Little Women Read-Along: Discussion #3

Today is the last day for discussing the read-along of Little Women. I've enjoyed reading this classic and I have enjoyed discussing it with fellow book bloggers. Head over to Jenni's blog to link up with your answer to these questions:

1. What do you think about the girls now? Has your opinion of them changed since the beginning or even the middle of the story? I love how they have all grown up into mature women. Loved that they still went to Marmee for advice. Especially Meg when she was having husband troubles. Love how Amy matured and realized that she wouldn't have married a man just for his money. Poor Jo seemed to take a while to mature, but at least she knew her mind about not marrying Laurie.
2. At the end of the book, which character do you relate to most? Is it a different character than at the beginning? Probably Meg. Maybe because we saw more of her married life in her struggle to balance babies and husband and home. I remember having those struggles as well. Yes, different than who I thought at the beginning. I thought I was more like Jo, or maybe that was wistful thinking since I love her personality? 
3. Do you think Beth should’ve died when and in the way she did? I think Beth died the way she lived her life. Quietly and with dignity. It was sad, but really since I'm not the author I have no idea of any other way. This is part of the story and I wouldn't change it.
4. How do you feel about Laurie’s romantic decisions? Did his relationship with Amy seem developed enough to be sincere? I think he was sincere, I think a lot of their relationship was inferred so we didn't see a lot of interaction but apparently they hung out a lot while abroad and therefore had plenty of time to get to know each other and develop a romance. I think Amy showed him that she could be a strong person when she chewed him out for being lazy. Maybe that reminded him a bit of Jo's spunk?
5. How do you feel about Jo’s romantic decisions? Do you think they were consistent with her character? I think Jo admired a person for their brains and that Mr. Bhaer fit that description perfectly. He could match wits with her, challenge her to be better than what she was and keep up with her energy. All of his romping around with the children showed he was young at heart. I think he was perfect for her.
6. What do you think about the names the girls and their husbands gave to their children? Honestly I can only think of Demijohn at the moment and I think that is a weird name but whatever...
7. If this was your first time reading Little Women, what do you think? Did it meet your expectations? Would you read it again? If this was a reread, do you feel the same as you did when you read it the first time? Or, has your opinion changed? It was so long ago that I read this book that I didn't have any opinions going in, it was like reading it for the first time. I enjoyed it, but did find it a bit long and rambling at times...and dare I say maybe a bit boring in parts? But the overall story was perfect.
8. Do you have a favorite quote or passage from Little Women? Not really. I thought there were many things that Marmee said that were very wise. I really liked when Jo went to her father after Beth's death and they consoled each other. But nothing really stands out as a favorite quote.
9. Would you change anything about the story if you could? If so, what? Maybe some of the extra that had nothing to do with the girls, but just the author philosophizing. 
10. Even though the setting for Little Women is quite different from today’s world, do you think we can learn anything from this story? If so, what? I think that I liked the morality of the story. I would love for life to be as innocent as it once was. Where we call each other to higher standards, where respect for one another was held high. Life was valued and integrity held high. I'll finish with that so this answer doesn't become preachy. :)

There will be a Twitter chat tonight and a movie watch on Friday night. Head over to Jenni's blog and check out all of the details. If you read along leave a comment on what you thought about the book. Are you a fan of read-alongs? I start a new one tomorrow and am very excited about it. It is so fun to discuss a book as you read it with others! Until next time...