Chapter 28 · Little Women

Copywork

For a minute she felt as if she really couldn’t do it; then came the thought, “This is the beginning, I’ll do my part, and have nothing to reproach myself with,” and stooping down, she softly kissed her husband on the forehead.

Read your copy aloud. How does Meg feel for a minute? Find the thought that finally moves her, and say whether it is about John or about herself. Then find what she does once she has it.

Discussion

Narration Tell back the jelly day and the quarrel that followed, then the silk and what Meg and John did about it.

Meg and John agree never to trouble anyone with their private worries or quarrels, then laugh at that last word as "a most preposterous" idea. What does the laugh tell us? Inference
Meg says John should have sent word. John says she always told him to bring friends home. Whose complaint is fairer? Moral reasoning
The narrator calls John's new-moon remark "singularly relevant" and Meg's reply "equally soothing." What is the tone, and what does it do to the silence? Tone
Marmee warned Meg about John's "white, still anger." Do we see that anger in the jelly quarrel, or something milder? Character
The chapter ends with Laurie's joke name for the twins, Demijohn. Why might the author end on a laugh? Author's choice

Make a Connection Tell about a time a small joke turned a bad moment around, or made it worse.

Vocabulary

reproach: I’ll do my part, and have nothing to reproach myself with,” and stooping down, To blame; a cause for blame.
stooping: and stooping down, she softly kissed her husband on the forehead. Bending forward and down.
dyspeptic: John grew dyspeptic after a course of dainty dishes, and ungratefully demanded plain fare. Suffering from poor digestion.
refractory: So Meg wrestled alone with the refractory sweetmeats all that hot summer day, Stubbornly refusing to behave.
aggrieved: I never tried it before, and hang me if I ever do again!” added John, with an aggrieved air. Feeling wronged.
exert: Don’t cry, dear, but just exert yourself a bit, and knock us up something to eat. To put forth effort.
assuage: she tried to assuage the pangs of remorse by spreading forth the lovely silk; To ease or soothe.
furbelows: with all the furbelows and notions you have to have to finish it off these days.” Showy trimmings on a dress.
remorse: A week of remorse nearly made Meg sick; Deep regret for a wrong done.
countermanded: and the discovery that John had countermanded the order for his new greatcoat reduced her to a state of despair which was pathetic to behold. Cancelled by a later order.

Critical thinking

Sallie urges Meg to buy the silk and offers a loan. Using two pieces of evidence, explain how much of the silk trouble is Sallie's doing.
John says, "I can't afford it, my dear," and cancels his greatcoat. Using two pieces of evidence, explain what this does to Meg and what it shows about John.
Meg puts "her pride in her pocket" and goes to Sallie. Using two pieces of evidence, explain what she has to set aside to do it.