Little Women was written at Orchard House from May to July 1868. The story is based on the lives of March sisters that are radically different from each other and their passage from childhood to womanhood. They are guided by their mother who raises them alone while her husband is off doing his part in the Civil War. Their love for their mother and father, their love for adventure and for each other unites them in this troubled time. The novel explores timeless themes as love and death, war and peace, the conflict between personal ambition and family responsibilities, and the clash of cultures between Europe and America.