Little Women (an excerpt)

Louisa May Alcott (November 29, 1832 – March 6, 1888) was an American novelist. She is best known for the novel Little Women. The novel was first published on September 30, 1868, and became an overnight success, selling over 2000 copies. Little Women has been adapted to play, musical, opera, film, and animated feature. Though of New England heritage, she was born in Germantown, which is currently part of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She was the second of four daughters. Poverty made it necessary for Alcott to go to work at an early age as an occasional teacher, seamstress, governess, domestic helper, and writer. Her first book was Flower Fables (1855), a selection of tales. In 1860, Alcott began writing for the Atlantic Monthly. She was a nurse in the Union Hospital at Georgetown, D.C., for six weeks in 1862–1863. Her letters home, revised and published in the Commonwealth and collected as Hospital Sketches (1863), garnered her first critical recognition for her observations and humor. Her novel Moods (1864), based on her own experience, was also promising. She also wrote passionate, fiery novels and sensation stories under the nom de plume A.M. Barnard. Among these are A Long Fatal Love Chase and Pauline’s Passion and Punishment. These works achieved immediate commercial success in their day. Alcott also produced moralistic and wholesome stories for children, and, with the exceptions of the semi-autobiographical tale Work (1873), and the anonymous novelette A Modern Mephistopheles (1875), she did not return to creating works for adults. Most of her later volumes, An Old Fashioned Girl (1870), Aunt Jo’s Scrap Bag (6 vols., 1871–1879), Eight Cousins and its sequel Rose in Bloom (1876), and others, followed in the line of Little Women. Alcott wrote until her death, which was attributed to the after-effects of mercury poisoning contracted during her American Civil War service. She died in Boston on March 6, 1888 at age 55.

Little Women (or Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy) is a novel by American author Louisa May Alcott (1832–1888). Written and set in the Alcott family home, Orchard House, in Concord, Massachusetts, it was published in two parts in 1868 and 1869. The novel follows the lives of four sisters – Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy March – and is loosely based on the author’s childhood experiences with her three sisters. The girls played Pilgrim’s Progress by taking an imaginary journey through their home using the “guidebooks” – copies of the New Testament, described as “that beautiful old story of the best life ever lived” – they receive on Christmas morning. Each of the March girls must struggle to overcome a major character flaw: Meg, vanity; Jo, a hot temper; Beth, shyness; and Amy, selfishness. The girls must work out these flaws in order to live up to their mother and father’s high expectations as mothers, wives, sisters and citizens. The story represents family relationships and explores family life thoroughly. The girls’ mother is head of household while her husband is away. He serves as a chaplain for the Union Army. She engages in charitable works and attempts to guide her girls’ morals and shape their characters, usually through experiments.

Chapter 2

A Merry Christmas

Jo was the first to wake in the gray dawn of Christmas morning. No stockings hung at the fireplace, and for a moment she felt as much disappointed as she did long ago, when her little sock fell down because it was so crammed with goodies. Then she remembered her mother’s promise and, slipping her hand under her pillow, drew out a little crimson-covered book. She knew it very well, for it was that beautiful old story of the best life ever lived, and Jo felt that it was a true guidebook for any pilgrim going the long journey. She woke Meg with a “Merry Christmas”, and bade her see what was under her pillow. A green-covered book appeared, with the same picture inside, and a few words written by their mother, which made their one present very precious in their eyes. Presently Beth and Amy woke to rummage and find their little books also – one dove-colored, the other blue – and all sat looking at and talking about them, while the east grew rosy with the coming day.

In spite of her small vanities, Margaret had a sweet and pious nature, which unconsciously influenced her sisters, especially Jo, who loved her very tenderly, and obeyed her because her advice was so gently given.

“Girls,” said Meg seriously, looking from the tumbled head beside her to the two little nightcapped ones in the room beyond, “Mother wants us to read and love and mind these books, and we must begin at once. We used to be faithful about it, but since Father went away and all this war trouble unsettled us, we have neglected many things. You can do as you please, but I shall keep my book on the table here and read a little every morning as soon as I wake, for I know it will do me good and help me through the day.”

Then she opened her new book and began to read. Jo put her arm round her and, leaning cheek to cheek, read also, with the quiet expression so seldom seen on her restless face.

“How good Meg is! Come, Amy, let’s do as they do. I’ll help you with the hard words, and they’ll explain things if we don’t understand,” whispered Beth, very much impressed by the pretty books and her sisters’ example.

“I’m glad mine is blue,” said Amy. And then the rooms were very still while the pages were softly turned, and the winter sunshine crept in to touch the bright heads and serious faces with a Christmas greeting.

“Where is Mother?” asked Meg, as she and Jo ran down to thank her for their gifts, half an hour later.

Goodness only knows. Some poor creeter come a-beggin’, and your ma went straight off to see what was needed. There never was such a woman for givin’ away vittles and drink, clothes and firin’,” replied Hannah, who had lived with the family since Meg was born, and was considered by them all more as a friend than a servant.

“She will be back soon, I think, so fry your cakes, and have everything ready,” said Meg, looking over the presents which were collected in a basket and kept under the sofa, ready to be produced at the proper time. “Why, where is Amy’s bottle of cologne?” she added, as the little flask did not appear.

“She took it out a minute ago, and went off with it to put a ribbon on it, or some such notion,” replied Jo, dancing about the room to take the first stiffness off the new army slippers.

“How nice my handkerchiefs look, don’t they? Hannah washed and ironed them for me, and I marked them all myself,” said Beth, looking proudly at the somewhat uneven letters which had cost her such labor.

“Bless the child! She’s gone and put ‘Mother’ on them instead of ‘M. March.’ How funny!” cried Jo taking up one.

“Isn’t it right? I thought it was better to do it so, because Meg’s initials are M. M., and I don’t want anyone to use these but Marmee,” said Beth, looking troubled.

“It’s all right, dear, and a very pretty idea – quite sensible, too, for no one can ever mistake now. It will please her very much, I know,” said Meg, with a frown for Jo and a smile for Beth.

“There’s Mother. Hide the basket, quick!” cried Jo, as a door slammed and steps sounded in the hall.

Amy came in hastily, and looked rather abashed when she saw her sisters all waiting for her.

“Where have you been, and what are you hiding behind you?” asked Meg, surprised to see, by her hood and cloak, that lazy Amy had been out so early.

“Don’t laugh at me, Jo! I didn’t mean anyone should know till the time came. I only meant to change the little bottle for a big one, and I gave all my money to get it, and I’m truly trying not to be selfish any more.”

As she spoke, Amy showed the handsome flask which replaced the cheap one, and looked so earnest and humble in her little effort to forget herself that Meg hugged her on the spot, and Jo pronounced her “a trump,” while Beth ran to the window, and picked her finest rose to ornament the stately bottle.

“You see I felt ashamed of my present, after reading and talking about being good this morning, so I ran round the corner and changed it the minute I was up and I’m so glad, for mine is the handsomest now.”

Another bang of the street door sent the basket under the sofa, and the girls to the table, eager for breakfast.

“Merry Christmas, Marmee! Many of them! Thank you for our books; we read some, and mean to every day,” they cried, in chorus.

“Merry Christmas, little daughters! I’m glad you began at once, and hope you will keep on. But I want to say one word before we sit down. Not far away from here lies a poor woman with a little newborn baby. Six children are huddled into one bed to keep from freezing, for they have no fire. There is nothing to eat over there, and the oldest boy came to tell me they were suffering hunger and cold. My girls, will you give them your breakfast as a Christmas present?”

They were all unusually hungry, having waited nearly an hour, and for a minute no one spoke – only a minute, for Jo exclaimed impetuously, “I’m so glad you came before we began!”

“May I go and help carry the things to the poor little children?” asked Beth eagerly.

“I shall take the cream and the muffins,” added Amy, heroically giving up the articles she most liked.

