Abstract: Little Women by Lousia May Alcot is a representative work of the female literature of             America in the twentieth century. Like other works of Alcot, Little Women is related to the themes of love, family as well as feminism. This thesis intends to analyze the female consciousness reflected from the four girls in the March family by exploring their personalities and experiences from three aspects, including their pursuit of free love, equal family status and equal social status. This thesis concludes that Little Woman reflects the status quo and development tendency of the female consciousness at that time and the significance of the novel lies in its manifesto that women need to maintain independence, equality, mutual respect and keep initiative in their own hands.

Key words: Lousia May Alcot, Little Women, Female Consciousness

CONTENTS

Abstract

摘要

1. Introduction1

  1.1 Introduction to the Author and Little Women 

  1.2 Introduction to Female Consciousness and Female Literature

2. Literature Review 3

3. Female Consciousness in Little Women 4

  3.1 Pursuit of Free Love

  3.2 Pursuit of Equal Family Status

  3.3 Pursuit of Equal Social Status

4. Conclusion .7

Bibliography.9

Acknowledgments .10