Analyzing the early publications of Louisa May Alcott

Doing what she does: Imagining a story.

Although born in Philadelphia in 1832, Louisa May Alcott grew up in Massachusetts around the areas of Boston and Concord. As a result of her father's position within the Bostonian society as an educator, Alcott considered an array of writers as personal acquaintances. Think about it for a second: if you borrowed books from Ralph Waldo Emerson on the reg, had Henry David Thoreau as a personal tutor (and visited his home at Walden Pond), and lived just down the street from Nathaniel Hawthorne, don't you think you'd be a little bit better at writing than you are now?

Exactly.

Louisa May Alcott is perhaps one of the better known female writers of the Civil War era because of her unique writing style that directly addressed the important issues of the time, such as, gender roles and race dynamics. Moreover, her writing invited the reader to become apart of the story by inviting them to examine the issues from the character's perspective. In a way, she took a leaf out of her father's book and learned how to be an educator to the people by telling a story.

Her father is perhaps one of the main reasons of her success. It is reported he was quite intent on stamping out her unique outlook on life (i.e., her individuality). Her writing, then, frequently included character's with a certain level of, shall we say, hard-headness as they struggled to remain true to their own nature.

 Like her character Jo March from Little Women, Alcott struggled at first to write the way she wanted or to write for the "popular" readings (that, obviously, may earn more money). Alcott wrote for several magazines during her time; so, for this blog, I wanted to know what the various magazines were like. Was she writing for Southern Living or was she writing pieces that could potentially be featured in today's Smithsonian? 

Alcott's first poem was published in this magazine.

1. Peterson's Magazine: 
   This is the magazine that first began to accept Alcott's work in 1852. Similarly to Jo March, we could imagine Alcott's excitement about becoming a printed author for the very first time. The magazine was known for its delicate articles that addressed women's roles in society. It also offered handy tips for homes (look to the right, they're knitting).
   
2. The Lady's Companion Magazine:
   This magazine also followed along the same guidelines for Peterson's, in that, it offered expert advice for women and whimsical poetry and short stories for entertainment. Alcott's writings became an instant hit with this magazine. More importantly, because the magazine was printed monthly, Alcott was given more opportunity to build up her resume.
   
3. The Atlantic Monthly:
   Getting in this magazine was today's equivalent of a football star playing in the Superbowl: it meant you had finally made it in the world.  Alcott's 1860 short story entitled "A Modern Cinderella" is what got her into the big game. Interestingly, the story served as a sort of prequel for her future March sister characters and story line. Although Jo March (who seemed to model more of Alcott herself) did not make an appearance in the work, her sister's attributes- meek, quiet, kind, dreamy- did. This was also the first time Alcott had a piece published her own name and not a pen name.The magazine loved her work so much that Alcott became a sort of "regular" for them.
   
   
   Her characters reflected the need to remain a sense a propriety and decorum, much like her early stories. Alcott wrote for magazines that would sell; she understood that before she could write the "heavy stuff" she had to earn her street cred amongst her peers and, better yet, the audience. Once she had established herself in the writing world, Alcott was able to expand upon her writings and emphasize social issues that concerned her. Through it all, though, Alcott remained true to her own personality by writing pieces that interested her; things that made people stop, think, and wonder.

Admiring Frederick Douglass

"It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men."   

Frederick Douglass 

I always heard Douglass was a great thinker; he was just one of those men that is just oozing with words of wisdom from birth. I have read parts of his Narrative, but, apparently, I missed the most important part: the beginning. Without understanding how much Douglass observed and experienced as a child, it is very hard to grasp the entirety of the man's character.

For those of you who do not know some of the background of Frederick Douglass here are some quick facts, some important facts about a man who had a monumental life.

The North Star was one of the first newspapers written by a black man in the U.S.

• Frederick Douglass was born into slavery in approximately 1818 (the exact date of his birth was never confirmed), was separted from his mother almost immediately (who died when he was 7 years old), and never knew his father, though, he suspected it was a white man.
• Douglass escaped slavery in 1838 upon reaching New York City.
• He is considered one of the most well-known abolotionist leaders. Some of you may recognize his name in conjunction with The North Star, one of several publications (in this instance, a newspaper) he wrote during his lifetime. The North Star's purpose was to "be devoted to the cause of Liberty, Humanity and Progress...with the purest motives" (The North Star, 3 December 1847; Reprinted in Philip Foner, ed., Life and Writings of Frederick Douglass, vol. 1 link here).

