Paper Summary:

The paper examines how Louisa May Alcott explores issues of class status including issues concerning the wealthy and the poor in her work, "The Inheritance". The paper focuses on the life of the protagonist, Edith Adelon, born into what many would consider the lower class and eventually works her way into nobility. The paper calls it a typical tale of rags to riches. The paper concludes that, while class and status do have some role in society, they will never have a more important role than being a lovable character, such as Edith.

From the Paper:

"Next comes the lower or "servant" class. Louisa May Alcott may fall into this class too, because she did serve her tenure during part of her life as a servant; many may consider her work as a writer of The Inheritance and of other books including Little Women enough to categorize her as "working" class or as "middle" class depending on whom you talk too. The same could be said of Edith. While she was taken in by the Hamilton's and lived much of her life in a way that suited them because she was eventually treated as their servant, she nonetheless did have some liberties, although few are outlined in the start of The Inheritance. Edith was not however, without money. This is the sole point that one may argue, makes her indistinguishable. The nobility are assumed to be part of the aristocracy. They have money because they are "born" into it and thus they have privileges that may include marrying the cream of the crop in society."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Alcott, Louisa May. The Inheritance, New York: Penguin, 1998.
• Eiselein, Gregory, Phillips, Anne K. & Stern, M.B. The Louisa May Alcott Encyclopedia, Westport: Greenwood Press, 2001.
• Gay, Peter. The bourgeois experience: Victoria to Freud. London: Oxford University Press, 1985.
• Louisa May Alcott Memorial Association. "Louisa May Alcott", LMAMA, 17, December 2007: http://www.louisamayalcott.org/louisamaytext.html.
• Stern, Madeleine. Louisa May Alcott, Norman: Oklahoma University Press. 1950.

Visitors who viewed this Book Review also liked these:

• Analytical Essay # 33651 : "The Lantern Out of Doors" and "After the Journey"
• Book Review # 103943 : "Kiran Desai's "The Inheritance of Loss"
• Analytical Essay # 134151 : "Kiran Desai's "The Inheritance of Loss"

APA Citation:

MLA Citation: