Hospital Sketches

Like Alcott herself, her parents, Amos and Abigail Alcott, were Transcendentalists and Abolitionists (See: Background). Research the two movements. How are they related to each other, and how does Alcott’s Hospital Sketches reflect the influence of both?

During the first few days at the hospital, Alcott is looking forward to the arrival of the wounded patients, but when confronted with them, she feels overwhelmed to the point of speechlessness. Discuss her growth arc across the collection. What remains the same about her, and how does she change?

In Chapter 4, Alcott structures the chapter around the death of her patient John, the Blacksmith from Virginia. What is the purpose of revolving the chapter around John, and what is the intended effect on the reader? How does his life and death speak to Alcott’s views on the war more broadly?

Alcott mentions several significant battles. Choose one and research it. What is the significance of the reference in the context of her exploration of the personal and emotional toll of war?

One of the most beloved patients featured in the book is “the little Sergeant” (23), who lost a leg and would likely lose his arm but who asserts, “I’d rather laugh than cry, when I must sing out anyhow” (67). What does his response suggest about the value of humor in difficult times? How does Alcott herself exemplify this belief?

Research the Emancipation Proclamation. What was its intent, and to what extent did it fulfill it? Draw on the reactions of Black Americans and Alcott as described in the book.

Alcott weaves many references to history and mythology across the collection. What is the wider role and significance of these allusions in the text?

Compare and contrast Hospital Sketches with one of Alcott’s other works. How are the two works different or similar in terms of key themes and ideas and/or literary techniques?