1. What drives and molds the personalities of each of the March sisters? What lessons do they learn from their experiences both at home and away? What internal and external conflicts do they encounter?

2. Even though Father is physically absent for most of the story, his influence is present in every scene. How does he affect the family?

3. What does Little Women reveal about parental authority?

4. What are the sources of joy and adventure in the girls' lives?

5. By the novel's end, each sister conquers her personal flaw, or "bosom enemy." What events lead to these changes in character, and what new challenges does each sister face in marriage?

6. How does Alcott incorporate John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress to develop her characters and themes?