Little Women RAL Part Three Discussion Questions: Chapters 34 to End

Well, good thing we had a RAL this month so I could at least finish one book! Another fun experience, co-hosting this thing! Thanks to everyone who participated! I had fun re-reading the book and thinking about it a little more deeply than I have in previous readings.

Jenni posted questions for this third part of the book over at her blog here. Here are my thoughts:

What do you think about the girls now? Has your opinion of them changed since the beginning or even the middle of the story?

I mean, I like them all. I've liked seeing Amy change and grow up. Meg bugged me a little with how she handles being a mom and her husband and stuff. Jo... I just wish she wouldn't be so... stubborn or something. But yeah, it's fun to see them all as older people.

At the end of the book, which character do you relate to most? Is it a different character than at the beginning?

I really can't decide who I relate to the most. I guess Meg's life is most like mine, so I'd probably say her. 

Do you think Beth should’ve died when and in the way she did?

I'm glad she stuck around for awhile and didn't die right at first when she got sick. She was able to see the babies and all. But still. Her's is a sad story.

How do you feel about Laurie’s romantic decisions? Did his relationship with Amy seem developed enough to be sincere?

I think it COULD have been, but it was a bit rushed. I don't blame him for looking toward Amy to get consoled though. But he did and I think he was surprised himself that it worked.

How do you feel about Jo’s romantic decisions? Do you think they were consistent with her character?

Ah, Jo. Jo Jo Jo! Why? I have no idea if what she did is consistent with her character. I just don't know. I mean, the professor seems to be good for her, but really, Would Laurie not have been too? 

What do you think about the names the girls and their husbands gave to their children?

Weird. Especially Jo naming one of her's Teddy. What's with that?

If this was your first time reading Little Women, what do you think? Did it meet your expectations? Would you read it again? If this was a reread, do you feel the same as you did when you read it the first time? Or, has your opinion changed?

On this re-re-read I noticed the gender things much more... and all the old fashioned ideas and LMA seeming to try too hard to counter all that. I felt cringy in a few places. But I still love the over all feeling of the story, the feeling of family and home and togetherness.

Do you have a favorite quote or passage from Little Women?

There's lots but I only highlighted a few. Here's one that I especially like:

"People who hire all these things done for them never know what they lose, for the homeliest tasks get beautified if loving hands do them."

Would you change anything about the story if you could? If so, what?

I just would like to see how things would be if Jo and Laurie ended up together. I mean, you know. Let's just try it that way once and see what happens, yes? And maybe while we are at it, let's let Beth live and be the nice aunt that helps everyone. 

Even though the setting for Little Women is quite different from today’s world, do you think we can learn anything from this story? If so, what?

Oh, we can learn tons. So many little nuggets of truth and wisdom. And how family and good friends connections are the thing.

Thanks everyone for participating in our latest effort at a RAL. I'm sure we'll do another one some day! So stay tuned!

Remember we'll be watching the movie tomorrow at 7:00 pm Mountain. Join us on Twitter using #LittleWomenRAL and watch along with us!