Why was Louisa May Alcott's book Little Women banned or challenged?

Question

I am doing a report on why Little Women was challenged or banned but so far I have turned up zilch. I have my guesses but I don't really know, if someone could help me with this that would be great, especially if you know of an article or book on it.
Thanks,
deubrook5th

Answer 1

I don't think it's been banned. It's not on Wikipedia's list of banned books.

But I found this in an article by Donna Morton:

"I was appalled when, several years ago, a feminist group wanted to do just that to Louisa May Alcott’s treasured classic. The book, they said, diminished young women, played-up the “weaker sex” mentality and failed to empower girls to sculpt their dreams."

Answer 2

The American Library Association (www.ala.org) has lots of information about banned and challenged books. The website asks you to sign in but you don't have to.

When searching for Little Women, to find it on a list of banned or challenged books, keep in mind that it was published in 1869. So, for example, it won't be in the top 100 list of banned and challenged books of the 20th century.

Also keep in mind that the reasons for the ban or challenge are usually silly. There might not be any single important reason, but just a long list of silly reasons from a committee whose members happened to not like the book. And that list might have been lost to history, even if the mention of the challenge still exists in some old newspaper or some such place.

Answer 3

I would have kept the book and Jo's character as it is. Jo was not suited for Laurie and vice versa. They were great pals, but would have failed as lovers based on the two character personalities. Jo was an early prototype for feminism. Laurie was a wealthy traditional type male of that era when the book was written. Alcott was very active in feminism and other society issues and she best made her personal opinions known through Jo. Jo's choice of spouse, indicates a man of a different, more modern (at the time) thinking male. He was also very supportive of her desires to become a published author when women usually had obstacles breaking into the publishing world. He was also, European, well educated and down on his luck at the time they met. A contrast to Jo's beloved Laurie. Although, Jo was devastated at first, with Laurie marrying her sister, she later came to realize that by focusing on herself and her interests and meeting her future husband turned out to be a better choice. If Jo had married Laurie, she would have been stuck with living in the traditional 19th century.

Answer 4

You would do a little better with your report if you could show WHO banned or challenged the book.

If you rely on a rumor that the book wasn't welcomed, your argument will be weak.

So first, learn if your question is based on fact.

(By the way, some of her later novels WERE given bad reviews, as they dealt with drug use and other "unclean" activities.)