Analysis Essay Example: Little Men By Louisa May Alcott

Louisa May Alcott’s Little Men narrates the life of some boys and a few girls at a boarding school named Plumfield while showing events in which the boys would learn lessons about honesty, hard work, and kindness. Alcott’s book starts with a homeless boy named Nat finding his way to Plumfield where Mr. And Mrs. Bhaer welcome him and let him stay and live at Plumfield; the book ends with all the children singing a poem around Mr. and Mrs. Bhaer after a Thanksgiving dinner. Alcott’s Little Men shows how honesty, hard work, devotion, and kindness can make happiness.  

The children’s life at Plumfield shows that hard work, kindness, and honesty can lead to happiness. Growing up, Nat was homeless, but a kind man told him to go to Plumfield and he was welcomed there. While at Plumfield, Nat learned some important lessons including the trust that you lose when you lie to someone. Nat did his best at school in Plumfield and soon learned how to read and write. While running an errand for Mrs. Bhaer, Nat remembered his friend that he had while living on the streets. Nat’s friend was a gruff, illiterate, and mischievous boy named Dan. Nat decided to invite him to live at Plumfield with him. When they came back to Plumfield Nat introduced Dan to Mrs. Bhaer, and Mrs. Bhaer welcomed him. Although Mrs. Bhaer said he could stay the night at Plumfield, she also said she would have to talk to Mr. Bhaer about letting him live there. Mrs. Bhaer talked to Mr. Bhaer, and they decided to see how he did at Plumfield for a week or so and then they would decide. 

Dan did alright at Plumfield for a few days, but one night Dan asked Nat and another boy at Plumfield, Tommy if they wanted to play poker. At first both Tommy and Nat were a little hesitant but after some convincing from Dan, they quickly followed him. Dan produced a bottle of beer that he had stolen from a man on the street and a pack of cigarettes. Dan handed the bottle to the boys and told them to drink some and then pass it on to the next boy. After this he lit a cigarette and told them to puff it a few times and then pass it on the next boy. Then, Dan taught them how to play poker. The game went on slowly and then Dan heard a sound, he said “Who’s that?” They then heard Demi, a boy at Plumfield say, “I can’t find Tommy”. Dan told the boys to quickly put everything away and to go back to bed. Since Nat and Dan slept together in the same room, Tommy had to run back to his room. Tommy realized that something was burning his hand and he remembered that he was still holding the cigar, so he threw it under his bed. Demi came back to his room with Nursery, and when Nursery saw Tommy in his bed seemingly asleep, she roused Tommy and asked him what mischief he had been up to. Tommy said he had just gone to Nat’s room to ask him something. So, Nursery left the room, and all the boys went to sleep. Nursery went to check on Nat and Dan and saw them asleep, so she went downstairs and thought it was just a little antic. The cigar that Tommy had thrown under the bed had been smoldering the whole time and had been to start a fire in the room. The boys were in the flames and were still asleep when Franz, an older boy who helped teach the boys at Plumfield smelled the smoke and ran upstairs. Franz grabbed the boys and put them in the hallway. Almost immediately most of the people in the house had begun to try to put out the fire. When the fire was over Demi had a burn and a big scar. Tommy had most of the hair on his head burned off and a huge burn on his arm. When Mr. Bhaer returned from a business trip, he was very surprised to find out what had happened. In the afternoon when the room was fixed from the fire, Mr. Bhaer decided to judge the offenders. He asked them what had happened. Nat and Tommy told him what they had done, but Dan said that there was only a little harm that was done. So, Mr. Bhaer said that Tommy had been punished enough by his injuries and that Nat had enough by his fright. Dan had been forgiven again and again but had never learned. So, Mr. Bhaer decided to send Dan to a place in the country where a nice man named Mr. Page takes in boys that people like Mr. Bhaer can’t take care of. All of the boys were sad to see Dan go, especially Teddy, Mrs. Bhaer’s youngest son.  

One night several weeks later, Teddy told his mom that he saw Dan, but Mrs. Bhaer thought he was just dreaming. Mrs. Bhaer went outside to get what she thought was a hat or a handkerchief, but when she got up close to it, she realized that it was Dan’s hand. Mrs. Bhaer noticed that Dan had several injuries including an injured foot. Mrs. Bhaer brought Dan into the house and helped him into a chair. She then left to get Mr. Bhaer to help with Dan’s foot. Dan heard the conversation between the two, and they said that this time they would not give up on Dan again. The next day the doctor came and said that Dan would have to not walk on his foot for most of the summer. Close to the end of the summer, Dan's foot was finally healed. The boys and the girls would go to the woods to pick berries and play in the trees. Fall came around and soon Thanksgiving came and the boys and girls did a play for all of their parents that came and they had a big feast. 

Louisa May Alcott’s Little Men shows how honesty, kindness, hard work, and devotion can make happiness. Alcott’s use of funny stories makes the book amusing to read, while teaching crucial lessons in life.