Philanthropy For Rose,
charity is a profession and a demonstration of her Christian beliefs. Charlie accuses Rose of performing
philanthropic acts for show and not out of sincerity. Philanthropy was a common practice among
Victorian women of high social status, and it appeared frequently in literature. Rose’s philanthropic acts are largely guided by Uncle Alec, who urges her to encourage financial independence in whom she aids. Author
Claudia Mills describes Rose’s philanthropy as “an amateurish avocation” because she relies on others to tell her how to be charitable. One of Rose's role models is
Abigail Gibbons, who accompanied Alcott on a charity tour preceding the novel's publication. Meanwhile, Rose expresses discouragement when her charitable deeds are not met with gratitude. Her dissatisfaction with philanthropy arises from the desire for fame, and she does not take philanthropy seriously until Charlie dies and Uncle Alec nearly dies. According to author Kristina West, her dissatisfaction also demonstrates Rose's middle-class expectations of how the poor should live. Additionally, Charlie is the object of Rose’s philanthropy, while Mac joins her in philanthropy by bringing an orphan to her, who she adopts. This makes Rose and Mac "partners in philanthropy" and demonstrates Rose's desire for having a family of her own.
Women's independence in society Rose returns from Europe with a desire to pursue a profession and defend
women's rights. Uncle Alec, who encourages Rose’s independence, has taught her to reject Victorian ideas of how a woman should act. As part of her desire to advocate independence for women, Rose takes an interest in improving conditions for poor women and does not want to marry until she has proven to herself that her abilities extend beyond the domestic sphere. Alcott biographer Ruth K. MacDonald states that because of Rose's social class, she already has independence and therefore does not need to be a passionate advocate for it, concluding that Rose's advocacy for women's rights belongs more to Alcott than to Rose. Rose expresses her desire for independence through her philanthropy.
English professors Renu Goswami and Ritu Kumaran explain that philanthropy was viewed as an extension of
women's virtues, so 19th-century women commonly used philanthropy to express their desire for independence in a socially acceptable manner. Phebe’s search for independence is different from Rose’s because Phebe must choose between her career and being accepted into the Campbell family. Because she is a poor orphan, Phebe is not accepted into the Campbell family until she makes a living for herself. Her eventual marriage to Archie brings an end to her vocation as a professional singer, contrasting with Rose’s belief in the compatibility of having both a profession and a family.
Social themes Rose in Bloom takes a generally unfavorable stance on society. According to MacDonald, Alcott claims that being in society has led to Charlie’s alcoholism. When Charlie breaks his promise to Rose that he will stop drinking alcohol, he violates the Victorian belief that women are the means by which men become moral. During Rose’s time in society, she seeks to preserve her core values. She also discovers that people are attentive to her only because she is wealthy. Rose participates in society for three months and gives it up because she believes it is "seductive". Uncle Alec advises her to be careful in choosing associates and tells her the
parable of the wheat and tares in the
Bible, reminding her not to choose associates that will have a negative influence on her. Rose spends some of her time in society teaching Mac how to dress and act like a gentleman, ultimately shaping him into a suitable romantic partner for herself that resembles Uncle Alec.
Rose in Bloom also discusses class differences between Phebe and the Campbells. Alcott describes Phebe’s transition from Rose’s servant to her friend, and notes that Rose views Phebe as a member of the family. Phebe continues to consider Rose her mistress and serves her. Rose is oblivious to Phebe acting as her servant, and Alcott mentions that Phebe does not feel like Rose’s social equal. Young men find Phebe attractive but do not court her because she is a poor orphan, and people praise her for “keeping her place” in society. When Aunt Plenty finds out that Archie loves Phebe, she objects because she feels that Archie will not give the family his due by marrying her because she was taken from the
poorhouse. Phebe also leaves because she does not want the Campbells to think she wants to marry him for a higher social status, and she decides not to return until she has something to sacrifice in order to do so. Because of her poverty, she is not considered a suitable match for Archie until she saves Uncle Alec’s life. For the Campbells, Phebe's care of Uncle Alec classifies her as "
the deserving poor". Later, the Campbells attribute Phebe’s success in life to Rose, who befriended her when they were children. == References ==