A recurring thematic question in Little Women is the way in which Jo will define herself as an adult woman. While growing up, she wants to be a writer, and she doesn't see that work as compatible with traditional marriage. When Laurie proposes to Jo, she declines because she doesn't think she can be married to him while continuing to write. The marriages of her sisters, Meg and Amy, are more traditional, as it's understood that they will not continue to work once they are married. Amy in particular will have the life of a pampered woman after marrying Laurie, who is quite wealthy. At the end of the book, Jo agrees to marry Professor Bhaer, as she knows that he accepts her need to work and takes her writing seriously. After Aunt March dies, Jo turns her aunt's house, Plumfield, into a school that she runs with her husband. In the end, her marriage is one of equals and co-workers.
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