History YMMV / LittleMen

*** Nat is caught telling a lie, and this is treated as a very serious issue. The problem is, a much older boy was threatening to beat him if he'd ran through the boy's veggie patch - which he'd done because he was being chased by another older boy - so Nat got scared and denied it. And [[KarmaHoudini neither of the other boys were punished or even given a talking-to]], leaving [[BrokenAesop an apparent message]] that lying to get out of a dangerous situation is not only wrong, but so much worse than threatening and bullying little kids who aren't able to defend themselves. Made worse later in the book, when Nat's previous "sin" of lying (which hadn't appeared since the veggie patch incident) is used as justification for everyone assuming he'd ''robbed'' one of the other boys and was refusing to own up to it. Even though he'd never stolen anything previously and the narrator even acknowledged his lies were only ever minor fibs.

*** Meg claiming that Nat isn't good enough for Daisy and her opposition to them as a couple. At the time the book was written, class and parentage were much more important than today and Meg not wanting a former street orphan for a son-in-law was reasonable (even if he'd been basically raised by her sister). For modern readers, as Nat is a perfectly respectable, hard-working guy who Daisy adores, Meg's attitude seems like pure snobbishness. Likewise, Daisy obeying her mother is seen as less of a virtue and more of being a doormat. (Though even the narrator of the book claims Daisy is an "old-fashioned daughter" for hewing to her mother's word like this, and Meg is extremely happy when Franz tells the Marches about Nat's little money misadventures-- the fact that he manfully paid off his debts by selling everything he could and taking on extra work teaching English and playing in orchestras proves to her that he really is a good man who will care for her daughter. When he finally returns, Meg pries a crying Daisy off him just so she can hug him herself.)
** [[EducationMama Billy Ward's father]] is illustrated as having pushed his son's education far too hard by "keeping him at his books six hours a day". Nowadays six-hour school days are the bare minimum (not counting homework). Internationally some school days go as long as sixteen hours. (Although odds are Billy was doing the same reading and writing the whole time, without any of the breaks for recess, liberal arts, etc. that are considered healthy today.)

* AuthorsSavingThrow: Jo's writing her own equivalent of ''Literature/LittleWomen'' and finally achieving fame as a novelist can be viewed as this. Since ''Little Women'' ends with her writing career placed on the back burner in favor of running the school and raising her family, plenty of readers have accused Alcott of robbing Jo of her ambition in favor of AcceptableFeminineGoals. But here she finally does achieve her literary dreams, even if it [[MagnumOpusDissonance doesn't happen quite the way she expected]] and [[BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor does come with its own share of headaches.]]

* TastesLikeDiabetes: Since these books focus more on the child characters and their antics than ''Little Women'' did, a lot of moments can stray into this territory. The chapter in ''Little Men'' that focuses on Bess takes the cake.

* NightmareFuel: In ''Jo's Boys'', Rob gets bitten by Dan's dog, who's been acting strangely, and he and Teddy are terrified that Rob might have gotten "hydrophobia" ([[AdultFear rabies]]). Thankfully Nan is on hand and the dog is fine, but Rob has to get his bite cauterized with a hot iron and just for a moment or two, there's a very real chance that Rob might die. Jo and Fritz are aghast when the boys tell them what happened.

*** Meg claiming that Nat isn't good enough for Daisy and her opposition to them as a couple. At the time the book was written, class and parentage were much more important than today and Meg not wanting a former street orphan for a son-in-law was reasonable (even if he'd been basically raised by her sister). For modern readers, as Nat is a perfectly respectable, hard-working guy who Daisy adores, Meg's attitude seems like pure snobbishness. Likewise, Daisy obeying her mother is seen as less of a virtue and more of being a doormat.

** In ''Jo's Boys'', 24-year-old Dan is secretly in love with [[JailBait 15-year-old Bess]]. Jo tells him it can never happen (because of the [[UptownGirl class difference]], not the age difference) but [[HerosMuse encourages him to keep carrying a torch for her because it will inspire him to be a good person]].

** The opening chapter of ''Jo's Boys'' unceremoniously informs us that [[BuryYourDisabled physically disabled Dick and mentally disabled Billy]] are [[KilledOffscreen dead now]]. And "no one could mourn for them, since life would never be happy, afflicted as they were in mind and body". While the idea that [[FateWorseThanDeath death is preferable to disability]] is still around, [[FamilyUnfriendlyAesop it's far less acceptable]], let alone charitable or sympathetic.

