Little Women Literary Devices

Explanation and Analysis—Beehive:

Alcott often compares the March household to a beehive in order to show how busy and productive it is. In Chapter 23, the narrator describes a scene of kindness and solidarity:

Like bees swarming after their queen, mother and daughters hovered about Mr. March the next day, neglecting everything to look at, wait upon, and listen to the new invalid, who was in a fair way to be killed by kindness.

Here, Marmee is the "queen" bee, and the girls follow her example as they dote on Mr. March. All of their attention remains on their recently-returned father. They work hard to make sure he feels loved, comfortable, and welcome in the home after his long stint as a chaplain in the war.

Bees first appear in a description of Beth. Despite the fact that she can't go to school, she still devotes much energy to tidying the family home. She refuses to let her physical ailments limit her. In Chapter 4, the narrator describes Beth as a "busy bee":

Beth went faithfully on by herself and did the best she could. She was a housewifely little creature, and helped Hannah keep home neat and comfortable for the workers, never thinking of any reward but to be loved. Long, quiet days she spent, not lonely nor idle, for her little world was peopled with imaginary friends, and she was by nature a busy bee.

This is technically a metaphor, but the bee represents the same set of values as before. Beth's productive "housewifeliness" is a virtue. Regardless of her ailments, Beth follows her mother's example and remains active in her own way.

Explanation and Analysis—Castles in the Air:

The most prominent recurring metaphor in Little Women is that of castles. In Chapter 13, Jo employs the metaphor in a playful manner:

"Wouldn't it be fun if all the castles in the air which we make could come true, and we could live in them?"

In the following passage, she uses it in a more cynical way:

"I've got the key to my castle in the air, but whether I can unlock the door remains to be seen."

Although Jo possesses all the necessary ingredients of success (grit, drive, and a sharp mind), she remains skeptical of how the world will receive her and whether she will be able to "unlock the door" to her dreams. She seems to suspect that the castle that represents her successful writing career will be difficult to access. However, in Chapter 34, readers get a different definition and understanding of Jo's castle in the air:

The dream of filling home with comforts, giving Beth everything she wanted, from strawberries in winter to an organ in her bedroom, going abroad herself, and always having more than enough, so that she might indulge in the luxury of charity, had been for years Jo's most cherished castle in the air.

Here, her initial motive for writing is revealed. She hopes to be financially successful enough to provide for her family. Her "most cherished" castle is not pure renown or success; these merely lead to the kind of wealth necessary to support the people she loves.

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Explanation and Analysis—Beehive:

Alcott often compares the March household to a beehive in order to show how busy and productive it is. In Chapter 23, the narrator describes a scene of kindness and solidarity:

Like bees swarming after their queen, mother and daughters hovered about Mr. March the next day, neglecting everything to look at, wait upon, and listen to the new invalid, who was in a fair way to be killed by kindness.

Here, Marmee is the "queen" bee, and the girls follow her example as they dote on Mr. March. All of their attention remains on their recently-returned father. They work hard to make sure he feels loved, comfortable, and welcome in the home after his long stint as a chaplain in the war.

Bees first appear in a description of Beth. Despite the fact that she can't go to school, she still devotes much energy to tidying the family home. She refuses to let her physical ailments limit her. In Chapter 4, the narrator describes Beth as a "busy bee":

Beth went faithfully on by herself and did the best she could. She was a housewifely little creature, and helped Hannah keep home neat and comfortable for the workers, never thinking of any reward but to be loved. Long, quiet days she spent, not lonely nor idle, for her little world was peopled with imaginary friends, and she was by nature a busy bee.

This is technically a metaphor, but the bee represents the same set of values as before. Beth's productive "housewifeliness" is a virtue. Regardless of her ailments, Beth follows her mother's example and remains active in her own way.

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Explanation and Analysis—Castles in the Air:

The most prominent recurring metaphor in Little Women is that of castles. In Chapter 13, Jo employs the metaphor in a playful manner:

"Wouldn't it be fun if all the castles in the air which we make could come true, and we could live in them?"

In the following passage, she uses it in a more cynical way:

"I've got the key to my castle in the air, but whether I can unlock the door remains to be seen."

Although Jo possesses all the necessary ingredients of success (grit, drive, and a sharp mind), she remains skeptical of how the world will receive her and whether she will be able to "unlock the door" to her dreams. She seems to suspect that the castle that represents her successful writing career will be difficult to access. However, in Chapter 34, readers get a different definition and understanding of Jo's castle in the air:

The dream of filling home with comforts, giving Beth everything she wanted, from strawberries in winter to an organ in her bedroom, going abroad herself, and always having more than enough, so that she might indulge in the luxury of charity, had been for years Jo's most cherished castle in the air.

Here, her initial motive for writing is revealed. She hopes to be financially successful enough to provide for her family. Her "most cherished" castle is not pure renown or success; these merely lead to the kind of wealth necessary to support the people she loves.

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Explanation and Analysis—Jo the Gull:

Alcott uses a gull as a metaphor for Jo because she shares its strength and desire for freewheeling freedom. In Chapter 36, Beth sees a flock of birds and makes a keen observation:

You are the gull, Jo, strong and wild, fond of the storm and the wind, flying far out to sea, and happy all alone.

Although Beth differs greatly in her temperament, she respects and admires her sister for being "strong and wild." She explains her metaphor in great detail and demonstrates how Jo has all of the bird's positive qualities. Later in the passage, Beth compares the other girls to birds via metaphor:

Meg is the turtledove, and Amy is like the lark she writes about, trying to get up among the clouds, but always dropping down into its nest again. Dear little girl!

The fact that Beth consciously employs metaphor shows her wisdom and intelligence. Her comparisons check out with the narrator's initial descriptions of the girls, too; Meg is soft and pretty (like a turtledove), and Amy strives for personal and artistic beauty in order to raise her status and accomplish her dreams (like a lark trying to fly among the clouds). The phrase "dear little girl" might sound condescending in another context, but Beth uses it with a loving intention.

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Explanation and Analysis—The River:

In Chapter 40, Jo writes a poem for Beth just before her death. The prose in this chapter becomes quite poetic as the river is introduced as a metaphor for the region between life and death:

A sad eclipse of the serene soul, a sharp struggle of the young life with death, but both were mercifully brief, and then the natural rebellion over, the old peace returned more beautiful than ever. With the wreck of her frail body, Beth's soul grew strong, and though she said little, those about her felt that she was ready, saw that the first pilgrim called was likewise the fittest, and waited with her on the shore, trying to see the Shining Ones coming to receive her when she crossed the river.

"The Shining Ones" refers to the angels who minister to Christian in The Pilgrim's Progress. At the end of Bunyan's text, the pilgrims cross over the River of Death. In her poem, Jo describes her own crossing to meet her sister in heaven:

Henceforth, safe across the river,

I shall see forever more

A beloved, household spirit

Waiting for me on the shore.

Hope and faith, born of my sorrow,

Guardian angels shall become,

And the sister gone before me

By their hands shall lead me home.

Alcott borrows Bunyan's metaphor to enhance Beth's story and imbue her death with significance. Her passing marks the novel's greatest tragedy, so it's no surprise that Alcott chooses to memorialize it through an allusion to the same book (Pilgrim's Progress) Marmee lauded for its ability to guide people through the tribulations of life and death.

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Little Women

Louisa May Alcott

Little Women: Metaphors 4 key examples