Meg was already covering the buckwheats, and piling the bread into one big plate.

“I thought you’d do it,” said Mrs. March, smiling as it satisfied. “You shall all go and help me, and when, we come back we will have bread and milk for breakfast, and make it up at dinnertime.”

They were soon ready, and the procession set out! Fortunately it was early, and they went through back streets, so few people saw them, and no one laughed at the queer party.

A poor, bare, miserable room it was, with broken windows, no fire, ragged bedclothes, a sick mother, wailing baby, and a group of pale, hungry children cuddled under one old quilt, trying to keep warm.

How the big eyes stared and the blue lips smiled as the girls went in!

“Ach, mein Gott! It is good angels come to us!” said the poor woman, crying for joy.

“Funny angels in hoods and mittens,” said Jo, and set them laughing.

In a few minutes it really did seem as if kind spirits had been at work there. Hannah, who had carried wood, made a fire, and stopped up the broken panes with old hats and her own cloak. Mrs. March gave the mother tea and gruel, and comforted her with promises of help, while she dressed the little baby as tenderly as if it had been her own. The girls meantime spread the table, set the children round the fire, and fed them like so many hungry birds – laughing, talking, and trying to understand the funny broken English.

“Das ist gut!” “Die Engel-kinder!” cried the poor things as they ate and warmed their purple hands at the comfortable blaze.

The girls had never been called angel children before, and thought it very agreeable, especially Jo, who had been considered a “Sancho” ever since she was born. That was a very happy breakfast, though they didn’t get any of it; and when they went away, leaving comfort behind, I think there were not in all the city four merrier people than the hungry little girls who gave away their breakfasts and contented themselves with bread and milk on Christmas morning.

“That’s loving our neighbor better than ourselves, and I like it”, said Meg, as they set out their presents while their mother was upstairs collecting clothes for the poor Hummels. …

1. Translate the following word combinations into Russian. Describe the situations in which they were used.

• to be crammed with goodies

• to look earnest and humble

• to wake to rummage

• on the spot

• small vanities

• to cry in chorus

• a pious nature

• to keep from freezing

• a restless face

• to suffer hunger and cold

• to take the first stiffness off smth

• to exclaim impetuously

• to cost smb such labor

• to comfort smb with promises of help

• to look abashed

• to contend oneself with smth

2. Study the following:

crimson deep red in colour, e.g. The leaves turn crimson in autumn.

pilgrim a religious person who travels a long way to a holy place, e.g. Thousands of Christian pilgrims converged on Bethlehem to celebrate Christmas Eve.

to bid (bade) to order or tell someone what to do, e.g. The queen bade us enter.

precious something that is valuable and important and should not be wasted or used without care. Precious memories or possessions are important to you because they remind you of people you like or events in your life, e.g. The doll is cracked and worn, but it’s precious to me because it was my mother’s.

to obey to do what someone in authority tells you to do, or what a law or rule says you must do, e.g. All citizens must obey the law and be loyal to the Constitution.

to unsettle to make someone feel slightly nervous, worried, or upset, e.g. Ted’s angry outbursts unsettled the whole family.

to neglect to pay too little attention to something, e.g. Some teachers devote too much time to helping their slower students and neglect the brighter ones.

to creep (crept) to move in a quiet, careful way, especially to avoid attracting attention, e.g. Clouds crept across the horizon, just above the line of trees.

uneven not smooth, flat, or level; not regular, e.g. We listened to the uneven rhythm of the wind’s roar.

sensible reasonable, practical, and showing good judgment, e.g. He gave me some very sensible advice.

to slam if a door, gate etc slams, or if someone slams it, it shuts with a loud noise [= bang], e.g. He slammed the door so hard that the glass cracked.

to hug to put your arms around someone and hold them tightly to show love or friendship [= embrace], e.g. She went to her daughter and hugged her tightly.

to huddle if a group of people huddle together, they stay very close to each other, especially because they are cold or frightened, e.g. We lay huddled together for warmth.

