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Elizabeth Brink's avatar

Fantastic essay, Melody! I’ve been steeped in Charlotte Mary Yonge so much in the last year that I am struck by how similar Yonge and Alcott are. They both loved tradition and what was old fashioned when it served a moral purpose and a moral good and used their writing to make goodness lovable. They’re also similar in their view of women having their own work and purpose, which I love. I don’t know much about Alcott’s life so I loved learning a bit about her and her family’s philosophies. I’ve read Old Fashioned Girl before but it‘s been years. You inspire me to return to it!

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Dawn Duryea's avatar

What I love about Alcott's female characters is that they choose their own way and find happiness in different places. I think that accurately reflects real life. Whenever I read books of this time I try to imagine what life was like for women back then and I feel fortunate that we have more freedom today. But even now there are social pressures and we must all find our own way to happiness and that's why I think her novels are timeless. Thanks for writing this!

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