Author: susanwbailey

In this blog post series, we’ll feature contributing authors from our new anthology, Alcott’s Imaginary Heroes: The Little Women Legacy. Today we’ll catch up with Deborah Davis Schlacks, recently retired Professor Emerita of English at the University of Wisconsin-Superior.

Contributor Deborah Davis Schlacks reading her Companion Library edition of Little Women at Fairlawn Mansion in Superior, Wisconsin.

My favorite is the scene where it is revealed that Jo has cut off her hair and sold it to finance her mother’s trip to tend to her ailing father.  Jo’s willingness to sacrifice “her one beauty” to the sake of someone she loved was the first thing that impressed me about it way back when I first read Little Women.  And it is also so important that in giving up her long hair, she is making a decision not to let physical beauty—which is…

In this blog post series, we’ll feature contributing authors from our new anthology, Alcott’s Imaginary Heroes: The Little Women Legacy. Today we’ll catch up with K.R. Karr, West Coast writer and academic.

Contributor K.R. Karr on Puget Sound with the Washington State Ferry in the background. Photo credit: Kristina Berger.

My favorite scene from Little Women is when Jo comes home with her hair cut, having sold it to pay for Marmee’s train ticket after Mr. March is wounded in battle. This scene really demonstrates to me Jo’s inner qualities, as well as her love for her family.

Who are some of your other “imaginary heroes” from literature?

I love this phrase “imaginary heroes” and some of mine include Emily of Deep Valley, Jane Eyre, Cassandra Mortmain of I Capture the Castle, Renee in Colette’s The Vagabond, Lucy Honeychurch…