Journal for Louisa May Alcott

Today's reading is "My Contraband" by Louis May Alcott. Immediately into the story it can be seen the influences of Alcott's life on her writing. The main protagonist is a single female nurse, a position and status Alcott held in her life. Also the nurse's feelings of attractions to the 'contraband' shows Alcott's approval of interracial marriages. This story goes against the set boundaries of taboo of Alcott's time such as slaves being treated as persons, interracial marriages, and etc. In the story Alcott uses the protagonist as a white person showing respect towards a slave and treating him as an equal. Alcott shows the righteous and humanity of blacks when a black woman in the story takes her own life after being raped. By having a black woman do such a thing it shows how the righteous and humanity of blacks was on par with that of whites.