Tuesday, August 11, 2015

What is the sequential plot line for Alcott's Little Women?

Little Women begins at Christmas time
with the March family and Mr. March away in the Civil War. The adventures of the little
women begins when a wealthy neighbor invites the family to join them for a Christmas
party. This is where Jo meets Laurie, the grandson of the wealthy neighbor, while both
are hiding from the party. While the text is too extensive for a full plot description
here, the next major event occurs when Mrs. March is called away to the War herself
because her husband is gravely ill and, in her absence, Beth contracts scarlet fever
from the baby of a poor family she has gone to give comfort and aid to. To protect her
from the fever, Amy is sent to Aunt March. Later at another Christmas party, Mr. Brooke
declares his love and asks Meg to marry him. They must be content to wait for three
years though as Meg is too young at present for marriage, although the eldest.
Meanwhile, Beth recovers from her nearly fatal fever just as Mrs. March returns. The
next surprise return to the family occurs when Laurie escorts Mr. March home from the
War.

Part II opens three years later with Mr. March being a minister
and Meg's wedding in preparation. Laurie hints to Jo that her wedding will follow Meg's,
but she responds by saying she is far more interested in other things, such as the new
career as an author, with a short story sold for $100 and a novel completed but rejected
as needing major revisions. Aunt March was adamantly opposed to Meg's intended marriage
but has relented over time and shows her change of heart through a lovely and
extravagant gift for the new couple. After a time, Meg declares marriage to be good and
bears twins to prove it. The romance between Jo and Laurie, however, takes a devastating
turn when Jo, teaching now in New York and meeting other kinds of people, returns home
and rejects Laurie's offer of marriage. To soothe his shattered hopes, Laurie travels to
Europe with his grandfather. It happens that Amy had recently gone to Europe as well
under Aunt March's auspice to study art. When news reaches the travelers of Beth's
death, Laurie seeks out Amy to comfort her. It is no surprise when Laurie and Amy return
from Europe hand in hand as husband and wife and Jo marries Professor Bhaer whom she met
in New York just before rejecting Laurie's marriage offer. Jo and Bhaer open a school
for boys in the house left to her in Aunt March's will.

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