【正文】 畢業(yè)論文（設(shè)計(jì)） On Female Images in Little Women 1 Traditional definition of female 2 The feminist definition of female 32. The Social Circumstances of Little Women 4 Louisa May Alcott’s thoughts 4 Background of Little Women 63. Female images on different roles in Little Women 7 As a daughter 10 a sister 11 a wife 124. Female images established in modern society 12 Changes in society 13 Changes in female’s mind 13 The importance of female images in Little Women to modern society 145. Conclusion 15References 16According to Oxford Advanced Learner’s EnglishChinese Dictionary, image is “general impression that a person, firm, product, etc gives to the public。 reputation”(738). Female images are women’s representation made up of character, thought and behavior, which are affected by a certain era, having relationship with females’ status.Some scholars have studied about images in Little Women. They lay particular emphasis on selfdependence and selfdiscipline in Little Women (許綺，2004：122). From the studies, we can find out that different personalities reflect different outlooks on value and life. The studies only describe what the female images in Little Women, while this thesis is to explore the way to build up female images in Little Women.Before analyzing of the female images in Little Women, to study the traditional definition of female and feminist definition of female that influence on female images, is the first step of analysis the theme. Then, through the analysis of characters of the females in Little Women and what they have experienced and thought, we can find the way that how they build up their fine females’ images. Women in modern society should take their characters in Little Women as examples to build up their images. Traditional definition of female Religion has governed the thoughts of West and Bible affects western countries deeply. The stories in Bible bring about the gender stereotype that provides society and males a basis to set up females’ images and limit their status.“From now on you39。ll have to scratch a living from the soil.You39。ll need to make clothes and grow food. Nothing will e easily not even childbirth.And one day, you will die” () God said to Adam and Eve for their sins. The constructed social relationship between women and men in the West is rooted in the Genesis story of Adam and Eve. For the last 2,500 years it has underpinned our perception of sex and gender and thereby influenced how women and men are represented in art. Any discussion of images of women and men must therefore be prefaced by an examination of the opening chapters of Genesis. God created man in his own likeness that was given dominion over “every living thing”, equally significant is the prominence given to men。 God is male and his most important creation is male. The story stresses the primacy of man and the centrality of his place in the universe, while making it clear that women play a subordinate role. Throughout the Christian period, the story of Eve has provided men with the reason why they should restrain and restrict the social, sexual, religious, political, and economic freedom of women. It has also given men the justification to hold women responsible for all the misfortunes suffered by mankind. All women are like Eve, and their only chance of redemption is to bee a person like the Virgin Mary, another patriarchal fantasy, who represents absolute obedience and purity. The story of Eve and its many misogynistic interpretations have over the centuries defined the image of woman in Western civilization. Weak, subordinate, and obedient these words are the adjectives to describe the traditional image of female. They don’t want to be the representative of these adjectives any more. Under the influences of the male dominated society, females’ status is inhibited and subordinate to men. Therefore, they want to change. The feminist definition of female Since the word “Feminism” appeared first in France in the 1880s, Great Britain in the 1890s, and the United States in 1910, Feminist movement has had more than one hundred years history (Bartkowski, 1989). Females tell their demand through speeches and articles to all over the world and let others hear their voices. “That man over there says that women need to be helped into carriages, and lifted over ditches, and to have the best place everywhere. Nobody ever helps me into carriages, or over mudpuddles, or gives me any best place! And ain39。t I a woman? Look at me! Look at my arm! I have ploughed and planted, and gathered into barns, and no man could head me! And ain39。t I a woman? I could work as much and eat as much as a man when I could get it and bear the lash as well! And ain39。t I a woman? I have borne thirteen children, and seen most all sold off to slavery, and when I cried out with my mother39。s grief, none but Jesus heard me! And ain39。t I a woman?” (Truth, 1851)