The Inheritance by Louisa May Alcott

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JessicaHolland
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The Inheritance by Louisa May Alcott

Post by JessicaHolland »

I’ve seen a few one and two star reviews of The Inheritance. Many called it "garbage." I don't believe this in the slightest. If we can recognize that Alcott is imitating the sentimental novel, a very specific and very popular genre for the time-period, the text itself has more value than just being "badly-written garbage."

The Sentimental Novel

What is the sentimental genre, you ask? It’s a genre of novel very popular in the eighteenth century that focuses on sentiment and sensibility. It often focuses on the “underdog” characters, mostly orphans. Oh my, the orphans. I’ve come across some that focus on criminal but the orphan is by far the most popular, especially in English sentimental texts. American sentimental literature focuses a lot (and I mean A LOT) on seduction. Susanna Rowson’s novel, Charlotte Temple (1792) is perhaps the most famous sentimental novel about seduction. Hannah Webster Foster’s The Coquette is a close second. The sentimental genre evolved into “domestic fiction” and the conduct novel in the nineteenth century. Conduct novels were often meant for young women to read because people feared novels in general. They were afraid women reading seduction novels would succumb to seduction themselves. Conduct novels helped rally the rise of the novel because they attempted to debunk that myth. Women could and often did read without running off with the first rake who nodded in their general direction. Fiction could teach as well as entertain.


Why The Inheritance by Louisa May Alcott Doesn’t Suck Despite it Being Her First Novel

With that being said, the story was surprisingly well crafted for being Alcott’s first foray into fiction. It’s about a wealthy family who takes in an Italian orphan named Edith, who grows up with the family and is young Amy’s companion and teacher. Edith is modest, sensible, smart, beautiful, and good-hearted. Cousin Ida hates her. When Lord Percy comes to visit the family and is instantly smitten by Edith’s charm and beauty. [Don’t be alarmed or stop reading here. This is a convention of the genre]. Ida vows to bring Edith down. Why should Edith get all the attention when Ida is clearly higher born? Like the description says, a secret inheritance allows virtue to prevail. I think you can get the picture here.

I think I might have enjoyed this novel a little more than others because of my interest in the sentimental. Yes, there are “convenient” plot-points but that’s not the point. The real reason the sentimental is so important is because at the heart of each novel there is a message. Alcott’s message is about greed, wealth, and loyalty. A few of her characters are shells: Amy and her brother, most notably. Ida is a stereotype but the story does need a villain. I found that Edith and Lord Percy are the most “full” characters. They have deeper motivations and feelings than the others.

There is drama and romance and betrayal, but there is also a happy ending that solidifies Alcott’s message about greed, wealth, and loyalty. Greed never wins. A loyal friend is worth more than any amount of money. A person can be more wealthy than they seem. Though basic lessons, Alcott presents them well. Though The Inheritance by Louisa May Alcott is not her best work, it is, nonetheless, important when considering Alcott’s body of work. It may seem trivial that she started out in the sentimental genre, but I think it lays a great foundation for the rest of her writing career.
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10millionFireflies
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Post by 10millionFireflies »

Thank you Jessica for you post. I came across the novel sometime ago and I was very sure of reading it. After reading your post and understanding more about the sentimental genre and the novel I think I will give it try. If it happens to not be my cup of tea, well I am sure someone in my family will borrow it and enjoy the story. Thank you again for the interesting post.

-- 03 Feb 2016, 01:00 --

Thank you Jessica for you post. I came across the novel sometime ago and I was very sure of reading it. After reading your post and understanding more about the sentimental genre and the novel I think I will give it try. If it happens to not be my cup of tea, well I am sure someone in my family will borrow it and enjoy the story. Thank you again for the interesting post.
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donna mcguire
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Post by donna mcguire »

I have recently read the inheritance and I find reading classical fiction is my favorite past time. Thank you.
oliverrichmond67
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Post by oliverrichmond67 »

Nice! I am interested to read.
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Southernstarr011
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Post by Southernstarr011 »

The Inheritance was one of the first classical literature books I read as a young person. I enjoyed it so thoroughly that classical literature became one of my favorite genres and turned into my minor during college. Alcott weaves a story full of drama and passion that is understood by all ages and experiences.
Elendu Ekechukwu
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Post by Elendu Ekechukwu »

I must say this book was a very good one. The author did a very nice job. Classical books like this would make you fall in love with reading. The book was a plus for me
degoodwriter
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The author made me fall in love with reading. I do respect this book a lot
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Post by Noblefausty101 »

The message is clear, love leads! I love the book.
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Post by abdallah adel 1 »

This review really helped me to know what should i look after in the future to read after my second semester in Chemical Engineer, Thank you for this lovely review.
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Sarah J Callen
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Post by Sarah J Callen »

The Inheritance has a lot more depth than I think people give it credit for. In college, I dove deep into this book alongside other works of the period and had a great time with it. There's much to be learned from Alcott's early work; it is far from "garbage."
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Post by AvishaJain_13 »

The most severely underrated piece of classic literature, one of my top classics. But part of it's charm is the recognition it doesn't get
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Post by Onyinyechi Orji »

I'm surprised to see this book here. I thought I was the only one who fancied it a classic.
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