Wednesday, June 22, 2016

Inkling Explorations~Amy and Laurie


It's time for another Inkling Explorations Link-Up over at Heidi's blog, Sharing the Journey.  The subject for this month is Roses in book or film.  I've chosen a scene from Little Women. I really wanted to do something from a less well-known book, but I simply couldn't think of anything else, so this is what we've got.  :)


     Valrosa well deserved its name, for, in that climate of perpetual summer, roses blossomed everywhere.  They overhung the archway, thrust themselves between the bars of the great gate with a sweet welcome to passers-by, and lined the avenue, winding through lemon-trees and feathery palms up to the villa on the hill.  every shadowy nook, where seats invited one to stop and rest, was a mass of bloom; every cool grotto had its marble nymph smiling from a veil of flowers, and every fountain reflected crimson, white, or pale pink roses, leaning down to smile at their own beauty.  Roses covered the walls of the house, draped the cornices, climbed the pillars, and ran riot over the balustrade of the wide terrace, whence one looked down on the sunny Mediterranean, and the white-walled city on its shore.
     "This is a regular honeymoon Paradise, isn't it?  Did you ever see such roses?" asked Amy, pausing on the terrace to enjoy the view, and a luxurious whiff of perfume that came wandering by.
     "No, nor felt such thorns," returned Laurie, with his thumb in his mouth, after a vain attempt to capture a solitary scarlet flower that grew just beyond his reach.

 
     "Try lower down, and pick those that have no thorns," said Amy, gathering three of the tiny cream-colored ones that starred the wall behind her.  She put them in his button-hole, as a peace-offering, and he stood a minute looking down at them with a curious expression, for in the Italian part of his nature there was a touch of superstition, and he was just then in that state of half-sweet, half-bitter melancholy, when imaginative young men find significance in trifles, and food for romance everywhere.  He had thought of Jo in reaching after the thorny red rose, for vivid flowers became her, and she had often worn ones like that from the greenhouse at home.  The pale roses Amy gave him were the sort that the Italians lay in dead hands, never in bridal wreaths, and, for a moment, he wondered if the omen was for Jo or for himself; but the next instant his American common-sense got the better of sentimentality, and he laughed a heartier laugh than Amy had heard since he came.
     "It's good advice; you'd better take it and save your fingers," she said, thinking her speech amused him.
     "Thank you, I will," he answered in jest, and a few months later he did it in earnest.

[Have you ever noticed the two-fold meaning behind Amy's remark, "Try lower down, and pick those that have not thorns"?  She didn't mean anything other than what she said, of course, but the double meaning is clear nonetheless, "Try pursuing the younger sister, the sweeter one who isn't so prickly."  Haha.  I love the subtle reference to Jo being the rose with thorns, and Amy the one without.  It's just clever, don't you think?]
 

20 comments:

  1. I never really noticed that double meaning before! Interesting. That is clever.

    I'm curious--what is your opinion of Laurie/Amy and Jo/Professor Bhaer? Do you like those matches, or are you on the side that says Jo should have married Laurie?

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    1. Oh, I definitely approve of how Louisa May Alcott wrote it. I think Amy and Laurie really are better suited to each other than Jo and Laurie. And as for Jo and the Professor, I think they're a perfect match. (In the book, that is. If we're talking about movies--and the '94 film in particular--my opinion is quite different, because I rather heartily dislike Professor Bhaer in that version, so I really can't understand what Jo sees in him. :P Haha.)

      What is your opinion on the subject? Do you think Laurie and Jo should have ended up together?

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    2. I agree with you about the movie--that was just terrible.

      Well. For the longest time I have been of the strong opinion that Jo should have married Laurie. You know that time when Laurie is in Europe and Marmee asks later if Jo would have married him if he had come back and Jo said probably? Yeah. I always thought he should have. However, it has now been several years since I have read that book because I was mad at Louisa May Alcott--by the way, did you know that she didn't match Jo and Laurie on purpose because she knew it was expected? I read her biography and she said she did it for the purpose of being contrary. That made me madder.--But now I think if I read it again I might be able to see it differently. One of my reasons for not liking Jo and Prof. Bhaer was the fact that he was so much older, which is something I can get over. Also, I will say, the way Laurie turned into in Europe--Lazy Lawrence--and even the man he turned out to be after he got over that, was better suited to Amy than Jo. I just was mad that he changed. I really don't know what to think at this point; I need to re-read the book now that I'm older than 10 years old. :)
      (I'm sorry if that made no sense. My sentence structure was less than ideal throughout.)

