Little Women took place in New England during the Civil War. When the story begins, it is in the middle of a harsh winter which has left many families sick, hungry, and sometimes homeless. With all the men off fighting the war, women were left to fend for themselves and their families. Though the Marchs weren't necessarily in poverty, they were far from rich, as it was with many families during this time. Scarlet fever was spreading throughout the US at this time, also, infecting and killing children who were already weak because of the lack of food. Though many people like the Marchs gave what they could to families less fortunate than themselves, with how many people there were in need it was impossible to take care of them all, and many woman and children died during the blistering cold winters. This only added to the deaths of the men fighting for their country.

Another thing to look at is Jo's love of writing fantasy and how she hopes to be a published author someday. And not for some women's magazine - she wanted to publish a novel that wasn't woman-directed. Women didn't write novels like that back then. It was an absurd thought. At first, when writing for a newspaper, she would use the male form of her name - Joe - to get her work printed. Women wrote fluffly dime novels for other women to enjoy. Jo knew this, yet her desire to beat the odds drove her forward, and she eventually was able to publish her novel.

During the Civil War, times were very hard. But the March sisters managed to find a little joy in everything and push on through the turmoil - leaving a great example for people today.