Print at 100% scale on letter paper, with no added margins.
Little Women
Trailblazers · 4th–6th
Jo and Laurie each say "I’ll tell you how we can manage", and the party runs on hiding, Meg's tight slippers and concealed sprain on one side and Laurie's empty hall and "I always go early" on the other, so what separates the hiding that costs the hider pain from the hiding that spares someone else?
The tension The chapter sets two kinds of concealment side by side and lets both sisters enjoy the party anyway. Meg hides her burnt hair, her painful slippers, and finally her sprained ankle to protect the look of a real lady, and each hiding costs her more, though she says she had a good time "till I hurt myself." Jo confesses the burnt breadth to Laurie, and Laurie hides things too, but for someone else's ease: he does not laugh, he finds an empty hall, he claims he always goes early. The narrator mocks with "let us be elegant or die!" and then closes by siding with Jo, yet Jo still wishes for two neat gloves when she sees Laurie's pearl-colored ones.
Notice what Meg, Jo, and Laurie each keep out of sight at the party, and who it costs or spares.
Meg and Jo are invited to a New-Year's dance and plan how to share their gloves. Jo burns Meg's hair with the tongs. At the party Meg dances in tight slippers while Jo hides in a curtained recess and meets the Laurence boy. Laurie leads her to an empty hall to dance, Meg sprains her ankle, and Laurie offers his grandfather's carriage for the ride home.
Start with Meg's slippers and ask what it takes to keep smiling on a foot that hurts.
Retell The student tells the night back in order: the gloves, the burnt hair, the curtain, the empty hall, the sprained ankle, and the ride home.
Imitate the author After copying the passage, the student writes two sentences in Laurie's pattern: a gentle 'Never mind that' and a plan that solves a small problem.
Debate Sort the hiding in the chapter: which kinds cost the hider, and which spare someone else? Each side must use at least one quote from the chapter.
Purpose Close by asking why Alcott might set Meg's tight slippers beside Laurie's empty hall.
Easier Read the scene in the curtained recess aloud together and talk through discussion questions 1 and 2 only.
On level Talk through all five discussion questions, then have the student write one critical-thinking answer with two pieces of evidence from the chapter.
Harder Ask the student to find one more place where someone keeps something out of sight, and to add it to a critical-thinking answer.
1. Jo admits her scorched frock and says “You may laugh, if you want to.” Laurie does not laugh. What might he be thinking in that moment?Inference
What it asks It asks what Laurie's pause and his answer show about how he sees Jo's secret.
He sees she is embarrassed and wants to spare her, so he gently offers a plan.
But Laurie didn’t laugh; he only looked down a minute, and the expression of his face puzzled Jo, when he said very gently
Never mind that; I’ll tell you how we can manage: there’s a long hall out there, and we can dance grandly, and no one will see us. Please come?
He knows what it is to feel out of place at a party, so he does not make fun of her.
Not a bit; I only came here because I don’t know many people, and felt rather strange at first, you know.
Laurie’s bashfulness soon wore off
A strong answer Jo has told a secret and even offered him a laugh. Laurie looks down for a minute and then gently makes a plan so she can dance. Perhaps he is sparing her embarrassment. Perhaps he remembers that he too came to the recess because he felt strange among so many people. Either way, he answers her with a plan and not a joke.
2. Meg dances all evening in slippers that hurt, though she “would not own it.” What is she trying to protect?Character
What it asks It asks what Meg values enough to keep smiling through pain.
She is protecting how she looks: she wants to seem a proper young lady.
for a real lady is always known by neat boots, gloves, and handkerchief
Is my sash right? and does my hair look very bad?
She is protecting her good time: she has longed for this party and is asked to dance at once.
Meg was asked at once, and the tight slippers tripped about so briskly that none would have guessed the pain their wearer suffered smilingly.
I had a delicious redowa with him.
A strong answer Meg's slippers are tight and hurt, but she will not admit it, and she dances so briskly that nobody guesses. She may be protecting her picture of a real lady, who is known by neat boots and gloves. She may just as well be protecting an evening she has looked forward to, since she is asked to dance at once. A strong answer names what she wants and notes that the chapter lets us see the pain she hides.
3. Laurie offers his grandfather's carriage and says “I always go early.” Do you believe him, and does it matter?Moral reasoning
What it asks It asks whether Laurie's statement is a lie, a kindness, or both, and whether the truth of it matters.
He probably just wants to help, and the reason he gives is a way to make it easy for Jo to say yes.
It’s so early! You can’t mean to go yet?
Please let me take you home? It’s all on my way, you know, and it rains, they say.
It may be true. He is new to parties and has told Jo he feels strange in company.
you see I’ve been abroad a good many years, and haven’t been into company enough yet to know how you do things here
offered his grandfather’s carriage, which had just come for him, he said
A strong answer The chapter says the carriage had just come for him, he said, which leaves room to wonder. Jo has just said it is early, and he answers by adding reasons: it is on his way, and it rains. A careful reader can doubt him and still call it kind, or can take him at his word because he says he is new to parties. A strong answer decides, gives the scene's reason, and says why it matters or does not.
