Discussion Questions

Over the years of the Victoria Classics Book Club, our group has grown to encompass thousands of members connected by a love of reading. Below, find discussion questions for past volumes, which can be explored further on our Book Selections page. We also invite you to join the ongoing conversation on our Facebook page [insert link to page], where you will meet a delightful coterie of devoted readers.

Enjoy discussion questions for Little Women, seen here nestled between pink roses and a cup of tea with shortbread cookies.Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

Whether the March sisters have been your treasured friends since childhood or you will meet them for the first time alongside our dear readers, we hope that you will join us in reading Little Women, a timeless tale of unconditional love.

Question Header

Do you think the traditional roles celebrated in Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women are outdated in today’s society? What ideals do you believe are timeless?

Question Header

Are you participating in our Victoria Classics Book Club? We invite you to visit our Reader Forum, where each week we will discuss a new topic!

Question Header

Who is your favorite character in Little Women, and why? Which character do you most identify with, and why?

Question Header

When sent to stay with Aunt March, Amy turned a dressing closet into a small chapel—her sanctuary for prayer and contemplation. Where do you retreat when you need quiet time for yourself?

Question Header

In Little Women, why do you think Jo felt closest to Beth while Meg favored Amy?

Question Header

Do you think Jo’s tomboyish behavior helped her or hurt her with respect to the time period she was growing up in? What positives and negatives do you see in her personality?

Question Header

Which of these quotes might be your personal motto?

 “I am not afraid of storms, for I am learning how to sail my ship.”

“The humblest tasks get beautified if loving hands do them.”

 “I like adventures, and I’m going to find some.”

“When you feel discontented, think over your blessings, and be grateful.”

“Dear me, let us be elegant or die!”

Question Header

 Jo described her periods of intense writing as a time she would “fall into a vortex.” Wearing her “scribbling suit,” a black woolen pinafore with a matching hat, was a signal to her family that she was not to be disturbed. Is there any activity that captures your attention to this degree?

Question Header

Marmee and Mr. March instilled many values in their daughters, such as the importance of knowing right from wrong. Jo once lamented, “I almost wish I hadn’t any conscience, it’s so inconvenient.” Was there ever a time when your own conscience was “inconvenient?” How did you resolve the situation?

Question Header

How does Meg’s position as the firstborn child shape her role in Little Women? Do the dynamics in your own family confirm or challenge the usual stereotypes about birth order?

Question Header

Shy Beth was called “Little Miss Tranquility” by her father. What is her impact on the family dynamic?

Question Header

“Amy, though the youngest, was a most important person, in her own opinion, at least.” What were this precocious character’s greatest strengths and weaknesses?

Question Header

In one poignant scene, the March sisters draw close to the fire, gathering to hear the latest letter from Father. Have there been times in your life when a walk to the mailbox held the promise of treasure?

“Very few letters were written in those hard times that were not touching, especially those which fathers sent home.” — Louisa May Alcott

Question Header

If you have read Little Women more than once, do you remember your initial impressions? How has the novel impacted you in different phases of your life?

Question Header

Long after you have closed Little Women, what scenes will linger in your mind?

Find Victoria Classics Book Club resources—including a lovely hardback edition of  Little Women, discussion questions, companion materials, and a reader forum—at Victorimag.com!