Little Women Chapter Summaries
Summary — Preface
The preface of Little Women is an excerpt from John Bunyan’s 17th century
allegorical novel, The Pilgrim’s Progress. It is a symbolic novel about living a
Christian life. The excerpt is about the novel’s female character Mercy and
not its main male character, Christian. It is an indication that Alcott’s novel
will be a guide for young girls.
Summary — Chapter 1: Playing Pilgrims
One December evening, Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy are sitting at home,
lamenting their poor financial condition. The March family used to be wealthy
earlier but Mr. March somehow lost his fortune. The four sisters are upset as
they do not expect Christmas presents this year. Meg admits that
irrespective their financial state she wants to have Christmas gift. Similarly,
Jo wants a copy of Undine and Sintram, a book of two German tales. Beth
wants new music, while Amy seeks drawing pencils as her gift. Meg works as
a nanny and Jo works as a companion to Aunt March but both of them are
unhappy with their jobs and salary. Beth is fed up of doing household chores
while Amy is not satisfied with her nose. In order to brighten their Christmas,
the March girls resolve that they will each buy themselves a present. Soon,
they change their minds and decide to buy presents for their mother,
Marmee. They discuss Jo’s play ‘The Witch’s Curse’ which they will perform
on the Christmas Day. Even as they are talking about it, Marmee returns
home with a letter from Mr. March, who is serving as a Union chaplain in the
Civil War. The letter urges the little girls to be good; it makes them feel
ashamed of their whining about family’s poverty. They decide to bear the
burden of their family cheerfully. Meg’s burden is her vanity, Jo is
temperamental, Beth’s bane is her housework and Amy is selfish to a large
extent. In order to lighten the family atmosphere, Marmee suggests the
sisters pretend playing pilgrims — a game from their childhood in which they
act out scenes from a didactic novel The Pilgrim’s Progress. In this game,
each girl shoulders a burden and tries to make her way to the Celestial City.
Bunyan’s novel and the game are both allegories of living a Christian life; the
physical burdens symbolise real-life burdens and the Celestial City stands for
,heaven. The sisters agree to play their childhood game again, but this time,
by practicing Christian values in their real lives. They all sing before going to
sleep happily.
Summary — Chapter 2: A Merry Christmas
On Christmas morning, the girls are pleasantly surprised to see books under
their pillows. Jo and Meg rush downstairs to see the mother, but the family
servant, Hannah, informs them that Marmee has gone to help poor
neighbors. When Marmee comes back home, she urges the children to give
their delicious Christmas breakfast to the starving Hummel family. The girls
happily do so and enjoy the good work they have done. In the evening, they
enact their play, in which Jo plays the male roles. After the play is over, the
girls come downstairs to see a feast laid out on the table with fresh flowers
and ice cream. Their neighbor, Mr. Laurence, had come to know of the
family’s charitable work in the morning and arranged a feast as a reward for
their generosity. Jo shows her eagerness to meet Mr. Laurence’s grandson.
Summary — Chapter 3: The Laurence Boy
Jo is reading in the attic with her pet rat, Scrabble, and eating apples when
Meg comes to meet her. She excitedly informs her that the two sisters have
been invited to a New Year’s Eve party at the home of Meg’s friend, Sallie
Gardiner. Meg is very excited but is confused about her dress for the party.
Jo, on the other hand, is not very keen but agrees to accompany her. As the
girls are getting ready or the party, Jo burns Meg’s hair while trying to curl
them. Meg is adamant to wear shoes that are too tight for her. Jo must wear
a dress that is burned on the back and must hold her gloves balled up in her
hand to hide the lemonade stains on the dress. Meg is very particular about
social etiquette and has drawn a code for her blundering sister. Meg tells Jo
that she will raise her eyebrows at the party if she does anything improper;
she will nod if Jo is acting ladylike.
At the party, Jo cuts a lonely figure as she does not know anyone. Also, she is
scared that somebody may ask her for dance. So, she quietly slips behind a
, curtain where she meets her neighbor, Laurie, who soon introduces himself
pleasingly. The duo chats and is very comfortable with each other. They
dance together but away from the eyes of everyone else as Jo has to hide
her dress. At the party, Meg sprains her ankle and Laurie drops the siblings
to their home in his carriage. Meg and Jo excitedly tell their younger sisters
all about the party.
Summary — Chapter 4: Burdens
With the festivities over, the girls find it difficult to continue with their jobs.
Meg, a babysitter, does not want to look after the King’ children and Jo is in
no mood to look after Aunt March as she makes Jo read boring books aloud.
Jo likes Aunt March even though she is very strict; both the women have
common traits – both are stubborn and determined. Jo likes the book
collection Uncle March left behind and feels that it makes up for having to
read boring books to Aunt March. Beth, the most introvert of March sisters,
stays at home and does housework dutifully. She takes great care of her doll
collection, most of which is damaged in some way. Little Amy goes to school
and is not happy with her looks, particularly her flat nose.
The March daughters love each other very much and are great friends. But
Amy is special to Meg and Beth commands a soft corner in Jo’s heart. When
the sisters are done with their work, they narrate stories from the day to
each other. Mother Marmee lectures the girls for being grateful for one’s
blessings. Jo quotes Aunt Chloe, a character from Harriet Beecher Stowe’s
novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin, who instructs her listeners to be grateful for their
blessings.
Summary — Chapter 5: Being Neighborly
One winter afternoon, Jo is shoveling a path in the snow when she sees
Laurie in a window. She throws a snowball at the window to get his attention.
