--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There should always be one old maid in a…" description: "\"“There should always be one old maid in a family.”\" — Louisa May Alcott" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/88d/louisa-may-alcott-318_family_there-should-always-be-one-old-maid-in-a_448011.png" --- # There should always be one old maid in a family. ![“There should always be one old maid in a family.” quote by Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/88d/louisa-may-alcott-318_family_there-should-always-be-one-old-maid-in-a_448011.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/88d/louisa-may-alcott-318_family_there-should-always-be-one-old-maid-in-a_448011.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/88d/louisa-may-alcott-318_family_there-should-always-be-one-old-maid-in-a_448011.png) > ““There should always be one old maid in a family.”” [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Suggests an older unmarried woman can provide family continuity and care. **In simple terms:** Keep an older unmarried woman in the family. Key Takeaway Value elder family members. Themes family tradition role longevity Mood thoughtful nostalgic Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - family gatherings - caregiving decisions - housing plans Key Concepts social norms intergenerational support gender roles Questions to Reflect On - How do family roles evolve over time? - What benefits do elders bring? A Different Perspective May reinforce outdated gender expectations. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family/) [Marriage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marriage/) [Singleness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/singleness/) [Women](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/women/) ## Related quotes > [“I'm happy as I am, and love my liberty too well to be in a hurry to give it up for any mortal man.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/i-m-happy-as-i-am-and-love-my-liberty-too-well-to-be-in-a-hurry-to/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [“Very likely some Mrs Grundy will observe, "I don't believe it, boys will be boys, young men must sow their wild oats, and women…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/very-likely-some-mrs-grundy-will-observe-i-don-t-believe-it-boys-will/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [“What lady do you think prettiest?" 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A literary spinster, with a pen for a spouse, a family of stories for children, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/an-old-maid-that-s-what-i-m-to-be-a-literary-spinster-with-a-pen-for/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [Valancy herself had never quite relinquished a certain pitiful, shamed, little hope that Romance would come her way yet—never, until this wet, horrible morning,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/valancy-herself-had-never-quite-relinquished-a-certain-pitiful-shamed/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Louisa May Alcott > [“Take some books and read; that’s an immense help; and books are always good company if you have the right sort.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/take-some-books-and-read-that-s-an-immense-help-and-books-are-always/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [“At three o'clock in the afternoon, all the fashionable world at Nice may be seen on the Promenade des Anglais—a charming place, for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/at-three-o-clock-in-the-afternoon-all-the-fashionable-world-at-nice/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [“Please could I say one word?" was the question three times repeated before a rough head boobed out from the grotto of books in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/please-could-i-say-one-word-was-the-question-three-times-repeated/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [Elegance has a bad effect on my constitution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/elegance-has-a-bad-effect-on-my-constitution/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [“…the child's heart bled when it was broken.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/the-child-s-heart-bled-when-it-was-broken/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [“She would make a man of me. She puts strength and courage into me as no one else can. She is unlike any girl…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/she-would-make-a-man-of-me-she-puts-strength-and-courage-into-me-as/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [“I read somewhere that every inch of rope used in the British Navy has a strand of red in it, so that wherever a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/i-read-somewhere-that-every-inch-of-rope-used-in-the-british-navy-has/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [“Chance words spoken in kindness often help amazingly; and that's what old people are here for -- else their experience is of little use.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/chance-words-spoken-in-kindness-often-help-amazingly-and-that-s-what/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [“Tired of my own company, I suppose, now I've seen so much better.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/tired-of-my-own-company-i-suppose-now-i-ve-seen-so-much-better/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [Oft in the silence of the night, When the lonely moon rides high, When wintry winds are whistling, And we hear the owl's shrill…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/oft-in-the-silence-of-the-night-when-the-lonely-moon-rides-high-when/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [But buds will be roses, and kittens, cats - more's the pity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/but-buds-will-be-roses-and-kittens-cats-more-s-the-pity/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [“I'll try and be what he loves to call me, 'a little woman' and not be rough and wild, but do my duty here…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/i-ll-try-and-be-what-he-loves-to-call-me-a-little-woman-and-not-be/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [“If you feel your value lies in being merely decorative, I fear that someday you might find yourself believing that’s all that you really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/if-you-feel-your-value-lies-in-being-merely-decorative-i-fear-that/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [“ "I do not ask for any crown But that which all may win; Nor try to conquer any world Except the world within." ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/i-do-not-ask-for-any-crown-but-that-which-all-may-win-nor-try-to/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [Some books are so familiar that reading them is like being home again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/some-books-are-so-familiar-that-reading-them-is-like-being-home-again/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) [Explore all 681 Louisa May Alcott quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) ## More Family quotes > [I was 3-years-old - to this day it is a vivid memory. 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