Jo secretly takes a story to a newspaper publisher and shares secrets with Laurie who happened to catch her trying to get up enough nerve to go into the publishing house. Laurie's secret is that Brooke is the person who kept Meg's missing love and that Brooke is sweet on Meg. He thinks Jo will be pleased, but instead she is furious. She begins to act strangely, treating Mr. Brooke coldly and staring sadly at Meg.
The concern for Meg temporarily fades when Jo's story is published.
Furthermore, the editor has agreed to publish and pay for more of her
stories.
Jo's drive to write for money ( a mirror of LMA's own motivation) begins
here. She has a humorous mix of independence and childishness as she wants
to feel like she makes a contribution and is able to accomplish things
on her own, but she doesn't want any of her sisters to grow up, get married
and move away. She wants to be able to plan her sister's lives as well
as her own. This is another characteristic of Jo which is shared by Amy
as well and is the cause of some sibling rivalry. Both sisters want to
have control over the lives of others in the family, although they don't
mean it in a negative way. Perhaps the source is partly the losses they
have already endured. They can't cope with the loss of possession becoming
loss of family closeness as well. The conflicting values of the upper
class of society versus the middle class come into play here as well as
in some other chapters. The values of the upper class are typically based
on tradition, connection, propriety and family name continuance into the
future. The values of a middle class family are centered more on family,
on achievement of individuals, and on satisfaction of daily needs to the
extent of living comfortably. The March family have been in both classes
thanks to Mr. March's financial ruin, just as LMA was when her own father
lost his position of wealth and status.
Marmee receives a telegram telling her that Mr. March has been taken
sick and that she should come to Washington immediately. Everyone rushes
around trying to help her. Laurie takes a hurried letter to Aunt March
from whom Marmee borrows money for the trip. Mr Laurence sends Mr. Brooke
to accompany her. Jo makes the ultimate sacrifice in an attempt to prevent
her mother from needing to borrow money. She sells her abundant hair,
receiving 25 dollars which she gives to her mother to take to Mr. March.
(none needed for this chapter)
Marmee has gone to Washington to be with Mr. March. Mr. Brooke sends
them word every day and soon is able to tell them that their father has
improved. Most of the chapter is comprised of a round of short letters
in which everyone sends a greeting and speaks of the happenings at home
from his or her own point of view.
Each family member along with the Laurences gets a brief voice in this
chapter. Laurie tries to be crazy-and succeeds. Mr. Laurence is serious
and concerned. Meg and Hannah are both motherly although Meg's voice is
more dignified. Beth is typically self-sacrificing, writing only a little
so the others have a chance to write more. Jo is down-to-earth and casual,
even writing with a little slang. She also includes a light-hearted poem.
And Amy addresses her mother in French although her punctuation throughout
her paragraph is horrible.
By the time Mrs. March has been gone a week, the girls begin to slack off in their duties and resolves to keep things operating as usual. Beth alone continues in her work and often completes her sisters' as well.
On of the tasks is to faithfully visit the Hummels who are very poor
and have a sick baby. On this particular afternoon, Beth asks for someone
else to visit because she is tired and doesn't know what to do for the
baby. Each girl has an excuse to avoid going, so Beth goes again, and
this time, the baby dies in her arms. Jo finds Beth sitting on her bed
upstairs with a bottle of medicine in her hand. Beth explains that the
baby died of scarlet fever, and that she is afraid she may get it, although
she is sure she will have only a light case of it. Meg and Jo are immune,
but Amy is not and is sent to live with Aunt March until the danger is
past.
The narrator implies that the casual refusal of the other sisters to help
Beth when she needs it will contribute to Beth's impending illness. The
girls are never openly accused, but this and other events that occur and
comments made in the story strongly suggest that the family didn't appreciate
Beth enough. One of the ongoing "lessons" that the other three
March girls take all of their teen years to learn is to appreciate whatever
they have even when others around them seem to have better lives. This
appreciativeness applies not only to things, but also to people.
Clapsaddle, Diane. "TheBestNotes on A Long Way Gone".
TheBestNotes.com.
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