But the spirit of Eve is strong in all her daughters.

When Jo's conservative sister Meg says she must turn up her hair now that she is a "young lady," Jo shouts, "I'm not! and if turning up my hair makes me one, I'll wear it in two tails till I'm twenty.... I hate to think I've got to grow up, and be Miss March, and wear long gowns, and look as prim as a China aster! It's bad enough to be a girl anyway, when I like boys' games and work and manners! I can't get over my disappointment in not being a boy; and it's worse than ever now, for I'm dying to go and fight with Papa, and I can only stay at home and knit, like a poky old woman.

Jo's ambition was to do something very splendid; what it was she had no idea, as yet, but left it for time to tell her.

If life is often so hard as this, I don't see how we ever shall get through it.

Good, old-fashioned ways keep hearts sweet, heads sane, hands busy.

Where the heart is the mind works best.

And the good fairy said, I won't leave you money or pretty dresses but I will leave you the spirit to seek your fortune from your own efforts.