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Mr. March is the patriarch of the March family, and although he is away from home for a large portion of the novel, he nevertheless has a lasting impression on his daughters. The first glimpses that the reader gets into Mr. March’s character come in the form of memories as the girls lament his absence at Christmastime. Collectively, the March sisters regard their father as an honorable man with an endlessly resilient spirit, and they hold him close to their hearts despite their separation. Their deep reverence for him establishes Mr. March as an ideal father figure, even before he appears in the narrative himself. By giving him such an elevated status from the beginning, Alcott sets a precedent for the qualities that, in her 19th-century society, define a good man. Mr. March embodies a Protestant work ethic, ensuring that his family remains supported after they lose their money, and he fulfills his civic duty by supporting the Union in the Civil War. His ability to humbly bear these responsibilities is what ultimately earns him the respect of his wife, daughters, and community. Knowing that he is willingly making sacrifices on behalf of his family and country inspires the March girls to devote themselves to developing their own sense of goodness, especially once they learn of his illness. This turn of events, which also pulls Marmee away from home, raises the stakes for the four sisters and forces them to become more self-reliant.
When Mr. March finally recovers and returns home in Chapter 22, Alcott begins to expand his character beyond the specific lens through which his daughters view him. His role as a preacher in the army hinted at his spiritual background, but the interests he pursues at home offer greater insight into the extent of his intellectual nature. Mr. March enjoys studying philosophy, serves as a moral guide for both his family and community, and leads a small parish of his own. He becomes a quiet source of peace in the March household, contrasting with the bustling lives of his rapidly growing daughters. This calm energy is one of the primary characteristics that distinguishes Mr. March from Alcott’s own father, Amos Bronson Alcott. Similarly to his fictional counterpart, Alcott was passionate about education and philosophy, becoming a major contributor to the Transcendentalist movement in the mid-1800s. Alcott, however, was so deeply invested in his experimental practices that they disrupted his family’s lives. Mr. March embodies the best parts of Bronson Alcott while also representing an upstanding father, thinker, and leader in his own right. While his lack of flaws renders him a rather one-dimensional character by the end of the novel, Mr. March’s gentle spirit ensures that he remains endearing nonetheless.
