The style and richness of her letters had given them a great literary value so that many of her friends and acquaintances had suggested and attempted to persuade her of having them published. Consequently, she turned instead towards a career of nursing, and received orders, like her heroine, to travel shortly towards Georgetown, and work there as a volunteer nurse.ĭuring her service, Alcott wrote home quite frequently. For starters, she had volunteered locally as a seamstress but her aspiration in this direction remained unfulfilled. In April 1861, the enlistment of young men as volunteers began in Concord, Massachusetts filling her with a wave of enthusiasm and inspiration that made her vow to do all she could to help them out. The book is, in fact, a compilation of four sketches based on letters written and sent home by the author herself during the six weeks she had spent as a volunteer nurse for the Union Army in Georgetown during the American Civil War.Īlcott was rather frustrated at the time, for she had found herself unable to satiate her immense desire for serving her country alongside the male soldiers. "I want something to do." These are the first words in the narrative of Tribulation Periwinkle, the young protagonist of Hospital Sketches, and the autobiographic figure representing Louisa May Alcott. Written by Polly Barbour, Sid Ali Kercenna We are thankful for their contributions and encourage you to make your own. These notes were contributed by members of the GradeSaver community.
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