“Little Women” is a classic novel by Louisa May Alcott, first published in two parts in 1868 and 1869. The story is set in Concord, Massachusetts, during the American Civil War and follows the lives of the four March sisters—Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy—as they grow from childhood to adulthood. The novel explores themes of family, love, and personal growth, highlighting the sisters’ struggles and triumphs as they navigate societal expectations and their own aspirations. From here now. the novel as abridged by Sraboni Ghosh is explained, summarised and questions and answers provided. The first part begins here – Introduction to the March Family
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Part 2: The Christmas Presents
Characters of ‘Little Women’ Novel
Here is a brief summary of the individual characters from Little Women:
- Margaret “Meg” March: Meg is the oldest sister, known for her beauty and well-mannered nature. As the eldest, she takes care of the household when their mother is absent and often tries to keep her sisters from arguing. She works as a governess for a wealthy family and marries John Brooke, with whom she has twins, Daisy and Demi.
- Josephine “Jo” March: Jo is the second-oldest sister and a tomboy. She is strong-willed, clumsy, and loves literature. Jo has a temper, but with her family’s support, she works on controlling it. She initially rejects the idea of marriage but later falls in love with Friedrich Bhaer, whom she marries.
- Elizabeth “Beth” March: Beth is a shy and gentle girl who loves music. She is especially close to Jo. After contracting scarlet fever, Beth’s health declines, and the family realizes she will not recover. Her death deeply affects her sisters, particularly Jo.
- Amy March: The youngest sister, Amy is interested in art and has a somewhat vain and spoiled personality due to being the baby of the family. After her sister Beth falls ill, Amy goes to Europe and later marries Laurie. She has a daughter, whom she names after her late sister Beth.
- Margaret “Marmee” March: The girls’ mother, Marmee, is wise and charitable. She guides her daughters through moral lessons and confides in Jo that she also struggles with her temper but has learned to control it.
- Theodore “Laurie” Laurence: Laurie is a good friend of the March family and eventually marries Amy. He is the grandson of Mr. Laurence.
- Robert “Father” March: The March sisters’ father is a scholar and minister who serves in the Union Army. His past generosity led to the family’s financial struggles.
- Hannah Mullet: The March family’s loyal maid and cook, Hannah is treated more like a family member than a servant. She is very dear to the family.
1. Introduction to the March Family
This introduction sets up the story by showing the closeness of the March sisters, their struggles, and their desire to improve themselves.
Vocabulary:
- Grumble – Complain in a low voice about something you don’t like.
Hindi: बड़बड़ाना - Rug – A soft covering placed on the floor, often near the fireplace.
Hindi: गलीचा - Echoed – A sound that repeated, as if bouncing back from a surface.
Hindi: गूंजा - Awful – Very bad or unpleasant feeling about something.
Hindi: भयानक - Showed maturity – Acted in a responsible and grown-up manner.
Hindi: परिपक्वता दिखाना - Make little sacrifices – To give up small comforts for others’ happiness.
Hindi: छोटे बलिदान करना - Bookworm – Someone who reads a lot and loves books.
Hindi: किताबों का कीड़ा - Won’t mind – Will not be upset or bothered by something.
Hindi: बुरा नहीं मानेगा - Fussy – Very particular and hard to please, often over small details.
Hindi: नखरे वाला - Worst of all work – The most difficult or unpleasant task.
Hindi: सबसे बुरा काम - Fret – To be worried or anxious about something.
Hindi: चिंता करना - Mock – To tease or make fun of someone in a playful or disrespectful way.
Hindi: मजाक उड़ाना - Boyish behavior – Acting in a manner typical of boys, playful or energetic.
Hindi: लड़कों जैसा व्यवहार - Always minded her manners – Always behaved politely and respectfully.
Hindi: हमेशा शिष्टाचार का ध्यान रखा - Cologne – A light perfume or fragrance, often used by men.
Hindi: हल्का इत्र - Brilliance – Great brightness or intelligence.
Hindi: प्रतिभा या चमक - Noble looking – Appearing dignified and honorable.
Hindi: गरिमामय दिखना - Tomboy – A girl who enjoys activities or behaviours typically associated with boys.
Hindi: लड़कों की तरह व्यवहार करने वाली लड़की
Summary First Part of Little Women (Introduction to the March Family)
On Christmas Eve, the four March sisters—Jo, Meg, Beth, and Amy—feel sad because they cannot afford presents. Their father is away fighting in the Civil War, and their mother is busy helping the needy. The girls share their desires for gifts but realize they should make sacrifices like the soldiers. Jo suggests they buy gifts for their mother instead of themselves, and they all agree.
When Mrs. March returns, she brings a letter from their father, which makes the girls emotional. They each promise to improve themselves, inspired by their father’s words. Mrs. March advises them to read the Bible daily to find strength in difficult times. They end the evening singing together as a family.
Explanation: (Introduction to the March Family)
In this part of Little Women, we are introduced to the March family. The four sisters, Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy, are sitting around the fire on Christmas Eve, feeling sad because their father is away, fighting in the Civil War. Their mother, Mrs. March, is also away, helping the poor. The girls express their disappointment at not having presents this Christmas, but Beth, the shy and mature one, reminds them that they still have each other, which is more important.
The girls discuss their small wishes. Jo, the adventurous one, wishes for a book. Beth longs for new music, Amy wants drawing pencils, and Meg, the oldest, is tired of teaching children all day. Despite their complaints, Meg points out that they are happier than rich children because they don’t fight among themselves.
Jo, who is very tomboyish, does not want to follow society’s rules for girls, such as wearing long gowns. Each sister has her own personality: Meg is pretty and responsible, Jo is independent and strong-willed, Beth is shy and caring, and Amy is sweet and proper.
