History Literature / LittleMen

* GuiltyUntilSomeoneElseIsGuilty: Nat is accused of theft. He's the only suspect and assumed guilty because for two reasons: he was the only one besides the victim who knew where the money was, and he has a history of lying to make himself look better, which he's trying to overcome). The other boys treat him like dirt until the true thief reveals himself.

** Meanwhile, Meg's oldest daughter Daisy takes after her Aunt Beth as Mr March and Jo wistfully observes; being sweet-natured, domestic and a lover of music. [[spoiler: Happily, she gets to experience the adult life her aunt never had, going on to fall in love and set up her own home.]]

* CreepyDoll: In ''Little Men,'' Teddy throws a kid doll on a fire; since it's made of leather, he and the other children are horrified that it squirms as if it's in agony instead of burning immediately.

* UnluckyChildhoodFriend: Twice: [[spoiler: Tommy to Nan, though he gets over it and ends up happily with Dora. Dan is not so lucky in regards to Bess who has has known and seen grow up since childhood.]]

* [[OverprotectiveDad Overprotective Mom]]: In ''Jo's Boys'', Meg is the overprotective mother who doesn't believe [[spoiler: Nat is good enough for her daughter Daisy.]] She relents later, though.

* KillEmAll: Barely averted at the end of ''Jo's Boys''.
-->''It is a strong temptation to the weary historian to close the present tale with an earthquake which should engulf Plumfield and its environs so deeply in the bowels of the earth that no youthful Schliemann could ever find a vestige of it.''

* HotScientist: Nan in ''Jo's Boys'', who attracts many suitors but is only in love with her studies in medicine.

* IllGirl: Bess, but she eventually gets better unlike her deceased aunt, Beth.

* SickeninglySweethearts: [[{{Moe}} Nat and Daisy]] by themselves are the tender-hearted cuties of the group - when they're together, they're just outrageously [[UpToEleven ''adorable'']].

Following up ''Little Men'' ten years later is ''Jo's Boys, and How They Turned Out: A Sequel to "Little Men"''. Plumfield has grown into a mixed college (a rare phenomenon at the time) and we rejoin these beloved LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters as young adults, plagued by an epidemic of romance and broken hearts amidst chasing dreams and choosing careers before the final curtain falls forever on the stage of the March family.

• Bess is more like her gentle namesake, being a frail, angelic girl. Daisy is more of the mini-Meg, being inclined to domestic hobbies and acts like a big sister to everyone. She even [[spoiler: falls for a poor man]] just as her mother did.

* {{Expy}}: Meg's youngest daughter, Josie. She's just like her namesake Aunt Jo, only with acting instead of writing. She is, in fact, called 'little Jo' in dialogue more often than 'Josie.'

* {{Jerkass}}: Jack is about the only boy with no redeeming traits; described as selfish, sly and money-hungry. [[spoiler: Most notably, in Little Men he steals Tommy's money, doesn't care when everyone blames and alienates Nat for it, let's Dan falsely confess to it and only when Dan saves his life does he feel any remorse for his actions. By Jo's Boys, he and Ned are out of the picture and considered two of Plumfield's few "failures."]]

* SiblingYinYang: Several, including the boisterous, aspiring actress Josie and serene, housewife Daisy; impetuous Ted and thoughtful "Professor" Rob; adventurous sailor Emil and placid, domestic Franz.

* AnimatedAdaptation: Got one as a part of of ''Anime/WorldMasterpieceTheater'' series. The name comes from the second book, but is based on both. It also focuses more on the tomboyish Nan than any other character (possibly to appeal to Japanese audiences), and cuts out a few characters as well,

* HairOfGoldHeartOfGold: Bess, though it comes off as nauseating and annoying to some readers.

** Elizabeth Laurence = Bess (initially Beth)

* GreatEscape: This is what [[spoiler: Dan plans to do along with the other prisoners to get out of jail - but he ends up realizing he must atone for his sin and carry out a fair sentence for murdering a man.]]
* GuiltyUntilSomeoneElseIsGuilty: Nat is accused of theft. He's the only suspect and assumed guilty because for two reasons: he was the only one besides the victim who knew where the money was and, he has a history of lying to make himself look better, which he's trying to overcome). The other boys treat him like dirt until the true thief reveals himself.