He felt as if suddenly shaken out of a pensive dream, and found it impossible to go to sleep again.Lost in serious thought.
Little Women
Chapter 39
Louisa May Alcott · Trailblazers 4th–6th
Copywork
Now, Laurie flattered himself that he had borne it remarkably well, making no moan, asking no sympathy, and taking his trouble away to live it down alone. Amy’s lecture put the matter in a new light, and for the first time it did look weak and selfish to lose heart at the first failure, and shut himself up in moody indifference. He felt as if suddenly shaken out of a pensive dream, and found it impossible to go to sleep again.
Read your copy aloud. Find the three things Laurie counts as having borne it well. Then find the two words the same conduct looks like in a new light, and say what changed between the first sentence and the second, since Laurie's behavior did not.
Discussion
Narration Tell back the month at Nice, the afternoon at Valrosa, and how Laurie leaves.
- Amy starts to say he is “so changed,” and Laurie answers, “It’s all right, ma’am.” Does that settle her worry, or does he steer her away from it? Inference
- Laurie says Amy's plan to make a good match “sounds odd from the lips of one of your mother’s girls.” She answers, “True, nevertheless.” What do you make of that exchange? Character
- Laurie says, “Wait till you’ve tried it yourself.” Does Amy have the right to lecture him? Moral reasoning
- Amy finishes with two sketches, the figure on the grass and Laurie taming a horse, instead of another speech. Why might Alcott let pictures have the last word? Author's choice
- Laurie's goodbye note is signed “Telemachus” and jokes about a “blissful honeymoon at Valrosa.” What is the tone, and what might it cover? Tone
Make a Connection Tell about a time a friend told you something hard that you needed to hear.
Vocabulary
- pensive
- indifference
and for the first time it did look weak and selfish to lose heart at the first failure, and shut himself up in moody indifference.
Lack of interest or concern.- amicable
she answered with a smile, and they went on together in the most amicable manner.
Friendly and without quarrel.- superstition
and he stood a minute looking down at them with a curious expression, for in the Italian part of his nature there was a touch of superstition,
Belief in signs and omens.- indolence
“Natural indolence, you mean.
Habitual laziness.- effigy
“You look like the effigy of a young knight asleep on his tomb,” she said, carefully tracing the well-cut profile defined against the dark stone.
A carved likeness of a person.- apathy
Being decidedly nettled herself, and longing to see him shake off the apathy that so altered him, Amy sharpened both tongue and pencil,
Absence of feeling or energy.- imperturbable
She thought it would annoy him; but he only folded his arms under his head, with an imperturbable “That’s not bad.
Impossible to ruffle.- supine
of strength, courage, and youthful buoyancy, that contrasted sharply with the supine grace of the “ Dolce far niente ” sketch.
Lying flat on the back; inactive.- efficacious
indifferent air, but it was an affectation now, for the rousing had been more efficacious than he would confess.
Effective; producing the intended result.
Critical thinking
- Amy puts together “various hints and trifles” about Laurie in a minute. Using two pieces of evidence, explain what she notices and what she decides.
- Amy tells Laurie she will not try art any more. Using two pieces of evidence, explain why.
- Amy and Laurie “never quarrelled,” even when she teases him about his gloves. Using two pieces of evidence, explain why they get along.