The girls decide to buy their mother presents for Christmas instead of spending the little money they have on themselves. They are also planning a play for Christmas, which Jo, being the creative one, is directing. When Mrs. March comes home, she brings a letter from their father, which makes the girls emotional. He calls them his “little women” and encourages them to take care of their mother and be good.
The letter inspires each sister to reflect on how they can be better. Amy admits she’s selfish, Meg realizes she’s vain, Jo promises to stop acting like a boy, and Beth decides not to be jealous of others. Their mother reassures them that challenges can make them stronger and reminds them to read from the Bible to help them face their problems. At the end of the evening, the girls sing together and go to bed, feeling closer as a family.
This introduction sets up the story by showing the closeness of the March sisters, their struggles, and their desire to improve themselves.
Questions and Answers: (Introduction to the March Family)
Q.1. How do you explain the girls’ mood on Christmas Eve?
Ans: The girls are feeling sad and disappointed because they cannot afford Christmas presents. They miss their father and feel burdened by their poverty.
Q.2. Who and what helped to brighten up the faces of the girls?
Ans: Beth’s gentle reminder that they still have each other helped cheer them up, even though they still missed their father.
Q.3. Why was it suggested that they should not have any Christmas presents?
Ans: Their mother suggested they not have presents because the soldiers were suffering greatly during the harsh winter, and they needed to make sacrifices.
Q.4. What did the four girls want to buy for themselves?
Ans: Jo wanted to buy a book. Beth wanted to buy new music. Amy desired drawing pencils. Meg wanted something nice for herself.
Q.5. What work did the girls do?
Ans: Jo worked for a difficult, demanding lady. Meg taught small children. Beth helped with house chores like washing dishes and cleaning. Amy attended school, where she faced rude classmates.
Q.6. How did Meg show her maturity?
Ans: Meg reminded her sisters that despite being poor and working hard, they were happier than many other people because they didn’t fight with each other.
Q.7. Give some examples to bring out Jo’s nature.
Ans: Jo is tomboyish, prefers not to act like a lady, and dreams of fighting in the war. She is also creative, as she writes and directs plays for her sisters.
Q.8. Write one sentence each for the other three girls.
Ans: Below are the sentences for the other three girls
- Meg is mature and responsible, often taking care of her sisters.
- Beth is shy, kind-hearted, and enjoys music.
- Amy is sensitive about her appearance and manners and dreams of becoming an artist.
Q.9. What bright idea did Jo come up with?
Ans: Jo suggested that they buy Christmas presents for their mother instead of spending the money on themselves.
Q.10. Write a short character sketch of Mrs. March.
Ans: Mrs. March is a noble, caring mother who works hard for her family and others in need. She is wise and patient, always encouraging her daughters to be strong and improve themselves, even in difficult times.
Q.11. What made the girls teary-eyed?
Ans: The girls became teary-eyed when they heard their father’s letter, in which he expressed his love for them and called them his “little women.”
Q.12. What did the girls resolve to do to be better human beings?
Ans: The girls’ resolutions are given below:
- Amy resolved to be less selfish.
- Meg decided to care less about her appearance and be more hardworking.
- Jo resolved to stop being a tomboy and act more like a lady.
- Beth promised not to envy girls who had nice things.
Q.13. What did Mrs. March advise her daughters to do and why?
Ans: Mrs. March advised her daughters to read a chapter from the Bible every morning. She believed this would help them bear their burdens more easily and make them stronger.
Q.14. Rate the following as actress and singer:
Ans: The rating is given below:
- Meg is a good actress and singer.
- Amy is not a great actress but has a sweet singing voice.
- Jo is a talented actress and writer but not a good singer.
Language Practice:
A. Use prefixes to make opposites: fair, happy, behave, satisfaction, well, selfish.
Answer: unfair, unhappy, misbehave, dissatisfaction, unwell, unselfish.
B. Give antonyms (different words opposite in meaning): hard, poor, plump, boyish,
youngest, next, proud.
Answer: antonyms (opposites):
- hard → soft
- poor → rich
- plump → slim
- boyish → girlish
- youngest → eldest
- next → previous
- proud → humble
C. Transform the following sentences according to instructions :
- 1) I am selfish but I will try to be better. (Use ‘although’)
- 2) I will try to change my attitude. (Remove the infinitive and use ‘and’)
- 3) We are a lot happier than the King’s children. (Start: The King’s children …………. )
Answer: Transforming the following sentences:
- I am selfish but I will try to be better.
Ans: Although I am selfish, I will try to be better. - I will try to change my attitude.
Ans: I will try and change my attitude. - We are a lot happier than the King’s children.
Ans: The King’s children are not as happy as we are.
Glossary:
The American Civil War
The American Civil War (April 12, 1861, to May 26, 1865) was a devastating conflict that pitted the Union (the North) against the Confederacy (the South). It was fought during Abraham Lincoln (the 16th President of America) but he himself was assassinated in 1865 ((died April 15, 1865).
The primary cause of the Civil War was the issue of slavery. The South’s economy was heavily reliant on agriculture, particularly cotton, which was produced by enslaved labour. As the nation expanded westward, the question of whether new territories would be slave or free states became increasingly contentious.
The war resulted in the abolition of slavery, the reunification of the nation, and a significant transformation of American society. However, the war also left a deep wound that continues to be felt today.
Key Points:
- The American Civil War was primarily caused by the issue of slavery.
- The war was marked by numerous battles and campaigns, including Gettysburg, Antietam, and Vicksburg.
- The Union victory led to the abolition of slavery and the reunification of the nation.
