Being Neighborly by Louisa May Alcott

Unit 1.1 Being Neighborly

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Unit 1.1 ‘Being Neighborly’ by Louisa May Alcott

Class 11 (Maharashtra Board) English Yuvakbharati Solutions Chapter 1.1 Being Neighborly

Introduction:

Being Neighborly is a beautiful and popular story taken from the novel ‘Little Women‘ written by Louisa May Alcott.  Little Women was published in two parts. The First part was published in 1868, It is a  story of four sisters- Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy and their friend Lourie. the novel is about family, love, morality, and personal growth. Being Neighborly which is based on the author’s life, narrates the beginning of a lifelong friendship between Jo, the brightest and liveliest among the four sisters, and Lourie their wealthy new neighbor.

Author – Louisa May Alcott:

Louisa May Alcott

Characters in ” Being Neighborly”

1. Jo March: Jo March is the protagonist of the novel. She is the second-eldest March sister. Jo’s character is based on the author (Louisa May Alcott) herself. She has a passion for writing. She is a tomboy and not interested in becoming a housewife.

2. Meg March: Meg March is a very caring and responsible sister. She is the oldest of the March sisters. She is gentle, loving, and morally strong.

3. Beth March:  Beth March is a gentle and virtuous girl. She is the third daughter of the March family. Beth tries to please others. Beth, who loves music, plays the piano very well.

4. Amy March: Amy is the youngest of all sisters. Amy is an artist crazy about aesthetic beauty. She has a weakness for nice things.

5. Laurie Laurence: Laurie is the rich neighbour of the March family. His real name is Theodore Laurence. He is charming, clever, attractive, and kind-hearted. He became like a son and brother of Marches.

6. Marmee: Marmee is the mother of the March girls. Marmee is a role model for her daughters. She works hard and tackles properly through all of their troubles. Her husband is in the military.

7. Mr. Laurence (Laurie’s grandfather) : He is Lourie’s grandfather and  Marches’ next-door neighbour. Though he appears stern, he is a loving and caring person.

8. Mr. March: He is Marmee’s husband and the father of the March girls. He serves in the Union Army.

Activity Sheet of ‘Being Neighborly’

Q.1 Read the extract and complete the activities given below.

            “What in the world are you going to do now, Jo?” asked Meg one snowy afternoon, as her sister came tramping through the hall, in rubber boots, old sacque and hood, with a broom in one hand and a shovel in the other. “Going out for exercise,” answered Jo with a mischievous twinkle in her eyes. “I should think two long walks this morning would have been enough! It’s cold and dull out, and I advise you to stay warm and dry by the fire, as I do,” said Meg with a shiver.
    “Never take advice! Can’t keep still all day, and not being a pussy-cat, I don’t like to doze by the fire. I like adventures, and I’m going to find some.”
       Meg went back to toast her feet and read “Ivanhoe”; and Jo began to dig paths with great energy. The snow was light, and with her broom, she soon swept a path all around the garden, for Beth to walk in when the sun came out and the invalid dolls needed air. Now, the garden separated the Marches’ house from that of Mr. Laurence. Both stood in a suburb of the city, which was still countrylike, with groves and lawns, large gardens, and quiet streets. A low hedge parted the two estates. On one side was an old, brown house, looking rather bare and shabby, robbed of the vines that in summer covered its walls and the flowers, which then surrounded it. On the other side was a stately stone mansion, plainly betokening every sort of comfort and luxury, from the big coach house and well-kept grounds to the conservatory and the glimpses of lovely things one caught between the rich curtains. Yet it seemed a lonely, lifeless sort of house, for no children frolicked on the lawn, no motherly face ever smiled at the windows, and few people went in and out, except the old gentleman and his grandson.
 
A.1 Complete the following statements :

 i. To Jo the fine house seemed lonely and lifeless

ii. Jo swept a path around the garden for Beth to walk in after the sun come out and the dolls needed air.

A.2  Jo doesn’t want to be a pussy cat because_______

Ans: Jo doesn’t want to be a pussy cat because she is an adventurous girl and she likes adventure. Therefore Jo doesn’t want to be a pussy cat.
 

A3. Describe the contrast between March and Laurence’s house.

Ans:  House of March is an old, brown house and it is bare and shabby but children always play around the house. On the other hand, Laurence’s house was a stately stone mansion with well-kept grounds but it seemed lonely and lifeless and no children were frolicked around.

A4.  Describe your own house in your own words.

      ( Write your own answer)

A5. Do as directed:

1. ‘I advise you to stay warm and dry by the fire.’

( Rewrite the sentence beginning with ‘You’)

Ans:  You are advised to stay warm and dry by the fire.’

2. ‘Meg went back to toast her feet.’ 

 (Identify the Tense in the above statement )

Ans- Simple past tense

A6 Give one word for the following group of words:

1. infant short jacket & hood – Sacque
2. Walking with slow heavy steps – tramping
3. Sleep for a short period of time- doze
4. Played cheerfully with fun- frolicked
 
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