Part 1: Chapter 4 Summary

The holidays are over, and it's back to the drudgery of everyday life. Both Meg and Jo work to contribute to the upkeep of the household. Meg is a governess and Jo is a companion and helper for her elderly Aunt March. Beth, who is too timid to attend school, helps Hannah and Marmee at home while Amy attends school.

Though the sisters find their daily activities to be somewhat of a burden, they try to cheer each other with stories at dinnertime. Beth tells about seeing Mr. Laurence buy a large fish for a poor woman at the market. Marmee tells a tale of a man she met who had sent four boys off to the war. Two had been killed, one was a prisoner and one was ill, yet the man was glad to sacrifice for his country.

Part 1: Chapter 4 Analysis