“Jo’s Boys” is Louisa May Alcott’s sequel to “Little Men”. The story begins ten years after the end of the first story. The school is still presided over by Jo and her husband, Professor Bhaer.
The school itself has become a college. The boys remain due to the change in the nature of Plumfield as a school. The whole extended family has moved close by. Meg has a house, and Laurie and Amy have a mansion on a hill adjacent to the school. Even Mr. March and Mr. Lawrence are neighbors and all figure in the story.
Ten years later, Demi is having trouble deciding which career to pursue. He is also having trouble deciding whether to declare his love for a young lady. Tommy is still in pursuit of Nan, who has declared she will be a spinster. Emil gets shipwrecked; Dan has trouble with the law. Nat is sent to Germany for musical training and is miserable away from Daisy.
Jo remains the center for all of them. She maintains a strong a loving hold on “her” boys. To all, she is seen as the heart of the family, the safe-haven where even the most prodigal can return.
At the end, the boys are able to pursue their dreams. Unlike Meg, Jo, Amy and Laurie, none of them has to give up their aspirations. They learn that their dreams of being cherished no matter what their flaws is true, and that adversity can best be met with the help of others.
