Being Neighborly summary 11th
Being Neighborly
-Louisa May Alcott
About the Author:
Louisa May Alcott was born in 1832 and died in 1888. She, an American writer, was one of the important feminist writers. ‘Little Women’, this work is very popular among the masses and critics. She used simple style and lively characters in her work.
About the Story:
The present short story is taken from her novel, ‘Little Women”. In it she explores the life of four sisters- Meg, Jo, Beth and Amey, their friend Laurie. There are two families in the story one March family and other is Mr. Laurence Family. These two families are living in a suburb of a city. All the characters are real and distinct. As we read the story, we try to acknowledge the struggles of the four sisters of March family. Jo is the main character of the story. The writer points out the beginning of a lifelong friendship between Jo and Laurie. As the story moves ahead, the March girls and Laurie become best buddies.
Characters:
From March Family
1.Meg– the oldest of the March sisters and caring person. She is primarily gentle, loving, and morally strong.
2.Jo– the protagonist of the story, the second eldest March sister. She wants to be a writer. She is a tomboy who is irritated by the many restrictions placed on women and girls.
3.Beth-the third daughter of the March family and a gentle girl in the family.
4.Amey– the youngest of the March sisters
5.Marmee– mother of the March girls.
From Laurence Family
1.Laurie- neighbor of March family. Theodore Laurence is Laurie’s real name. He is a bright, and a kind boy.
2.Mr. Laurence- Laurie’s grandfather, he is strict in nature but he is a loving and caring man.
Being Neighborly Summary:
In the beginning of the story, there is a communication between Meg and Jo. Through this communication their nature is presented. Meg does like to remain in the home reading books sitting at the bonfire in the winter season. But Jo is rather different type of character. She does not like to sit hours and hours in the home at the bonfire. Rather she likes to do various adventurous in her life. In the morning she is ready to go in the garden of her house to clear the snow. She cleans and clears the snow which was scattered in the garden for the sake her younger sister, Beth.This garden has separated the two houses or two families. One is March and other is Mr. Laurence.
The Marches’ home was a small, dirty. It highlights the poverty or poor economical condition of the March Family. The home of the Laurence is a kind of stone mansion where all the luxurious things are made available but the only two members are there in this mansion with the lot of servants. According to the narrator, it is lifeless. There are no children in the house too.
Jo wants to be a friend of Laurie, an orphan boy. She is very eager to know about this boy who is most of the time sitting in the upper window of the mansion. She plans to have dialogues with him. She throws a handful snow towards the window of Laurie to draw his attention. Later on, there are few dialogues between both of them. Jo is invited by Laurie at his home. She also becomes ready to visit him but before this she wants to get the permission of her mother. After getting it she goes to the home of Laurie. Meanwhile, Laurie was so excited. He tries to keep his room neat and clean.
Jo carried few thing for Laurie including a dish of balnc-mange (almond flavored milk pudding) which is decorated, three little kittens to amuse him. As he observers all these things carried by Jo for him. He laughed over it. Here he forgets his shyness and becomes friend of Jo. Later on how Laurie explains all the March girls one by one it has been given. Laurie, everyday sitting in the upper window of the home, used to observe these sisters. Therefore he is able to tell her all the details of her family and family members.
After some time Laurie stepped out for a while to see his grandpa, and while he was gone, Jo was looking at Laurie’s grandpa Laurence’s portrait when he walked into the library and surprised her.
Believing that it is Laurie who has come in, Jo began commenting on the portrait without going to see whether it was Laurie who has come in. On hearing Jo’s remarks, Laurence said thanks to her. Jo becomes flushed on understanding that Laurie’s grandfather has heard everything.
Grandpa asks her few questions. Jo answers satisfactorily. As she becomes some extent familiar with him, Jo explains Laurie’s plight to grandpa and tries to suggest a solution. Grandpa too acknowledges the same. Jo said that Laurie was needed to spend more time with children of his age. Mr. Laurence inquires Jo about her family members and pleads her for tea. At last, Laurie has expressed gratitude for Mrs March and for Meg.
After the communication with Laurie and his grandpa, Jo is going towards her home thinking that she was telling the story of visit at home.
Conclusion
The development of friendship between Jo and Laurie is presented in the story. It casts a light on the difference between the both family and the both characters too. The stone mansion serves as a beautiful prison for Laurie, who is kept in a world where he is unable to experience familial affection. He feels lonely. After becoming a friend of Jo, Laurie feels the real joy of life and family.
Very informative