Little Women Read-Along: Letters (Ch. 16)

Quick before we dig into this chapter, I just wanted to ask if anyone else is interested in writing a guest post for the first half of this book.  Heidi is working on a post about Amy, but we might hold off on posting it until the second half.  But no one has spoken for Jo or Meg or Marmee or Laurie, and they all warrant their own character sketches, I think.  Also, I plan to write a new review of the 1978 TV mini-series version, but if you'd like to contribute a review of another version (1933, 1949, or 1994), that would be awesome too!

Also, I've decided to do two giveaways in conjunction with this read-along, one after Book One, and one after Book Two.  If we stick to the current schedule of one chapter every-other-day, that means the first giveaway will kick off around April 16.  Just so you know!

(My mom had this adaptation when she was a girl,
and it's the first one I can remember reading.)

Now, back to the book.  This chapter opens on a very subdued note, with everyone trying to be brave about Marmee leaving to nurse Father.  And Marmee gives them some excellent advice:  "Don't grieve and fret when I am gone, or think that you can be idle and comfort yourself by being idle and trying to forget.  Go on with your work as usual, for work is a blessed solace" (p. 149-50).  Oh, wise Marmee!

But things don't stay worrisome and melancholy for long.  The girls get word that their father is getting well, and we end the chapter with several delightful letters, not just from the girls, but from Hannah, Laurie, and Mr. Laurence too!  I really enjoyed those letters, and I think they must have been fun for Alcott to write each one from the different characters' perspectives, personalities, etc.

Favorite Lines:

"I think anxiety is very interesting," observed Amy, eating sugar pensively (p. 151).

I'm Jo, and I never shall be anything else (p. 153).

Possible Discussion Questions:

What do you think of the dialect Hannah's letter is written in?  What does it tell you about Hannah that we might not otherwise know from the story?