I have a lot of writing to do this weekend so that I can try for the first time in my sorry life to write a damned essay before the final due date day.  The essay is due on Thursday but I will have a busy week this week and I do not want a repeat of last time since I made myself miserable.  So, we have a free weekend (except for lunch with friends tomorrow) and I intend to use it wisely.  I have a lot of reading to get done this weekend.  I have to finish the set books for my course: Little Women (American version including Good Wives – I am less than half-way through Good Wives) and Treasure Island – I have read most of the introduction and that is all!.  I really enjoyed Little Women but I am finding Good Wives harder to stomach – whilst I appreciate that it was written in a different time, the way women and their lives are depicted sticks in my teeth and the March’s so-called charity is plain condescension.  Having said that, I would probably be enjoying it more if I were reading it purely for pleasure.  I had read all the Little Women series before but I don’t really remember much.  However, I have never read Treasure Island so I am interested to see what I make of it.  The essay will be looking at how Alcott and Stevenson depict their characters growing up (unless I decide to choose the other question which I cannot remember right now!).