That's it. That is Frederick Douglass in four sentences. From those sentences, he seems to have a rather uniform life when compared to other slaves. Nowadays, it seems like high schools, middle schools, and, sometimes, elementary schools have required readings on famous men and women who were once slaves. What, then, makes Douglass so special?
Douglass is the man who took an initiative from the beginning. When he reflects on his childhood memories, it seems like he was, to steal a cliche, wiser than his years. He never saw his mother, never knew his father, watched as his aunt was beaten by a cruel master, was denied the right to an education, spent nights hungry or cold, and consistently whipped or beaten for any "wrongs" he committed against his master.

Douglass, however, observed his surroundings and carefully calculated his escape. As a young boy, Douglass overheard his white master instructing his wife,

"If you teach that n----- how to read, there would be no keeping him. It would forever unfit him to be a slave. He would at once become unmanageable, and of no alue to his master." 

Those words are the driving force behind Douglass' decision to become literate. When he was a child, it meant tricking the younger white children he played with in the street to teach him to write new letters and make new words. As he grew older, it mean applying for a university education. Douglass, you see, understood that knowledge truly was power. That reading and writing were the ways by which he could ultimately escape the treacheries of slavery.

Then, it hit me: how do American universities or secondary schools honor Frederick Douglass? Are there any programs initiated? Any scholarship funds open? How many high schools in the United States are named after him?

The answer to all of them: too many to count. Literally. There are tons of scholarship funds in his name and way too many high schools named in his honor. There are even honor societies named after him, or, at the very least, inducted him posthumously.

The House recently voted to erect a monument in D.C.

The most amazing, and most current item I found, was a bill that was past by the House of Representatives on September 10th, 2012. That's correct: there are still people honoring him today. More importantly, however is how they intend to honor his memory. Plans are underway  in Washington, D.C., the United States Capitol, to erect a monument of Frederick Douglass. To see the page about the House of Representatives proposal, click here.

There is already a bridge running across the Potomac River, but many people believe that it just isn't enough to thank a man who inspired millions. I couldn't agree with them more.

Fanny Fern: Did you know there's a book about her?

     Fanny Fern also known as Sarah Willis began her career as a newspaper journalist in the mid-1850s. Traditionally, journalism, especially, during the 1800s, was an industry dominated specifically by men. Therefore, the pen name "Fanny Fern" was greatly so she could be successful because it helped to protect her from any readers that would be less than enamored with her writing or gender.

First, though, we need to go over some background information on this remarkable woman. Born in 1811, Sarah Willis grew up in Maine and went to a private school in New Hampshire when she was 16. Her mother's love of poetry probably influenced Sarah's own love of writing as well. Sarah Willis was married twice; her first husband died from typhoid fever and her second husband ended because of a divorce, chosen by Fanny, by the way. Sarah Willis began writing for various New England newspapers to help support her and her children (her family disapproved of her divorcing her abusive husband). She wrote her first book Fern Leaves and adopted the pen name Fanny Fern to protect her identity. Her second book placed her in the running as one of the top female writers of her time with her unconventional style.

Fanny Fern influenced the 1920s suffragist movement.

The interesting thing about Willis, though, is how observant she was. After her first husband passed away and her second husband divorced her, Willis learned to make her own way. More importantly, she had to raise her children in an acceptable, profitable way. She wrote about topics that interested her, and, consequently, noticed that most of the readers of periodicals (the old school word for magazines) were, in fact women. Willis and her self-reliant endeavors understood better than most how hard it was for a women to live in a man's world. The short story we read in class entitled "Male Criticism on Ladies' Books" is a key example of that. Her topics became the basis for some feminist thoughts and, later, some very feminist actions that would lead to some changes of great magnitude in the United States political system. In fact, infobarrel.com noted Fanny Fern as one of the top three founders of the feminist movement because of her emphasis on the natural abilities women possessed in a business world. Later, that emphasis on equality between men and women would be seen in the women's suffragist movement in the 1920s. To read the article, click here.

Debra Benegan is the author of the Fanny Fern novel.

You know what really got me though? Fanny Fern was less popular than Harriet Beecher Stowe even though she sold more books and appealed to a broader audience base. Most people who know about the author named Fanny Fern only know her because of college classes. Honestly, Stowe's popularity more than likely balances out because of the importance of the Civil War. The point is this though: there's a book. No, not a textbook; I mean a real, live, actual  book about Fanny Fern. The book is entitled Shame the Devil by Debra Benegan
and it made an appearance on the New York Times listing. The link to the article is here.

Fanny Fern had an interesting life that allowed for many women to connect with her. They saw her determination and strength as an inspiration for themselves, and they strove to emulate her mannerisms and outspoken opinions. Fanny Fern was more than just a female writer, she was a role model for the young, the old, the employed and the jobless.