Laurie comes out to tell Jo that he has been ill. Feeling sorry for him, Jo says
that she will give him company if her mother gives her the permission to do
so. Marmee allows her to go and Jo comes to the Laurie’s house with food,
Summary — Preface
The preface of Little Women is an excerpt from John Bunyan’s 17th century
allegorical novel, The Pilgrim’s Progress. It is a symbolic novel about living a
Christian life. The excerpt is about the novel’s female character Mercy and
not its main male character, Christian. It is an indication that Alcott’s novel
will be a guide for young girls.
Summary — Chapter 1: Playing Pilgrims
One December evening, Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy are sitting at home,
lamenting their poor financial condition. The March family used to be wealthy
earlier but Mr. March somehow lost his fortune. The four sisters are upset as
they do not expect Christmas presents this year. Meg admits that
irrespective their financial state she wants to have Christmas gift. Similarly,
Jo wants a copy of Undine and Sintram, a book of two German tales. Beth
wants new music, while Amy seeks drawing pencils as her gift. Meg works as
a nanny and Jo works as a companion to Aunt March but both of them are
unhappy with their jobs and salary. Beth is fed up of doing household chores
while Amy is not satisfied with her nose. In order to brighten their Christmas,
the March girls resolve that they will each buy themselves a present. Soon,
they change their minds and decide to buy presents for their mother,
Marmee. They discuss Jo’s play ‘The Witch’s Curse’ which they will perform
on the Christmas Day. Even as they are talking about it, Marmee returns
home with a letter from Mr. March, who is serving as a Union chaplain in the
Civil War. The letter urges the little girls to be good; it makes them feel
ashamed of their whining about family’s poverty. They decide to bear the
burden of their family cheerfully. Meg’s burden is her vanity, Jo is
temperamental, Beth’s bane is her housework and Amy is selfish to a large
extent. In order to lighten the family atmosphere, Marmee suggests the
sisters pretend playing pilgrims — a game from their childhood in which they
act out scenes from a didactic novel The Pilgrim’s Progress. In this game,
each girl shoulders a burden and tries to make her way to the Celestial City.
Bunyan’s novel and the game are both allegories of living a Christian life; the
physical burdens symbolise real-life burdens and the Celestial City stands for
,heaven. The sisters agree to play their childhood game again, but this time,
by practicing Christian values in their real lives. They all sing before going to
sleep happily.
Summary — Chapter 2: A Merry Christmas
On Christmas morning, the girls are pleasantly surprised to see books under
their pillows. Jo and Meg rush downstairs to see the mother, but the family
servant, Hannah, informs them that Marmee has gone to help poor
neighbors. When Marmee comes back home, she urges the children to give
their delicious Christmas breakfast to the starving Hummel family. The girls
happily do so and enjoy the good work they have done. In the evening, they
enact their play, in which Jo plays the male roles. After the play is over, the
girls come downstairs to see a feast laid out on the table with fresh flowers
and ice cream. Their neighbor, Mr. Laurence, had come to know of the
family’s charitable work in the morning and arranged a feast as a reward for
their generosity. Jo shows her eagerness to meet Mr. Laurence’s grandson.
Summary — Chapter 3: The Laurence Boy
Jo is reading in the attic with her pet rat, Scrabble, and eating apples when
Meg comes to meet her. She excitedly informs her that the two sisters have
been invited to a New Year’s Eve party at the home of Meg’s friend, Sallie
Gardiner. Meg is very excited but is confused about her dress for the party.
Jo, on the other hand, is not very keen but agrees to accompany her. As the
girls are getting ready or the party, Jo burns Meg’s hair while trying to curl
them. Meg is adamant to wear shoes that are too tight for her. Jo must wear
a dress that is burned on the back and must hold her gloves balled up in her
hand to hide the lemonade stains on the dress. Meg is very particular about
social etiquette and has drawn a code for her blundering sister. Meg tells Jo
that she will raise her eyebrows at the party if she does anything improper;
she will nod if Jo is acting ladylike.
At the party, Jo cuts a lonely figure as she does not know anyone. Also, she is
scared that somebody may ask her for dance. So, she quietly slips behind a
, curtain where she meets her neighbor, Laurie, who soon introduces himself
pleasingly. The duo chats and is very comfortable with each other. They
dance together but away from the eyes of everyone else as Jo has to hide
her dress. At the party, Meg sprains her ankle and Laurie drops the siblings
to their home in his carriage. Meg and Jo excitedly tell their younger sisters
all about the party.
Summary — Chapter 4: Burdens
With the festivities over, the girls find it difficult to continue with their jobs.
Meg, a babysitter, does not want to look after the King’ children and Jo is in
no mood to look after Aunt March as she makes Jo read boring books aloud.
Jo likes Aunt March even though she is very strict; both the women have
common traits – both are stubborn and determined. Jo likes the book
collection Uncle March left behind and feels that it makes up for having to
read boring books to Aunt March. Beth, the most introvert of March sisters,
stays at home and does housework dutifully. She takes great care of her doll
collection, most of which is damaged in some way. Little Amy goes to school
and is not happy with her looks, particularly her flat nose.
The March daughters love each other very much and are great friends. But
Amy is special to Meg and Beth commands a soft corner in Jo’s heart. When
the sisters are done with their work, they narrate stories from the day to
each other. Mother Marmee lectures the girls for being grateful for one’s
blessings. Jo quotes Aunt Chloe, a character from Harriet Beecher Stowe’s
novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin, who instructs her listeners to be grateful for their
blessings.
Summary — Chapter 5: Being Neighborly
One winter afternoon, Jo is shoveling a path in the snow when she sees
Laurie in a window. She throws a snowball at the window to get his attention.
Laurie comes out to tell Jo that he has been ill. Feeling sorry for him, Jo says
that she will give him company if her mother gives her the permission to do
so. Marmee allows her to go and Jo comes to the Laurie’s house with food,
