“They are trash, and will soon be worse than trash if I go on; for each is more sensational than the last.Written to shock and thrill.
Little Women
Chapter 34
Louisa May Alcott · Trailblazers 4th–6th
Copywork
Being a little shortsighted, Mr. Bhaer sometimes used eyeglasses, and Jo had tried them once, smiling to see how they magnified the fine print of her book; now she seemed to have got on the Professor’s mental or moral spectacles also; for the faults of these poor stories glared at her dreadfully, and filled her with dismay. “They are trash, and will soon be worse than trash if I go on; for each is more sensational than the last.
Read your copy aloud. What does the narrator say Jo seems to have put on, and what do her stories look like through it? Then find the words Jo uses for the stories now.
Discussion
Narration Tell back how Jo came to write sensation stories, what Professor Bhaer showed her, and how her winter ended.
- Jo tells Mr. Dashwood the story is for “a friend of mine.” What does that little fiction tell us about how she feels about what she is doing? Inference
- Jo says that if there is a demand for sensation stories, she sees no harm in supplying it. Bhaer answers, “There is a demand for whiskey.” Whose reasoning is stronger? Moral reasoning
- At the symposium Bhaer, who is “slow to offer his own opinions,” blazes up with “honest indignation.” What does that show us about him? Character
- After Jo burns her stories, the narrator breaks in with “Ah, Jo, instead of wishing that, thank God.” Why might the narrator speak to her directly? Author's choice
- Jo leaves thinking, “I’ve written no books, earned no fortune; but I’ve made a friend worth having.” Did she gain or lose this winter? Theme
Make a Connection Tell about a time you kept something you were doing from someone you respected.
Vocabulary
- sensational
- shortsighted
Being a little shortsighted, Mr. Bhaer sometimes used eyeglasses, and Jo had tried them once,
Unable to see clearly at a distance.- harrowing
and, as thrills could not be produced except by harrowing up the souls of the readers, history and romance, land and sea,
Tearing at; deeply distressing.- desecrate
but, unconsciously, she was beginning to desecrate some of the womanliest attributes of a woman’s character.
To treat something sacred with disrespect.- benevolence
Jo often watched him, trying to discover the charm, and, at last, decided that it was benevolence which worked the miracle.
Active good will toward others.- symposium
She took them with her, one night, to a select symposium, held in honor of several celebrities.
A gathering for talk among learned people.- diffident
Now, Mr. Bhaer was a diffident man, and slow to offer his own opinions, not because they were unsettled,
Modest and hesitant to speak.- didactic
She sent this didactic gem to several markets, but it found no purchaser; and she was inclined to agree with Mr. Dashwood,
Meant to teach a lesson, often heavily.- reproof
He did it so quietly that Jo never knew he was watching to see if she would accept and profit by his reproof; but she stood the test,
A correction; a mild rebuke.
Critical thinking
- At the second visit Mr. Dashwood takes Jo's story and names a price. Using two pieces of evidence, explain what he wants from her stories.
- Jo sets out to learn why everyone likes Professor Bhaer. Using two pieces of evidence, explain what she decides draws people to him.
- Jo writes a sermon and then will not write a story for young readers to order. Using two pieces of evidence, explain what she finds out about her own writing.