Little Men

Jo Bhaer admits that she understands Nan because she was “a naughty child myself” (97). Discuss the novel’s exploration of the value of empathy in education.

Plumfield is depicted as a utopian community, set apart from social norms. How does Alcott use the setting to explore idealism in education?

This is a coming-of-age novel, or a bildungsroman. How does this genre help the novel illuminate ideas about growth, morality, and gender roles?

Alcott’s father, Amos Bronson Alcott, was a famous transcendentalist thinker; Alcott studied at a school where Henry David Thoreau taught. How does the socio-historical context of transcendentalism influence the novel’s characters and events?

Discuss the value of a coeducational education, as represented in the novel. What are its benefits for the boys? For the girls? What are its drawbacks?

The boys who are most connected to the natural world are Nat and Dan, the two most underprivileged children in the book. Evaluate the impact of a relationship with nature on their development of morality and spirituality; how does the novel connect the boys’ marginalized backgrounds to their future prospects?

Discuss the novel’s portrayal of the role of mentorship in education.

At Plumfield, education is practical, and interactions between students are an essential part of the curriculum. How do some of the key characters grow through their relationships with each other?