摘 要

路易莎·梅·奥尔科特的《小妇人》中充斥着大量美国新英格兰地区相关的服饰书写，展现了美国内战期间的新英格兰文化。小说中的服饰描写不仅可以帮助区分美国新英格兰地区的不同社会阶层，也有助于刻画小说中的人物。因此，本文将服饰视为新英格兰文化的再现、社会分层的标记、人物刻画的方式，并从这三个方面重点分析了小说中服饰书写的审美意蕴，旨在揭示一点：和服饰相关的书写不仅大大增添了小说的艺术魅力，同时也体现了美国特定历史时期新英格兰文化和社会阶层、性别的深层互动。

关键词：路易莎·梅·奥尔科特；《小妇人》；服饰书写

Contents

1. Introduction… 1
2. Demonstration 3
   1. Dress as an embodiment of New England culture during civil war 3
      1. Dress writings related with the transcendental culture 3
      2. Dress writings related with the liberal culture… 4
   2. Dress as a social marker of America in the late 19^th century 6
      1. Dress as the reflection of social strata 6
      2. Dress as the reflection of gender performance… 7
   3. Dress as a way of characterization… 8
      1. Silk dancing dresses: characterization of Margaret 9
      2. Apron and cap: characterization of Josephine… 10
      3. Ropey cloth: characterization of Barr… 11
3. Conclusion… 12

Works Cited 13

Bibliography 14

1. Introduction

Dress Writings in Little Women

Louisa May Alcott (1832-1888) is one of the most famous American women writers in the American literature. Her popular novel Little Women has always been considered to be a convenient way for many readers to know both the Civil war and the New England. In 1868, her Little Women was published in the United States. Once published, it caused a huge sensation in the American literary world, won the hearts of countless readers, and became the classic works of popular literature. Little Women is especially loved by young readers, and is even called the "must-read book for young girls." Witty and humorous, this work has been translated into more than a dozen languages to spread around the world. At the same time, Little Women has also been moved to the theater and the screen, and performed in various parts of the world.

After published, Little Women has been under the focus of critics. There are a lot of comments and arguments about this noted novel with blended receptions. Most of the critics mainly focus on Alcott's life and her novel Little Women, the female writings, the education, the characterization and so on. For example, Zhang Shumei(2010)made a study of Little Women, she embodied feminism by writing talent, independent thinking and no longer the accessory of male owned by three women in the March from three aspects: Female is not virtuous without talent, a woman is not a man's vassal, and my marriage is decided by myself. Huang Yan (2011) reflected the education art of Mrs. March and her actions as much as her words, and showed that the way was worth for educators to learn from creating a good family atmosphere, being a close friend of children, and letting the children receive education in practice on one’s own initiative. Janis Dawson (2003) made a study of Little Women in the experiences of Alcott's working women in two of her most autobiographical novel. It examined the foundations of Alcott's domestic ideal s.

Little Women was created in the context of the Civil War, but the story unfolded a picture scroll in the north area of the New England. It describes the four sisters in a poor family of a small town in the north of the battlefield and their longing for dreams, the inspiration of life and the pursuit of their own way of life. They are self-reliant under the guidance of their mother, though they have very different personalities: Meg scorns the mincement of the upper class and is willing to live poorly for pursuing for true love. Jo becomes a writer and sets up her own school. Beth faces death admittedly, and she doesn’t encumber the family, also she leaves her smile to the world; Amy sympathizes with the poor people and takes charity as her responsibility eventually.