Father's Influence On The Book Little Women

A father’s influence in his daughter’s life shapes her self-esteem, self-image, confidence, and opinions of men, according to Michael Austin, associate professor of

Philosophy at Eastern Kentucky University (Quinonez). “Fathers are fathers for life, and

being a good, bad or absent father will affect your child future” (A Bond for Life). In the

book Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott and the 1994 movie by the same title, Mr. March

heads to war and is absent for a large part of his daughters’ lives. Meg (16), Jo (15),

Beth (13), and Amy (12) live with their mother, Marmee in a small New England town

during and after the Civil War. Their father’s absence affects each girl in a unique and

profound way. While the movie deals

Meg was attention seeking, and she was

ashamed to admit that she loved being praised and admired. In the first chapter of

the book, Mrs. March reads a letter from Father to all of the girls one night after dinner. After hearing their father’s words Meg states, “ I think too much of my looks and I hate to work but I won’t anymore, if I could help it” (Alcott 13). In the movie the letter was read to the girls, but Meg’s reaction to it was not included. As a result the character of Meg, was left more to the movie watchers interpretation. While the reader of the book was able to understand that Meg wanted to please her father; however, due to his absence she might be lacking in a confident relationship with him. “A positive secure father-daughter relationship

allows females the confidence needed to be successful in their effort as well as

achieve their goals” (Quinonez). “Higher education or professional work was out of the question for young women. They were intended to marry and take care of the house and children” (Hughes). This was ultimately Meg’s life, making her a successful nineteenth century woman. However, the book certainly highlighted her struggle to please and need for attention thus outlining the effect her father’s absence had on her

The overall impact her father’s absence had on her life cannot be understood since she becomes very sick and dies at the young age of nineteen. The book deals a bit more with her love for her father. In it she states, “ I am so full of happiness that if Father was here I couldn’t hold one drop more!” (Alcott 343). Her illness and death are a central focus of the movie. Only a few chapters of the book cover her demise. The movie focuses on two dimensions of her personality, that she is quiet and shy. The movie also shows that she does not want to leave home and is perfectly content. In fact, when she is dying, she comments that for the first time she will be the first to go somewhere…Heaven. This is not stated in the book; however in the book, her death is far more prolonged. While dying, she describes each sister as a bird, “ You are the gull, Jo, strong and wild, fond of the storm and the wind, flying far out to sea, and happy all alone. Meg is the turtle-dove, and Amy is like the lark she writes about, trying to get up among the clouds, but always dropping down into its nest again” (Alcott 595). The book shows that Beth is thoughtful, caring, introspective, and unselfish. In the book it is clear to the reader that Beth lives in her own world and is content with doing so. However, the movie does not show this as well. The movie only focuses on her