What Is A Young Woman Made Of?

“Sugar, spice, and everything nice; that’s what little girls are made of.” A simple recipe passed from generation to generation that still finds its way into the minds of girls today. The recipe, however, changes and takes many forms  as the innocent little girl grows up to become a strong yet submissive young woman. In Alcott’s recipe for the perfect woman, a dash of sugar becomes a pound of manners, a pinch of spice becomes several cups of self government and the everything nice becomes a complicated mixture of decision of character, conscientiousness, frugality and many more.[1] Like regular recipes that you can find anywhere, the results may be completely different every time it is attempted due to varying ingredients, dietary restrictions, and even the method in which it was carried out. Alcott was sure to state that his recipe was curated based on his own opinions as well as those of other medical professionals, with a considerable religious influence. [2] Although Alcott’s ingredients for the perfect woman were not completely revolutionary for their time, they did mark the beginning of the movement for change in gender roles.

[1] William Alcott,  “The Young Woman’s Guide to Excellence” (Boston: Waite, Peirce & Company), 1845, 8-10

[2] Ibid, 5