PART TWO: CHAPTER THIRTY - TWO - Tender Trouble Practice Quiz — Little Women
by Louisa May Alcott — tap or click to flip
Practice Quiz: PART TWO: CHAPTER THIRTY - TWO - Tender Trouble
Who asks Jo to discover what is troubling Beth?
Marmee (Mrs. March) asks Jo to find out what is on Beth's mind, noting that Beth sits alone, cries over the babies, and sings only sad songs.
What behavioral changes does Marmee notice in Beth?
Beth sits alone a good deal, no longer talks freely with her father, has been found crying over Meg's babies, and when she sings, the songs are always sad.
What does Jo initially conclude about Beth's sadness?
Jo concludes that Beth is secretly in love with Laurie, after seeing Beth brighten when Laurie passes beneath the window and then weep after he leaves.
What does Beth whisper after watching Laurie walk by?
"How strong and well and happy that dear boy looks."
What is the "sausage" pillow, and what is its purpose?
A hard, round cushion covered in prickly horsehair with knobby buttons at each end. Jo uses it as a barricade on the sofa to signal whether Laurie may sit beside her.
What does the position of the sausage pillow signal?
If it stands on end, Laurie may approach and sit. If it lies flat across the sofa, no one is to disturb Jo.
How does Jo respond when Laurie flirts with her on the sofa?
She deflects by asking how many bouquets he has sent Miss Randal, lectures him about flirting, and eventually drives him away by diving for the pillow.
What does Beth tell Jo when Jo hears her crying at night?
Beth says she has a "new pain" but adds "there is no cure." She asks Jo not to call Marmee and promises she will tell Jo about it "by-and-by."
What does Jo compare hearts to when comforting Beth?
Jo reflects that "hearts, like flowers, cannot be rudely handled, but must open naturally."
Why does Jo decide to leave for New York?
Ostensibly for new experiences and writing material, but her real reason is to distance herself from Laurie's growing romantic feelings for her, hoping Beth and Laurie will grow closer in her absence.
Who is Mrs. Kirke, and what role will she play for Jo?
Mrs. Kirke is a family friend who runs a boarding house in New York. She offers Jo a position teaching her children and sewing, which will also give Jo time for writing.
What does Marmee say about Jo and Laurie as a potential couple?
Marmee says they are "too much alike and too fond of freedom, not to mention hot tempers and strong wills, to get on happily together" in marriage.
What does Jo mean when she says she prefers "imaginary heroes to real ones"?
Jo prefers fictional characters because they can be "shut up in the tin kitchen till called for," unlike real men who are "less manageable." It reflects her preference for independence over romance.
How does Laurie react when Jo tells him she is leaving for New York?
He takes it "very quietly," surprising Jo. He has been graver than usual and tells Jo he is "turning over a new leaf" that "shall stay turned."
What is Laurie's parting warning to Jo?
"It won't do a bit of good, Jo. My eye is on you, so mind what you do, or I'll come and bring you home."
What does Jo leave in Beth's "especial care" before departing?
Jo leaves Laurie in Beth's care, asking her to "plague, pet, and keep in order" their boy.
What literary device does Alcott use regarding Beth's true trouble?
Dramatic irony: Jo (and the reader initially) believes Beth is lovesick, but clues suggest Beth's real trouble is her worsening health, which is confirmed in later chapters.
What role does the old family sofa play in the chapter?
The sofa is described as a "family refuge" where the girls grew up. It serves as the setting for Jo and Laurie's pivotal flirtatious exchange and symbolizes the domestic comfort Jo is about to leave behind.
What does Marmee say about how Mrs. Moffat would react to Jo leaving?
Jo jokes that Mrs. Moffat would "wonder at your want of management" and rejoice that her daughter Annie "may still hope" to win Laurie.
How does the chapter end?
Laurie whispers his warning to Jo as she departs for New York, hinting he will not give up on his feelings for her despite her attempt to flee.