Little Women: Part 2, Chapter 32 Summary & Analysis

Something in Beth’s behavior worries Mrs. March. After observing Beth in secret, Jo concludes that she has fallen in love with Laurie. This leads Jo to daydream about love and marriage. She considers, briefly, her family’s speculation that Laurie has become fonder of her lately. Jo dismisses this notion, citing how Laurie is too much of a “weathercock.”

That night, Jo watches Laurie talk to Beth in the Marches’ parlor. Jo retreats to the sofa, so as to give the two some space. As she considers where in the house she might hide away, Laurie suddenly sits down beside her. Jo tries to send him back to Beth, but Laurie won’t hear of it.

Laurie and Jo banter about flirtation. Jo scolds Laurie for flirting with girls who don’t care “two pins” for him at college, and Laurie quips, “Sensible girls for whom I do care whole papers of pins won’t let me….” Jo admits that she doesn’t understand flirting, and Laurie replies that he’s glad Jo isn’t capable of flirting.

Later that night, as she lies awake in bed, Jo overhears Beth weeping into her pillow. She assumes that Beth is crying about Laurie.

Several days later, prompted by both Beth and Laurie’s behavior, Jo tells Mrs. March that she thinks it would be best if she left town for a while. Jo’s plan is to go to New York, where she will work as a governess for Mrs. Kirke, a friend of the family. Jo admits to Mrs. March that Laurie is in love with her, and Mrs. March is relieved that Jo isn’t in love with him – she fears they would “both rebel” if they were married. Mrs. March agrees to Jo’s plan, and bids her to enjoy life as a single woman until she tires of it, “for only then will you find that there is something sweeter.”

On the day of her departure, Jo asks Beth to take care of Laurie for her while she’s away. As she says goodbye to Laurie, he leans in and whispers, “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.”