* AngelDevilShipping: Bess is the angel to Dan's bad-boy.

*** Nat is caught telling a lie, and this is treated as a very serious issue. The problem is, a much older boy was threatening to beat him if he'd ran through the boy's veggie patch - which he'd done because he was being chased by another older boy - so Nat got scared and denied it. And [[KarmaHoudini neither of the other boys were punished or even given a talking-to]], leaving [[BrokenAesop an apparent message]] that lying to get out of a dangerous situation is not only wrong, but so much worse than threatening and bullying little kids who aren't able to defend themselves. Made worse later in the book, when Nat's previous "sin" of lying (which hadn't appeared since the veggie patch incident) is used as justification for everyone assuming he'd ''robbed'' one of the other boys and was refusing to own up to it. Even though he'd never stolen anything previously and the narrator even acknowledged his lies were only ever minor fibs. However, this is a BrokenAesop '''now''': in these years, lying ''was'' worse than anything but murder, especially for children.

* FanPreferredCouple: For some, Tommy and Nan, although others appreciate that Nan was able to become a single, successful career woman in her own right. And because ''ANYTHING' is preferable to[[spoiler: [[KilledOffForReal Dan's tragic outcome]] ]], both [[InterClassRomance Dan/Bess]] and [[HoYay Dan/Nat]] are liked. (Considering how Dan and Nat are constantly described in the book, this is unsurprising).

*** The adults continually worry about Nat being 'weak' - i.e. effeminate, gentle, soft and not traditionally masculine. Presenting that as a character flaw in today's media would only make the adults look [[{{UnintentionallyUnsympathetic}} unsympathetic]] rather than Nat.
*** Meg claiming that Nat isn't good enough for Daisy and her opposition to them as a couple. At the time the book was written, class and parentage were much more important than today and Meg not wanting a former street orphan for a son-in-law was reasonable (even if he'd been basically raised by her sister). For modern readers, as Nat is a a perfectly respectable, hard-working guy who Daisy adores, Meg's attitude seems like pure snobbishness. Likewise, Daisy obeying her mother is seen as less of a virtue and more of being a doormat.

*** Meg's opposition to Nat marrying Daisy

** Nat is caught telling a lie, and this is treated as a very serious issue. The problem is, a much older boy was threatening to beat him if he'd ran through the boy's veggie patch - which he'd done because he was being chased by another older boy - so Nat got scared and denied it. And [[KarmaHoudini neither of the other boys were punished or even given a talking-to]], leaving [[BrokenAesop an apparent message]] that lying to get out of a dangerous situation is not only wrong, but so much worse than threatening and bullying little kids who aren't able to defend themselves. However, this is a BrokenAesop '''now''': in these years, lying ''was'' worse than anything but murder, especiallyt for children.

* TheScrappy: The "pure, perfect, princess" Bess to a number of readers - just like her mother Amy.

* ValuesDissonance: Nat is caught telling a lie, and this is treated as a very serious issue. The problem is, a much older boy was threatening to beat him if he'd ran through the boy's veggie patch - which he'd done because he was being chased by another older boy - so Nat got scared and denied it. And [[KarmaHoudini neither of the other boys were punished or even given a talking-to]], leaving [[BrokenAesop an apparent message]] that lying to get out of a dangerous situation is not only wrong, but so much worse than threatening and bullying little kids who aren't able to defend themselves. However, this is a BrokenAesop '''now''': in these years, lying ''was'' worse than anything but murder, especiallyt for children.

* MarySue: Bess in both books. Angelic, artistic, a beloved only child of very wealthy parents, incredibly attractive (inheriting the best looks of both her parents, so she doesn't even suffer Amy's poor nose), dignified and graceful in all situations, and all of the characters - most of which are rambunctious, energetic boys - adopt bizarrely reverent behavior in her presence. At one point they even fall silent when she arrives because no one squabbles with "the princess" around, which is in stark contrast to the easy, bickering way they all treat each other. Unlike most of the younger characters - Josie, Teddy, Nat, even Demi etc. - there's no exploration of her flaws or challenges she faces during the book.

* FanPreferredCouple: For some, Tommy and Nan. And because ''ANYTHING' is preferable to[[spoiler: [[KilledOffForReal Dan's tragic outcome]] ]], the pair of [[MayDecemberRomance Dan/Bess]] as well as (for some reason) [[HoYay Dan/Nat]] are liked - considering how Dan and Nat are constantly described in the book, this is unsurprising.