muffin a small, usually sweet cake that sometimes has small pieces of fruit in it, e.g. Let the muffins cool in the pan for at least fifteen minutes.

queer (old-fashioned) strange or difficult to explain, e.g. She gave a queer laugh.

miserable extremely unhappy, or very small in amount, or very bad in quality, e.g. I can hardly afford the rent on my miserable income.

ragged torn and in bad condition, e.g. A man in ragged clothes was begging on the corner.

to wail to cry out with a long high sound, especially because you are very sad or in pain, e.g. Somewhere behind them a child began to wail.

to cuddle (up) to lie or sit very close to someone or something, e.g. The children cuddled up to each other for warmth.

quilt a warm thick cover for a bed, made by sewing two layers of cloth together, with feathers or a thick material in between them [= duvet], e.g. Stephen was still in bed but sitting up and there were books on Vangmoor all over the quilt.

to stop smth up to block a hole or pipe so that water, smoke etc cannot go through it, e.g. It is very cold in the room. You should stop up the window.

pane a piece of glass used in a window or door, e.g. I watched the rain as it pounded against the window pane.

gruel a food made of oats cooked in water or milk, which poor people ate in the past, e.g. Every morning long lines formed outside, and hundreds of orphans lined up with cans to wait for the gruel.

agreeable (written or old-fashioned) pleasant, e.g. We spent a most agreeable couple of hours.

3. Make up as many sentences as you can using the words from exercise 2.

4. What can you say about the main characters of the story (Meg, Jo, Beth, Amy and their mother)? Pick up all words, word combinations and quotations where the characters become mostly revealed.

5. Answer the questions.

1. Why did the girls like their Mother’s presents so much?

2. How did the girls prepare for their Christmas breakfast?

3. What story did Mrs March tell to her daughters when she came home?

4. What did the poor woman’s room look like?

5. How did it change after the girls had come?

6. Why were the girls happy though they didn’t get any of their Christmas breakfast?

6. Questions to think about.

1. What can you say about the relationships between the four sisters?

2. How can you describe the relationships between Mrs March and her daughters?

3. Do you agree that a good book is the best present? Why?

4. Was the Mother right when she asked her daughters to sacrifice their breakfast? What would you do if you were in the girls’ shoes?

5. Can you agree that the girls’ action was heroic? Why do you think so?

6. What is your personal attitude to charity? Is charity only for the rich?

7. Do you have any character flaws you would like to overcome? How do you do it?

8. Do you agree that we should love our neighbor better than ourselves? Why?

7. Make up a dialogue between the girls’ neighbours (Mr Smith and Mrs Brown). The two women are gossiping about the March family. They are discussing Mrs March and her daughters’ unenviable position and find their charity stupid.

8. Imagine that you are Mrs March and you are writing a letter to your husband. Describe the latest events and make your letter as gentle and affectionate as possible.

9. Describe the girls’ future. What may happen to them in 10-20 years to your mind?

10. Read and translate the quotations below. Choose one of them and say if you agree or disagree with the author’s point of view. Expand his/her idea.

• “A happy family is but an earlier heaven.” (George Bernard Shaw)

• “A family is a place where principles are hammered and honed on the anvil of everyday living.” (Charles R. Swindoll)

• “The heart of a mother is a deep abyss at the bottom of which you will always find forgiveness.” (Honore de Balzac)

• “The love of a mother is the veil of a softer light between the heart and the heavenly Father.” (Samuel Taylor Coleridge)

• “A sister is both your mirror – and your opposite.” (Elizabeth Fishel)

• “For there is no friend like a sister in calm or stormy weather; To cheer one on the tedious way, to fetch one if one goes astray, to lift one if one totters down, to strengthen whilst one stands.” (Christina Rossetti)

• “Generosity is giving more than you can....” (Kahlil Gibran)

• “Generosity is not giving me that which I need more than you do, but it is giving me that which you need more than I do.” (Kahlil Gibran)