Chapter 10

Little Women

Trailblazers · 4th–6th

Copywork

Up rose Snodgrass, very much in earnest. “Sir, I give you my word as a gentleman, Laurie won’t do anything of the sort. He likes to write, and he’ll give a tone to our contributions, and keep us from being sentimental, don’t you see? We can do so little for him, and he does so much for us, I think the least we can do is to offer him a place here, and make him welcome if he comes.”

Read your copy aloud in Jo's parliamentary voice. She gives the club three things: a promise, a claim about Laurie's writing, and a reason about gratitude. Which one do you think turned the vote, and why?

Discussion

Narration Retell the Saturday meeting in order: the Portfolio, Jo's proposal, the two votes, the closet, and Laurie's post-office.

1. The club ties on badges “with great solemnity,” yet its paper mourns a missing cat in verse. What is the mood in the garret?Tone

2. Meg worries that Laurie will laugh at their paper and make fun of them afterward. What does she seem to be protecting?Inference

3. Beth first says a timid “Ay,” then “we ought to do it, even if we are afraid.” What moves her?Character

4. When Laurie says Jo “is not to be blamed,” Jo answers, “you know I proposed the cupboard.” Why might each of them want the blame?Moral reasoning

5. Why might Alcott end the chapter on the post-office and the love-letters to come, instead of on Laurie's welcome at the club?Author's choice

Make a Connection Tell about a club or a group of friends you wanted to keep private, and what happened when someone new joined.

Vocabulary

Crossword

1							2
						3
4			5
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	7	8
								9
				10

Across

Across 1. Too full of soft, gushing feeling.
Across 3. An indirect mention that points at something.
Across 4. Pieces given to a shared work.
Across 7. Held back; kept from showing.
Across 10. Grew and thrived.

Down

Down 2. Thrilled and roused suddenly.
Down 5. A clever trick or scheme.
Down 6. Loyal and full of care.
Down 8. A plan offered for others to accept.
Down 9. Being allowed to join a group.

The words in the chapter

sentimental and keep us from being sentimental, don’t you see?
contributions he’ll give a tone to our contributions,
proposition and then Mr. Snodgrass rose to make a proposition.
admission I wish to propose the admission of a new member⁠—
allusion This artful allusion to benefits conferred brought Tupman to his feet,

stratagem is not to be blamed for the base stratagem of tonight.
suppressed flushed and twinkling with suppressed laughter.
devoted a more devoted, well-behaved, and jovial member
flourished The P.O. was a capital little institution, and flourished wonderfully,
electrified This spirited burst from Beth electrified the club,

Critical thinking

1. The opening tells us each sister's garden reflects her character. Choose Jo or Beth. Using two pieces of evidence, explain how her garden fits her.

2. Laurie steps out of the closet to three angry girls. Using two pieces of evidence, explain how he wins them over.

3. Winkle's note apologizes for laughing and for a missing piece. Using two pieces of evidence, explain how the club handles a member's faults.