Louisa_May_Alcott课件

1、Louisa May AlcottLouisa May Alcott (November 29, 1832 March 6, 1888) was an American novelist best known as author of the novel Little Women and its sequels Little Men and Jos Boys.Alcotts LifeLouisa May Alcott, a nineteenth-century American writer,retains her reputation as one of Americas best-love

2、d writers of youth. That reputation was established with the publication of Little Women (1868-1869), which has long been recognized as girls growing-up story and it is also viewed as Alcotts autobiographic novel, describing her and her sisters initiatory experiences.Alcott was born in Germantown, P

3、ennsylvania on November 29th, 1832. She was the daughter of the transcendental philosopher and educator Amos Bronson Alcott and Abigail May, a descendant of one of Bostons prominent families. Alcott and her three sisters were predominantly raised in Concord, Massachusetts, just outside of Boston. Th

4、ey accepted the practical Christianity from their mother and were educated by their father with unconventional teaching methods and high-minded idealism.Alcotts Character Alcott was a shy person who did not understand why people were constantly trying to meet her. She considered her contributions to

5、 American literature to be less than outstanding. She inherited her mothers dark physical features as well as her volatile temperament and active approach to life, while at the same time sought to live up to her fathers ideals. She grew up in a humble atmosphere and was taught to do the best she cou

6、ld, but not for anyones compliments or rewards.Judging from her diaries and the writings of her biographers, it seems that Alcott is a vehement and adventurous person with a dread of boredom. She played with boys as a child, remained single, enlisted briefly as a nurse in the Civil War at thirty, an

7、d supported womens rights and other reform causes in that time.Alcotts Literary Career Alcott was required by her parents to begin keeping a diary when she was seven. Bronson Alcott encouraged his daughters to record their daily observations and feelings in their diaries. He and his wife would often

8、 read these diaries and make comments in the margins. Upon hearing Alcotts first poem, “To the First Robin”, her mothers response was, “You will grow up a Shakespeare”. Alcott tried her ink-stained hand at a wide variety of genres for the periodical press: poetry, fairy tales, short stories of sweet

9、ness and delight. Her early career as a writer began with her frequent contributions of sentimental short stories and Gothic thrillers to diverse magazines. Alcott also developed an early liking for writing for children when George Briggs of Boston published her Flower Fables in 1854. It was a colle

10、ction of fairy tales which Alcott had written for Ellen Emerson, Ralph Waldo Emersons daughter, when she tutored her. A milestone along her literary path was Hospital Sketches published in 1863. It was based on the letters she wrote to her family about the men whom she nursed at the Union Hotel Hosp

11、ital during the Civil War. In 1867, Alcotts editor, Thomas Niles of Roberts Brothers, approached her about writing a novel for girls. Then the first volume of Little Women was written at Orchard House from May to July 1868. It was an overnight success when it appeared in print. A sequel took Alcott

12、another two months to write, which was also a success. Alcott followed Little Womens success with numerous stories and novels (such as Little Men, Jos Boys) that continued to be very popular among her reading fans. On the other hand, Alcott wrote a totally different type of stories called blood-and-

13、thunder thrillers of passion and revenge published under the pseudonym of “A. M. Barnard”. The most influential was entitled A Fatal Chase of Love.Diaries, family encouragement, literary friends, extensive reading, lots of practice and her natural talent for story telling made Alcott a successful writer. In all, Alcott publishe