Jo March
The independent aspiring writer whose anger, ambition, and generosity drive much of the novel.
Meg March
The eldest sister, drawn toward beauty and domestic security but tested by limited means.
Beth March
The shy musician whose quiet service and early death define the family's deepest loss.
Amy March
The artist of the family, initially vain and impulsive, later socially perceptive and disciplined.
Marmee
The sisters' mother and moral center, candid about the effort required to govern her own temper.
Theodore 'Laurie' Laurence
The Marches' neighbor and intimate friend, rejected by Jo and later married to Amy.
Professor Friedrich Bhaer
Jo's friend and eventual husband, a German scholar who challenges her sensational writing.
John Brooke
Laurie's tutor and Meg's husband.
Mr. Laurence
Laurie's stern but generous grandfather and Beth's musical friend.