Meg
Meg is the oldest March sister. She is very pretty, and she is the most typical nineteenth-century American girl out of the four sisters. Meg is the only sister who remembers when her family used to be wealthy, and she desires to be wealthy once again. Throughout the novel Meg struggles with her weakness of wanting luxury, money, and wealth in general. She envies the luxurious and leisure life that her friends Sallie Gardiner and the Moffat girls get to live. Meg often tries to change who she truly is in order to please other people. Soon however, Meg realizes that she isn't acting like herself, and she doesn't want to be anyone that she is not anymore. Meg decides to try to stop being so materialistic. She gradually learns to value the simple things in life because of the hard work that it takes to get them. Eventually, Meg marries a poor man who she loves, and she forgets about luxury because of the fact that her husband is poor. Meg struggles with being a housewife, and towards the end of the novel she giver birth to two twins, Demi and Daisy. |
Jo
Jo is the second oldest March sister. In the beginning of the novel Jo is a tomboyish, geeky, fifteen year old girl. Jo wishes that she could fight alongside her father in the Civil War, and she hates the limitations that are put on women of this time period. Jo is also very opinionated and not very ladylike. Jo loves literature, both writing and reading it. She writes stories that eventually get published, and she even composes plays that her sisters can perform. Jo's love for writing makes her wish to be a writer. The character of Jo is based on Louisa May Alcott herself. Whenever Jo isn't doing chores she is always reading a book. When Jo grows up she hopes to do something great, but she isn't sure what that great thing is yet. The only thing the Jo knows she doesn't want when she gets older is to get married. Jo is afraid that getting married might break up her family and separate her from the sisters she loves. In the end of the novel however, Jo ends up marrying Professor Bhaer, who is a poor German language instructor. She inherits Aunt March's house, Plumfield, and turns it into a boarding school for boys. |
Beth
Beth is the third oldest sister, after Meg and Jo. She is the sweetest and most compassionate of the four sisters, and has a passionate love for music. Beth constantly contributes to the March household by doing chores and helping out her mother and Hannah, the March family's servant. However, her significance to the March household is much more than doing her chores. She always gave everyone the strength to be the best version of themselves that they could be. Beth's biggest obstacle is her shyness. Because of this shyness, she often relates better to her dolls, cats, and music than friends of her own age. Beth gets scarlet fever while a teenager and remains very sickly afterwards. She dies at a young age and is greatly missed by everyone in the novel, and her legacy lives on through the various people she has helped. |
Amy
Amy is the youngest of the March sisters. She loves the idea of being wealthy and having a high social position. This was a struggle for Amy growing up, considering the March family was fairly poor and did not have all the luxuries that they, particularly Amy, would have liked to have had. However, Amy is very successful with her manners and etiquette, skills that are recognized by her Aunt Carrol. Aunt Carrol invites Amy on a trip to Europe. Amy is thrilled about the trip because it will give her the opportunity to explore her artistic talents. While in Europe, Amy realizes that she is not talented enough to make it as an artist. She decides that, if given the opportunity, she will marry for money so the March family no longer has to struggle. Amy ends up marrying her childhood friend and neighbor Laurie, but for love instead of for his money. As a couple, Amy and Laurie support struggling artists and stay very close to the March family. They are very happy together and have a baby girl, whom they name Beth after Amy's sister who has passed away. |