parents who took care of them. Despite their mother trying to save a lot to meet the family needs, the girls could not defy the urge to buy lovely things for each other during the Christmas. Their suffering is revealed by their inability to purchase school accessories. On her part, Army’s is bothered that she has to attend the school with “impertinent girls who plague you if you don’t know your lessons and laughs at your dresses” (Alcott, “Little Women” 3). When one assesses the situation, the girls were being subjected to insults and desegregation. However, they still stick close to one another throughout the hard times. This is displayed where, on noticing how worn out Marmee’s shoes were, they forgo their savings to buy her some presents.
Being grateful is a feature that Mrs. March embraces despite facing privations. On the Christmas day, she advises her daughters to give their breakfast as a Christmas gift to the poor neighbors, the Hummels. According to Alcott, the family’s only bare room, “was, with broken
Windows, no fire, ragged bedclothes, a sick mother, wailing baby, and a group of pale, hungry children cuddled under one old quilt, trying to keep warm” (Alcott, “Little Women” 25). Despite the girls being unusually hungry, they sacrificed the only food they had for the family. This shows appreciation of their state and the will to help. Their kindness was noticed by their immediate neighbor, Mr. Laurence, who rewards them with flowers and ice-creams. This could be regarded as a reward for their generosity but more so for their devotion. However, it came as a shock for the girls who had barely met Mr. Laurence and thus termed him as a grumpy man. It turns out later that he was a friendly and caring person. This is evident when he takes the time to request Mr. Brook to accompany Jo’s mother who went to take care of her sick husband. Mr. Laurence’s act proves how wrong people usually are when they judge others by their appearances. Misjudgment is further manifested when Jo meets Laurie at the party. Her first impression was that he could be antisocial given that he sat by himself at the same corner she was heading to hide. The two, however, socializes formally, and Laurie even agrees to drive them home after Meg sprains her ankle. Despite him hailing from a wealthy family, Laurie has a warm heart and needs friends too. He had already accepted the situation but was willing to mingle with even the poor neighbors.
Appreciating one’s state pays. Due to their devotion, hard work, and compromising nature, the four girls prosper in various ways. As Jo moves to New York and becomes a governess, Amy goes to England to pursue arts. Upon meeting Professor Bhaer, Jo was first discouraged by his poor state despite being intelligent and charming. However, he later ends up being a supportive husband helping her to set up a school for boys. This furthers the notion that we should not judge people by their looks without having interacted with them.
Being obliged is a virtue that everyone should embrace despite hardships. The four girls were not aware of how much they had until the poor woman came knocking at their door. They were, however, rewarded heavily for their kindness. This is echoed in Blake’s house. Despite Dolly and Polly struggling to make a change during the Christmas, their mother trained them to appreciate the little they had. They learnt to have a good heart where they were willing to sacrifice the savings for their siblings and mother. In both stories, it is evident that being thankful pays. At the same time, socializing with the neighbors helps make the life easier. Both Mrs. March’s and Mrs. Brake’s families perceived their neighbors as egoistic and antisocial until they surprised them during the Christmas day. Similarly, one ought not to judge our neighbors until they interacted with them. Life would be healthier if people were contented with the little they had, and formed a friendly community.
Works Cited
Alcott, Louisa May. Little Women. 1st ed. New York: Baronet Books, 1989. Print.
Alcott, Louisa May. How It All Happened. New York: Baronet Books. Print