4. The narrator jokes “let us be elegant or die!” and ends by saying “I think Jo was quite right.” What does the narrator seem to feel about the sisters' efforts?Tone
What it asks It asks the student to hear the narrator's voice across two lines and notice how it changes from start to finish.
The narrator smiles at the sisters' efforts, gently teasing how much they put up with to look fine.
Meg’s high-heeled slippers were very tight, and hurt her, though she would not own it, and Jo’s nineteen hairpins all seemed stuck straight into her head, which was not exactly comfortable; but, dear me, let us be elegant or die!
The narrator ends on the sisters' side, pleased that they can do without the finery.
I don’t believe fine young ladies enjoy themselves a bit more than we do, in spite of our burnt hair, old gowns, one glove apiece, and tight slippers that sprain our ankles when we are silly enough to wear them.
And I think Jo was quite right.
A strong answer The first line is playful: the narrator lists the pinching slippers and hairpins and then jokes that the sisters must be elegant or die. The last line is warm and plain: Jo says fine young ladies enjoy themselves no more than the Marches, and the narrator agrees. A strong answer hears teasing and approval in the same voice and says what the narrator wants the reader to take from the night.
5. Jo and Meg share their gloves: each wears one good one and carries one stained one. How much do appearances matter to each sister at this party?Theme
What it asks It asks how much Meg and Jo each care about looking right, and whether that changes how the evening goes.
They matter a great deal to Meg, who sets the rules, and Jo goes along with them.
Gloves are more important than anything else; you can’t dance without them, and if you don’t I should be so mortified.
Now don’t forget to keep the bad breadth out of sight, Jo.
They matter less than the sisters think: Jo is happiest once her dress is forgotten, and Meg enjoyed herself until she was hurt.
Jo was her merry self again, because her dress was forgotten, and nobody lifted their eyebrows at her.
Yes, till I hurt myself.
A strong answer Meg says gloves are more important than anything else, and she sets rules for Jo: short steps, no winking. Jo says she does not care what people say, yet she still carries the stained glove and stays out of sight. Jo is merriest once her dress is forgotten, and Meg says she had a good time until she hurt herself. A strong answer compares the sisters and says how much the appearances really mattered to the evening.
1. Amy and Beth both comfort Meg after the burnt hair. Using two pieces of evidence, explain whose comfort helps Meg more.
What it asks It asks the student to compare two ways of comforting: giving a fix, or giving sympathy.
Amy helps more: she gives Meg something she can do about it.
It isn’t spoilt; just frizzle it, and tie your ribbon so the ends come on your forehead a bit, and it will look like the last fashion.
said Amy consolingly
Beth helps more: she agrees with Meg's feeling and offers hope.
So do I, it was so smooth and pretty. But it will soon grow out again,
coming to kiss and comfort the shorn sheep
A strong answer Amy offers a fix: frizzle it, tie the ribbon low, and it will look like the last fashion. Meg answers with a petulant wish that she had let her hair alone. Beth agrees that it was smooth and pretty, says it will grow out, and kisses her. A strong answer picks one and gives both pieces of evidence, and says whether Meg needs a plan or sympathy first.
2. Jo and Laurie meet behind a curtain and soon feel like old acquaintances. Using two pieces of evidence, explain why they get on so easily.
What it asks It asks what the two share in the recess that makes talk easy so quickly.
They are both shy and out of place, so neither feels judged.
Not a bit; I only came here because I don’t know many people, and felt rather strange at first, you know.
So did I. Don’t go away, please, unless you’d rather.
Jo's plain, funny manner puts Laurie at ease, and he is glad to be asked about himself.
Laurie’s bashfulness soon wore off; for Jo’s gentlemanly demeanor amused and set him at his ease
Jo’s eager questions soon set him going
A strong answer They begin by finding the same hiding place for the same reason: neither knows many people and both feel strange. Then Jo's gentlemanly manner and eager questions set Laurie at his ease. A strong answer uses one thing they say and one thing the narrator says, and explains why shared shyness makes it easy to talk.
3. In the side-room, Meg sends Jo for coffee and Jo would rather stay. Using two pieces of evidence, explain how Jo shows she cares about Meg.
What it asks It asks how Jo's care shows itself in what she says and does when Meg is hurt.
Jo shows care by doing: she rubs the ankle, offers to go, and wants to stay.
answered Jo, softly rubbing the poor ankle as she spoke
They are going out to supper now. I’ll stay with you; I’d rather.
Jo's care is honest and blunt, and she also obeys Meg's rules even when she would rather not.
I knew you’d hurt your feet with those silly shoes. I’m sorry.
Jo went blundering away to the dining-room
A strong answer Jo rubs the aching ankle, offers to go for the carriage, and says she would rather stay than go to supper. She also says plainly that she knew the silly shoes would hurt Meg, then says she is sorry. When Meg sends her for coffee, she goes. A strong answer uses one thing Jo does and one thing she says, and explains what kind of care the two show together.