Three Cs

One of my favorite books of all time is Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. In my blog title, “Castles in the Air” is a reference to a chapter in this amazing book. Little Women tells the story of four sisters growing up in New England in the mid-1800s. Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy March face many challenges and learn life lessons over the course of the story. Though it lacks the driving plot that is common in children and young adult novels today, Little Women continues to enchant readers of all ages.

I was in upper elementary school when I first read Little Women, and I strongly related to some of the things the March sisters went through in the book. When Beth died near the end, I cried, my heart breaking for the girl who died so young and for the family left behind to grieve for her. That’s one of the first times I remember crying while reading a book, though it certainly was not the last.

When I reread Little Women in middle school, it changed my life. At the time, I was a straight-A student hoping to attend Yale some day, and I had a rather high opinion of my intellect and my goals. Reading about Beth helped me recognize those tendencies so that I could correct them. Beth is humble and sweet. She has no ambition beyond helping others and never seeks any recognition for her work. God used Beth’s character to convict me about my pride, and I worked hard to be more like Beth for years. I don’t think I can overestimate the influence that had on the woman I am today.

Though I learned the most from Beth, the character I most relate to in Little Women is Jo. Much like me, Jo loves to read and write fiction. Her “castle in the air” is to become a famous author, and she works hard to achieve her dream. Jo has little patience for small talk and social obligations, but she can talk all day about things she’s passionate about. I see a lot of myself in her and always enjoy reading about her exploits. Jo’s mistakes still remind me of the importance of having the self-control to look before I leap.

In Little Women, Louisa May Alcott tugs at the heartstrings, inviting the reader to care about the characters. Her writing style is straightforward and entirely character-driven. In several of my works, including my first novel that is yet to be published, I can see how her writing has influenced my own.

Little Women has been made into a movie several times. Most recently, Universal released an adaptation of Little Women to “celebrate the 150th anniversary of the beloved classic.” One of my best friends gave it to me for my birthday. Since this version of Little Women is set in modern times, I was worried that I wouldn’t like it. When I sat down to watch it, I found that the filmmakers did an amazing job of staying true to the characters and overall plot of the story. I highly recommend that all Little Women fans give it a chance.

Over the years, Little Women has been a source of entertainment and inspiration for me. And one of my castles in the air is for a book I write to impact someone’s life the way that Little Women has impacted mine.

Are you a fan of Little Women? Is there another book that changed your life? Let me know in the comments.

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