Louisa's journey to success was anything but easy. Writing has always been a passion she'd had burning within, and nothing was going to step in her way. As a young woman, she wrote what she considered "rubbish" in newspaper columns and received $1.00 for her work. She hated it, but it was necessary for her to get where she wanted to be as a writer. After being offered to travel abroad in Europe for a short while, her stories finally began to come back with earnings.
Her publisher, Mr. Niles, wanted more of Louisa's work after publishing her first sincere story, Flower Fables. Some could argue this was the turning point in Alcott's career, but truthfully, Louisa wasn't making much money until her classic was published in 1868.
She served in the Civil War as a nurse for many years until she contracted sickness and was treated, but was still incredibly weak and mentally tried. To her credit, her desire to serve her country still burned in heart and she was very reluctant to leave the war hospital until her father forced her to.
Mr. Niles requested that Alcott write a story for young girls to find a new audience of readers, and she obeyed unwillingly. She wrote furiously for a long time and had her publisher survey a dozen chapter. Mr. Niles told her it was no good, but that she might as well finish anyway since she was so far along. And thus, Little Women was born. This was the real turning point in Alcott's life as readers devoured the story of the protagonist, Jo March, and her three sister trying to survive contrary to what Alcott's publisher believed would happen. They demanded more from her, as her story ventured away from the cliche stories of the time.
Her publisher, Mr. Niles, wanted more of Louisa's work after publishing her first sincere story, Flower Fables. Some could argue this was the turning point in Alcott's career, but truthfully, Louisa wasn't making much money until her classic was published in 1868.
She served in the Civil War as a nurse for many years until she contracted sickness and was treated, but was still incredibly weak and mentally tried. To her credit, her desire to serve her country still burned in heart and she was very reluctant to leave the war hospital until her father forced her to.
Mr. Niles requested that Alcott write a story for young girls to find a new audience of readers, and she obeyed unwillingly. She wrote furiously for a long time and had her publisher survey a dozen chapter. Mr. Niles told her it was no good, but that she might as well finish anyway since she was so far along. And thus, Little Women was born. This was the real turning point in Alcott's life as readers devoured the story of the protagonist, Jo March, and her three sister trying to survive contrary to what Alcott's publisher believed would happen. They demanded more from her, as her story ventured away from the cliche stories of the time.
(1) The four sisters are crowded around their mother lovingly and she shows them a book as it seems. The home surrounding them seems cozy and homey. Louisa May Alcott. Dictionary of Unitarian & Universalist Biography, 1 May 2001. Web. 15 Dec. 2015. <http://uudb.org/articles/louisamayalcott.html>.
(2) The cover of the Little Women has 2 of the sisters and their personalities displayed on their faces. Top 100 Children’s Novels #47: Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. School Library Journal, 28 May 2012. Web. 15 Dec. 2015. <http://blogs.slj.com/afuse8production/2012/05/28/top-100-childrens-novels-47-little-women-by-louisa-may-alcott/#_>.
(2) The cover of the Little Women has 2 of the sisters and their personalities displayed on their faces. Top 100 Children’s Novels #47: Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. School Library Journal, 28 May 2012. Web. 15 Dec. 2015. <http://blogs.slj.com/afuse8production/2012/05/28/top-100-childrens-novels-47-little-women-by-louisa-may-alcott/#_>.
”She was not only going to support herself, she was later going to uphold family fortunes. At first, it was all that she could possibly do to stand upon her own two feet." - Cornelia Meigs, Invincible Louisa
COMMENTARY:
(1)(2)Alcott’s pure tenacity fueled her with a passion to do what she loved and earn financial compensation to support her family at the same time by writing. She single-handedly brought her family out of debt with her work ethic and managed to bring them out of poverty.