Marmee March

Marmee March, the mother of the four sister Marches, is the solid heart of Little Women. She is gracious, forbearing, and strong in implicit ways. When her husband is away from home fighting in the war, she carries the house with soft hands and an undaunted mind. She teaches with actions more than with laws, showing the children how to be decent, truthful, and brave when things are rough.

Marmee is familiar with the character of every girl and approaches each girl where they are. She understands that Meg must be comforted, Jo must be free, Beth must be peaceable, and Amy must have beauty. She does not try to eliminate their individuality but makes their individuality their strength. When issues present themselves, Marmee listens then speaks briefly, reminding them of self-control, working, and mercy.

What makes Marmee unique is the candid evaluation of oneself. She admits to having a temper and working every day to check it. This humbleness makes her advice come alive, instead of coming across as lecturing. She never insists on having her daughters do something she does not insist on doing herself—say, depriving oneself of a small gratification in order to help someone in trouble, or making amends when she has been wronged.

Marmee is anchor and compass in the novel. She offers the girls somewhere to return to, and a keen direction how to live. She is busy in her affection: cooking, visiting out to the poor, mending clothes, offering a secure arm. But she is also spacious, giving room enough to have her daughters stretch out and choose their own course. That balance—firm care with gracious liberty—makes Marmee of all the most dependable moms in books.