Please help w/my "Little Women" quandry...

[Rhondabee]

I finished the original "Little Women" (which ended when the father comes homes for Christmas and Meg & John get engaged) Then I checked Sparknotes, and realized they are including the sequel book under the title "Little Women" - so.....

I really don't *want* to read the sequel now that I know Jo and Laurie do not get together!

But, more importantly, do you think my boys (5th and 8th) really *need* to read the second part?

I really like the review of Pilgrim's Progress in the first part, and planned to draw out *those* lessons as the "theme" of the book, whereas Sparknotes emphasizes the role of women at the time. Do the Pilgrim's Progress allusions continue through the whole story? Is the role of women something my 5th grader will really get?

So, what say you? The original only, or continue with the whole thing? And, which emphasis?

Thanks,
Rhonda

[FunnyFarmMom]

Oh! but Jo and Laurie don't belong together! Please, please, please keep reading. That is my all time favorite book and everything works out just the way it should. On the other hand, I'm not sure that your boys would really appreciate the second part, since it is much more romance based than the first. But definitely read it for yourself! :D

[Jane in NC]

This has nothing to do with the other poster's query, but I wanted to mention the discussion of Little Women that aired recently on NPR as part of their "In Character" series. You can listen to the story from the link on this page. (http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=91245378)

Any fan of Jo March will be particularly interested.

Jane

[Rhondabee]

Oh, good! I will plan to read it (I'm dying to know how it all works out!), but just do the first part with the boys. If they are interested, they'll read it on their own...if not, well....

I *do* think the first part will be much better received than I had feared, but dare not push my luck, iykwim!

Thanks!
Rhonda

[strider]

It's a lovely book, all the way to the end.

[LisaCA]

Since you mentioned they are boys....
I think it is important for young people to be exposed to ideas from the opposite sex's point of view. TV and movies do a terrible job of this and I feel literature is the best way to be exposed to ideas. (Of course the example you give is even more important). Most young people, I think, are really naive at the reality of our differences (men and women) and most of society prefers to ignore this.
So perhaps it is even more important for boys to read on!

[Michelle in MO]

Oh! but Jo and Laurie don't belong together! Please, please, please keep reading. That is my all time favorite book and everything works out just the way it should. On the other hand, I'm not sure that your boys would really appreciate the second part, since it is much more romance based than the first. But definitely read it for yourself! :D

It seems like Jo and Laurie should get together---at first. But, she really belongs with Professor Fritz Bhaer. So, keep reading for yourself. If your boys' interests flags, then you might consider letting them watch the movie adaptation (http://video.barnesandnoble.com/DVD/Little-Women/Winona-Ryder/e/043396050440/?itm=1)at that point. If you can keep them interested, though, you might be able to continue on with Jo's Boys (http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/results.asp?WRD=Jo%27s+Boys) or Little Men.

[Rhondabee]

It seems like Jo and Laurie should get together---at first. But, she really belongs with Professor Fritz Bhaer. So, keep reading for yourself. If your boys' interests flags, then you might consider letting them watch the movie adaptation (http://video.barnesandnoble.com/DVD/Little-Women/Winona-Ryder/e/043396050440/?itm=1)at that point. If you can keep them interested, though, you might be able to continue on with Jo's Boys (http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/results.asp?WRD=Jo%27s+Boys) or Little Men.


I've been trying to think of an alternative to our usual summary/book-report writing for this book, and continuing the story with the movie sounds excellent!

Thanks for the link!
Rhonda

[Jan P.]

I've been reading Little Women to my girls for the last couple of months. I think I ruined it for youngest dd because I rented several Little Women videos. She said that she knew how the story ended so really didn't see the sense in my continuing to read it. I'm reading it out loud all the same!! I told her that I wouldn't make that mistake again with the next book.

Jan P.