Louisa May Alcott essays

Louisa May Alcott essays Louisa May Alcott was born in Germantown, PA, on Nov. 29, 1832, and she was the second daughter of Abigail May and Amos Bronson Alcott. She had an older sister Anna and two younger sisters Elizabeth and May. The family moved to Boston, MA in 1834, where her father set up an experimental school that failed because of the lack of students. Since the Alcotts were relatively poor, Ralph Waldo Emerson financially supported them while they moved to Concord, MA. Amos and Abigail were both progressive educators and part of the Transcendental Movement in America so they instructed Louisa and her three sisters in this progressive educational style. Her father advised Louisa to keep a journal. She began this journal at a very young age and kept with it until her last days on earth. The journal was open to inspection by her father and mother. Mrs. Alcott would often write little notes to her daughter. Louisa included poetry and letters in her entries, as well as comments to her sisters and moth er. This journal helped lead her into her literary career. Louisa wrote poems, novels, and short stories most of which were published. Some of her early work was written under the pen name, Flora Fairchild. Her most well known work was Little Women, which was based on her own life. "Marmee" is her mother, "Meg" is her sister Anna, "Jo" is Louisa herself, "Beth" is her younger sister Elizabeth, and "Amy" is her youngest sister May. In real life the sisters would act out elaborate scenes in an old barn or by the stream just like they did in Little Women. Louisa May Alcott's career was not restricted to writing. Beginning in her late teens, she worked as a teacher for several years and off-and-on as a seamstress. In 1867, Louisa became the editor of Merry's Museum, a children's magazine. Louisa Alcott also was an avid social reformer. Abolition, temperance, and educational reform were among her chosen causes. But being a feminist at heart, she especially...