Little Men

One way in which the education at Plumfield is at odds with conventional classrooms of the time is in its emphasis on time spent outdoors to foster students’ love and awe of the natural world, and to develop functional ways for humans to interact with it. Each boy is given a garden plot they’re expected to grow crops in, encouraging the children’s relationship with plants and earth. Alcott employs the motif of gardening to depict the symbiotic relationship between the children’s inner growth and development and the natural world. Mr. Bhaer’s allegorical teaching about farming in the opening of the novel establishes this motif. He highlights his belief that education does not need to indoctrinate young people but should instead encourage and nurture an unfolding of the inner wisdom of children. The children's inherent goodness, despite their occasional unkind or immoral behavior, is clear in his description of the school as a garden, where “Even the roughest, most neglected little bed had a bit of heart’s-ease or a sprig of mignonette in it” (38). This reflects a transcendentalist view of human nature as divine and interconnected with God’s creation, emphasized metaphorically by Mr. Bhaer when he states that “we are all parts of the beautiful garden, and may have rich harvests for our Master if we love Him enough” (39). This emphasis on environmental education echoes the views of Henry David Thoreau, a famous transcendentalist thinker who taught at Alcott’s school and influenced her family’s milieu. In his famous book Walden, Thoreau argues for the importance of keen observation of the natural world and farming over reading, and his belief that getting in touch with nature brings individuals closer to God.

In Little Men, character journeys of inner and outer growth are enhanced by time spent in nature, a relationship that deepens as the children develop morality and self-knowledge. Physically, the young men grow stronger and healthier from outdoor play: “Such a rosy, sunburnt, hearty set as the boys became; such appetites as they had; such sturdy arms and legs, as outgrew jackets and trousers; such laughing and racing all over the place” (134). The Bhaers allow the boys copious amounts of outside exploration to strengthen their bonds with nature and with each other. For Nat, who arrives at Plumfield weak and lonely, tending his garden helps heal his illness and also strengthens his spirit, therapeutic effects depicted through natural imagery: “But his garden was his best medicine, and he worked away like a beaver, preparing his little farm, sowing his beans, watching eagerly to see them grow, and rejoicing over each green leaf and slender stock” (46). The simile comparing Nat to a busy beaver, and words like “sowing,” “preparing,” and “watching” depict the industrious attitude that grows his confidence and makes him a valuable member of the Plumfield community.

Similarly, Dan’s transformation from a troublemaker into a useful companion (an elevated service position at the time) is catalyzed through his interest in becoming a naturalist. Mrs. Jo views Dan’s love of animals as a testament to his good character and uses his love of nature to motivate him to change. This is symbolized through the cabinet she offers for his collected specimens as a reward for being good, noting that “in the pebbles, mosses, and gay butterflies, I shall see good resolutions carried out, conquered faults, and a promise well kept” (146). Alcott’s characterization of the students through their connection with animals and plants highlights the link between moral development and time spent in nature, and its importance in education.