Throughout Little Women, Alcott continuously evaluates the relationship between excessive wealth and genuine happiness as the March girls struggle with their impoverished status. Alcott utilizes her negative characterization of the affluent Moffats as well as Marmee’s opinions about marriage to advocate for “graceful living and virtue rather than acquisition and display” (Baym 47), adapting Baym’s definition of women’s fiction regarding money.
When Meg journies to spend time in the luxurious home of Annie Moffat, she temporarily abandons her daily work to partake in frivolous activities alongside her wealthy friends. While the March girls spend their time working or helping Marmee around the home, the Moffat girls gossip, shop, dance, flirt, and drink. Although Meg envies the beautiful gowns and extravagance of these events, she recognizes the true value in her frugal lifestyle. She apologizes to her mother, declaring “I let them make a fool of me… and was altogether abominable” (Alcott 95-96). This apology underscores the fact that Alcott praises the hard work and virtue of the March girls and disapproves of the abuse of wealth by the Moffat family. This notion is furthered by Marmee who wholeheartedly disapproves of the Moffats. Marmee believes they are full of “foolish gossip,” and declares, “I was very unwise to let you go among people whom I know so little; kind I dare say, but worldly, ill-bred, and full of these vulgar ideas about young people” (Alcott 96).
Alongside the criticism of the Moffat family, Marmee’s belief in marriage based on character rather than money reaffirms Alcott’s opinions. From the beginning of the novel, Marmee guides the “little women” towards being rich in character by proclaiming, “I’d rather see you poor men’s wives, if you were happy, beloved, contented, than queens on thrones, without self-respect and peace” (Alcott 98). Both Meg and Jo take this to heart, marrying men of quality character despite their poverty. Alcott portrays these marriages as rewarding through Marmee’s declaration that Meg “will be rich in the possession of a good man’s heart, and that is better than fortune” (Alcott 204). By willingly committing themselves to a life of poverty, they demonstrate the virtue in humility and hard work. Marmee’s opinion is further supported when Sallie Moffat, wife of wealthy Ned Moffat, recognizes the true beauty of Meg’s simple wedding. Despite her affluent status, she realizes the joy she’s missing when she proclaims, “that is the prettiest wedding I’ve been to for an age, Ned, and I don’t see why for there wasn’t a bit of style about it” (Alcott 253). Through the different depictions of weddings and explanations of true virtue, Alcott reaffirms Baym’s concept of adult fiction regarding the importance of “the class-within-a-class” and their “psychological freedom from money” (Baym 46).
This post highlights how Alcott uses the very wealthy and worldly Moffats as a foil to the more humble and simple Marches. However, while Alcott does disapprove of the behavior of the Moffats, she does not completely condemn them, as they are described as: “...kindly people in spite of the frivolous life they led,” (85). Their behavior can be quite ridiculous, even going so far as to lie about Meg’s circumstances at their party. Meg is “...rather shocked at Mrs. Moffat’s fibs,” (91). Upon going home Meg feels the need to tell her mother of “...all the dreadful things I did at the Moffats,” (95). Although she is ashamed of her behavior, she remains friendly with the Moffats, even when she is married to a poor man. This fact hints that the Moffats are not necessarily bad people, just rather silly and without the right priorities. Even the good natured Meg could fall prey to the desire to be pretty and fashionable, as evidenced by her splurging on silk for a dress. However, Meg realizes her mistake and asks Sallie to buy it so she can buy John a coat, something “[t]he good-natured Mrs. Moffat willingly did...” (284). The real difference between the Marches and the Moffats is that the Marches think about their behavior. That the Marches, as Baym said and Bridget emphasised, have “psychological freedom from money”, unlike the Moffats whose money influences them to behave in a ludicrous manner.
ReplyDelete