Symbolism in Little Women

Within the novel Little Women there are certain symbolic characteristics that are very important for character development. For example one of them being the umbrella. I believe that in this novel this represents the protection offered by a man to a woman. Jo gets angry at John Brooke’s umbrella before Meg and John get married. It seems as though Jo was irritated at Mr. Brooke for offering his care and protection towards her sister. “ ‘I don't approve of the match, but I've made up my mind to bear it, and shall not say a word against it,’ said Jo solemnly. ‘You can't know how hard it is for me to give up Meg.’ “ (Alcott 273). Jo eventually learns to bear the thought of losing for sister if it made Meg happy to marry so young. At the end of the novel Professor Bhaer extends his umbrella over Jo. It is Jo’s acceptance of his umbrella that I believe is her acceptance of the idea that men are allowed to offer their love and security, and she is allowed to take it.

These symbols are ones that revolve around Jo, the character that certainly develops the most. A more important symbol is burning, and Little Women is complete with many images of it. Burning in this novel portrays genius, writing, and anger. At the New Year’s party, Jo insists on wearing her dress that she burned the back of creating a large, ugly singe mark. This shows Jo’s reluctance to playing a traditional female role. In anger of not being included, Jo’s sister Amy throws her manuscript for her first novel into the fire. “Does genius burn, Jo?” (312). Is another representation of the symbol, as her family insists on making this joke of Jo’s creativity whenever she is furiously writing. But the best application of this symbol is at the end of the novel when Jo burns her sensationalist stories, after Professor Bhaer criticizes that particular style of writing. She convinces herself that they're not her best work and throws them in the fire. “They are trash, and I will soon be worse than trash if I go on, for each is more sensational than the last...and what should I do if they were at home or if Mr. Bhaer got a hold of them.” (420). It is at that point of the story where that fire seemed to destroy Jo’s earlier self. It marks the end of the fiery, vivacious girl we were introduced to in the beginning of Little Women, and the start of a more loving, warm and refined woman.