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Louisa and her little men

By PINK-JEAN FANGON-MELEGRITO

“Please, Sir, is this Plumfield?” asked a ragged boy of the man who opened the great gate at which the omnibus left him.
“Yes. Who sent you.”
“Mr. Lawrence, I have got a letter for the lady.”
“All right. Go up to the house, and give it to her; she’ll see to you, little chap.”

And the story starts.

Set in the American nineteenth century, Louisa May Alcott’s Little Men begins. It is a sequel to the celebrated novel Little Women (part I-1868 and part II- 1869) about the unforgettable March girls. Little Men (1871) shows the wonderful experiences of the prequel’s beloved characters grow up and begin new adventures. Signet Classic never failed its long tradition of publishing realistic fiction novels.

The novel narrates the events in Plumfield, an extraordinary school, established by Jo March and Professor Bhaer. They did not only bring a different system of education to a group of young men and women, but they also showed them genuine love and care.

It relays the touching story of unkempt orphan Nat, spoiled Stuffy, playful Nan (a determined girl who dreams of becoming a doctor), and finally Dan, a troublemaker who later on learns to love and becomes attached to Plumfield and the people in there. Together with all the lively inhabitants of Plumfield, these children come to life with a vitality and realism that captured millions of readers from the first time it was published in 1871 up to date.

Alcott having a very eventful life, from childhood, adolescence to adulthood, she has successfully written many novels that never failed to touch reality. Her experiences in Germantown, Pennsylvania and Concord, Massachusetts contributed a lot in creating her writing to simple sharing. Madeleine B. Stern, noted critic of 19th Century American Literature, claims that Little Men is a mine of autobiographical detail. Alcott did not merely write for the sake of compensating her family income, she shared an important detail of her life, which many readers related to and put into action in their own lives. Her experiences as a domestic, a teacher contributed a lot, too. Her nursing experiences in the times of the Civil War made her a better writer.

The kind of education formulated by Alcott in the person of Jo March can be considered too ideal. But the idealism had been once existent. Alcott’s father, Bronson Alcott, established a school. It was called Temple School. Although it ceased to exist for a long time, Louisa was aware of the principles it held. She then applied them into her novel. Thus, creating Plumfield.

Plumfield is a very clever setting. It is a type of school that is never confined to the usual reading, writing, taking examinations, i.e., conventional education. Its system is based on both the traditional way of teaching and practicality in life. They were taught how to become academically achieving; yet not losing the virtues important in everyday living. They do math and poultry in a day. They recite speeches and do a little cooking in the afternoon. Unprecedented love and lasting gratitude were the rewards they considered.

Plumfield transcends, even if it was created in the late 1800s, it still can be related to the present. Sarah Elbert comments in A Hunger for Home (1894), regarding Plumfield:

“In effect, [Alcott] steals America’s children. She removes them from their parents’ unreliable care and makes their school the center of learning in the fullest sense. Intellectual and practical skills, peer group approval, adult love, and authority forty years to achieve what Plumfield represents: an integrated social institution.”

This implies that somehow the American education is close to touching an education in its truest sense of teaching: nationalist, scientific and mass-oriented. And it is nonetheless possible that the existent education systems in different countries will be duly changed too.

The novel is undoubtedly full of new ideas and helpful concepts in making a new system. It has some feminist views, fresh sociological and psychological approaches to child rearing, a light Freudial reality analysis. It is not just a book; it is a digest for everyday (and ideal) use.

Time spared reading this book can never be considered a wasted one. It is time spent realizing what ought to be. It is time spent knowing Aunt Jo, Uncle Fritz, Asia, Nat, Franz, Emil, Demi, Daisy, Rob, Teddy, Dick, Dolly, Stuffy, Jack, Ned, George, Billy, Tommy and Dan… #

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