PART ONE: CHAPTER SIX - Beth Finds the Palace Beautiful Practice Quiz — Little Women
by Louisa May Alcott — tap or click to flip
Practice Quiz: PART ONE: CHAPTER SIX - Beth Finds the Palace Beautiful
Why do the March sisters initially feel uncomfortable accepting favors from the Laurences?
They are poor and the Laurences are rich, which makes them shy about accepting favors they cannot return.
What does each March sister enjoy at the Laurence house?
Meg walks in the conservatory and enjoys bouquets, Jo browses the library, Amy copies pictures, and Beth yearns for the grand piano but is too shy to visit.
Why does Beth refuse to return to the Laurence house after her first visit?
Mr. Laurence stared at her from under his heavy eyebrows and said "Hey!" so loudly that he frightened her, making her declare she would never go back.
How does Mr. Laurence trick Beth into accepting his invitation to play the piano?
He pretends the idea just occurred to him and says the piano suffers for want of use, asking if the March girls would like to practice on it, and assures them no one will be around to hear.
What does Beth not know about her daily piano visits to the Laurence house?
She does not know that Mr. Laurence opens his study door to listen, that Laurie stands guard to warn servants away, or that the new songs left on the rack are placed there for her benefit.
What gift does Beth make for Mr. Laurence and why?
She embroiders a pair of slippers decorated with pansies (heartsease) on a purple ground to thank him for letting her play the piano.
What does Mr. Laurence send Beth in return for the slippers?
He sends her a cabinet piano that once belonged to his deceased little granddaughter, along with a letter signed "Your grateful friend and humble servant, James Laurence."
What surprising act does Beth perform at the end of the chapter?
She walks to the Laurence house, knocks on the study door, and kisses Mr. Laurence on the cheek to thank him — shocking her entire family.
How is Beth described in contrast to her sisters in this chapter?
Beth is the most timid and self-effacing of the sisters. While Meg, Jo, and Amy boldly enjoy the Laurence house, Beth cannot overcome her fear of Mr. Laurence.
What do we learn about Mr. Laurence's past in this chapter?
He had a little granddaughter who died, who had blue eyes like Beth and loved music. He kept all her things carefully, including the cabinet piano he gives to Beth.
How does Mr. Laurence react when Beth kisses him?
All his crustiness vanishes. He sets her on his knee and lays his wrinkled cheek against her rosy one, feeling as if he has his own granddaughter back again.
What role does Laurie play in the March-Laurence friendship?
Laurie serves as the bridge between the two families. He is always running over to the Marches, and he helps Beth smuggle the slippers onto Mr. Laurence's study table.
What does Mr. Laurence's grandfather say about Laurie spending time with the Marches?
He tells Laurie's tutor to let the boy take a holiday, saying Mrs. March is doing more for him than they can and he cannot get into mischief "in that little nunnery over there."
What moral does Alcott state directly about Beth's transformation in this chapter?
"Love casts out fear, and gratitude can conquer pride." Beth's love of music and gratitude toward Mr. Laurence overcome her crippling shyness.
How does the chapter explore the theme of generosity across class lines?
The wealthy Laurences and the poor Marches exchange kindnesses: the Marches offer companionship and warmth, while Mr. Laurence provides material gifts, showing that generosity is reciprocal regardless of wealth.
How does the surrogate family theme manifest in this chapter?
Mr. Laurence finds a replacement for his lost granddaughter in Beth, while Beth gains a grandfather figure. Their bond fills an emotional void in both their lives.
What does the exchange of slippers for a piano suggest about the value of gifts?
It suggests that the sincerity of a gift matters more than its monetary value. Beth's handmade slippers move Mr. Laurence as much as his expensive piano moves her.
What is the allegorical significance of the chapter title "Beth Finds the Palace Beautiful"?
It alludes to The Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan, where the Palace Beautiful is a resting place guarded by lions. Beth must overcome her "lions" (fear of Mr. Laurence) to enjoy the Laurence mansion.
What is the dramatic irony in Beth's daily piano visits?
The reader knows that Mr. Laurence opens his study door to hear her play and Laurie guards the hall, but Beth believes she is completely alone and unnoticed.
How does Alcott use contrast as a literary device in this chapter?
She contrasts Beth's extreme shyness with the boldness of her sisters throughout the chapter, making Beth's final act of marching over to kiss Mr. Laurence all the more dramatic and surprising.
What does "beatitude" mean as used in this chapter?
A state of supreme happiness or bliss. Beth sits in "a general state of beatitude" after her first day playing the piano at the Laurence house.
What does "indolent" mean in the context of Laurie's life before meeting the Marches?
Lazy or idle. The March sisters' busy, lively ways make Laurie "ashamed of the indolent life he led."
What does "heartsease" refer to in the chapter?
Heartsease is a type of wild pansy flower. Beth embroiders heartsease pansies on the slippers she makes for Mr. Laurence, and he calls it his "favorite flower."
Who says "love casts out fear, and gratitude can conquer pride" and what does it mean?
The narrator (Alcott) states this about Beth after she overcomes her shyness with Mr. Laurence. It means that genuine love and thankfulness are powerful enough to overcome even deep-rooted fears and social barriers.
What is the significance of Mr. Laurence saying, "I had a little girl once, with eyes like these"?
It reveals that Beth reminds him of his deceased granddaughter, explaining his special tenderness toward her and foreshadowing the surrogate bond they will form.