Little Men

The chapters in the novel are structured like episodic vignettes that focus on one character or event at Plumfield that demonstrates growth through experience. Each one is a mini bildungsroman, or coming of age narrative, depicting the moral development of individuals or groups of students. All the main characters undergo personal transformations through their education at Plumfield, becoming more and more conscientious and useful little men and women.

Dan’s character arc is the deepest and most detailed in the novel, starting with his dramatic arrival in Chapter 6 and continuing in Chapter 10. He represents a challenge to the Plumfield way of teaching, and initially the Bhaers consider him their first failure. Dan’s background of neglect and hardship highlights the pivotal role parenting plays in the development of young people, addressed by the rhetorical question, “what else could be expected of the poor lad who had been knocking about the world all his short life with no one to teach him any better?” (81). Mrs. Jo fears he has lost his innocence since from her perspective he appears “sorrowfully unboyish” (78). In the 19th century, as childhood increasingly began to be defined as a state of human development separate from adulthood, the perceived purity and innate naivete of children were prized values; here, Mrs. Jo’s dismay positions Dan as potentially unnatural and thus counter to the ideals of transcendentalism. Highlighting this implied lesser humanity, animal imagery is used to emphasize Dan’s roughness in comparison with the other boys: “He hated restraint of any sort and fought against it like an untamed creature” (88). Mr. Bhaer chastises Dan’s violent actions, concerned for the well-being of the other boys, saying “I keep a school for boys, not for wild beasts” (83). Dan’s introduction to Plumfield highlights the damage to a child’s development caused by orphanhood and a lack of moral influence.

However, the novel argues that there is hope for growth through The Development of Morality in Children, an educational philosophy first introduced in Chapter 6 and deepened in later chapters. Both the teachers and other students recognize Dan’s innate goodness and wish to encourage them in him. His Interconnectedness with Nature endears him to the Bhaers, “for he was kinder to animals than to people, he liked to rove about in the woods, and, best of all, little Ted was fond of him” (81). This trait indicates Dan’s redemptive qualities, as Mr. Bhaer teaches him that kindness to animals is “the first and most important of our few laws” at Plumfield (89). His peers also recognize Dan’s positive qualities: “Tommy admired his skill and courage; Nat was grateful for past kindness; and Demi regarded him as a sort of animated story book” (82). The novel indicates that even in extreme cases, people have innate goodness that can be uncovered and brought forth through a good education.

The novel demonstrates the domestic space as a model for society through its focus on the interactions between students and their influence on each other. This concept is crystallized in Mrs. Jo’s comparison of education to chemistry, arguing that “half the science of teaching is knowing how much children do for one another, and when to mix them” (98), using the imagery of creating potentially volatile compounds. One example of this effect is the arrival of the young troublemaker Nan and the changes in the boys’ behavior in response. Although at first Nan symbolizes a “black sheep,” and appears not to belong in the family, Mrs. Jo is confident that her mischievous energy will be redirected to more practical endeavors through the environment and society of Plumfield. Initially Nan’s stubborn and foolhardy efforts to fit in with the boys get her into trouble, but eventually the boys respect and admire her bravery. Her quick wit and academic performance challenges the boys to study harder to keep up, and they learn that girls and boys are intellectual equals. In turn, Nan is tamed by Plumfield because she is given the opportunity to apply her lively mind to tasks and play, rather than having to rail against the conventional restriction of female activities and education. Her happiness at Plumfield credits the Bhaers’ unusual style of education.