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    3. Eeek! Really? Oh, I'm so glad someone shares my opinion on that subject. ;)

      Haha. Yes, I read that before, about Lousia May Alcott choosing to make Laurie marry Amy instead of Jo because it was the unexpected thing for her to do. Authors can be very contrary sometimes, can't they? :P

      Oh, no! You made perfect sense, Rae. (Sentence structure? What's that??? Haha. ;)) I can totally understand why you wanted Laurie and Jo to end up together. They were such good friends, after all.

      As to the age difference between Professor Bhaer and Jo--hmm...yes, that sort of thing bothers me sometimes, too, though for some reason I don't think it really did in this case. Maybe because Jo seems older to me at the end of the book, so there doesn't seem to be as much disparity in their ages. (How much of an age difference is it, anyway? Do you know?) Also Jo adores the Professor so much I can't help rooting for them. :) Have you ever read Little Men? In that book you get to see Jo and Professor Bhaer as a married couple and it's pretty sweet. :)

      Thanks so much for your comment, Rae! I love discussing opinions on books! :D

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    4. (Oh, yes, I didn't like the whole movie overall, but Prof. Bhaer in particular was nothing like the man of the book. I was watching it with my siblings and cousins, and when Prof. Bhaer came on, my sister disgustedly walked out of the room. Ugh.)

      Yeah, I think they're about 15-20 years apart--I think about twenty. Which, when I was around 10, seemed like a HUGE difference, and I was shocked and mad. But now I've read books like Emma and I don't see it as SUCH a huge difference anymore. I have read Little Men and Jo's boys. I like them. :)

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    5. "...and when Prof. Bhaer came on, my sister disgustedly walked out of the room." Haha. My feelings EXACTLY!! Professor Bhaer drives me nuts in that movie. ;P

      Oh my goodness! I never realized how much difference there really was between their ages! 15-20 years? Wow. That is a lot. And I can totally understand why you didn't like it. :P That's true, though. There are quite a few other fictional couples who are just as far apart in age. Emma and Mr. Knightley are an excellent example. :)

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  2. Great selection! I think Amy really did mean that as a double entendre, and Laurie's response shows he got it.

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    1. Hmmm...really? I don't know. I thought that was simply an author's little hint, because at that point in the story Amy isn't even aware that Laurie had proposed to Jo and been refused. Later on in the chapter she realizes what's been going on between them and then she's giving Laurie advice like "Why don't you do something splendid, and make her love you?" So, yeah, it doesn't seem like she would have been making hints about herself and Laurie together when she doesn't even know that he'd failed in his pursuit of her sister. Also, she was seriously considering marriage to Fred Vaughn at the time, and still seems to be thinking of Laurie as merely a brother. At any rate, that's how it comes across to me, though I could be missing something. What do you think? (And sorry for the overly long explanation. :P)

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    2. Perhaps you're right. Perhaps she didn't mean it as a hint, but Laurie took it as one?

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    3. Hmm, that might be so. The fact that Laurie says "Thank you, I will" in jest, and then a "few months later does it in earnest" does seem to imply that he was jesting about the idea of him and Amy getting together. So, yeah, maybe that is how it was. Maybe he got the hint that Amy wasn't meaning to hint. Ha! I'd never really thought of it that way before. ;)

      Honestly, though, Hamlette, you've made my brain work WAY too much this morning. HAHA. :P

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  3. Wow, that is such a sweet scene! I have read Little Women twice, but it has been about 5 years since the last time and I have forgotten nuggets like this. Some gems like this are the reason we re-read our favorites over and over. Thanks Miss March

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    1. Isn't it, though? I love Little Women. It's one of my favorite books. And yes, it's totally re-readable. There are so many lovely scenes in it, just like this one. :) Oh! you're welcome, Lexi. I'm glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for commenting! :D

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  4. I don't even remember this passage, but it's SO sweet! And Amy's "double-meaning" is so neat, indeed. Thank you for pointing that out! :)

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    1. Yes, it is sweet, isn't it? I love Little Women! It has so many wonderful parts.

      Oh, you're most welcome! Glad you enjoyed that little add on. :)

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  5. You know, it's interesting to read this right now because I am in the middle of reading Little Women to my little sisters and I like Amy a lot better this round. yes she was a little brat when she was younger, but when she got older, she really did try to do good for others.

    Also I had never thought of that twist on her statement. And I have never thought that Jo and Laurie should have married. They were far to alike. When I first read the book I expected them to, but that was when I was like 9, so.....

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    1. You're reading Little Women to your little sisters? Aww. I've read that book aloud to my siblings, too, only in my case it was to my younger brothers (yes, even boys can enjoy that book. ;) Heehee). Reading aloud is so much fun, isn't it? :)

      I know what you mean about Amy. I always used to think of her as simply the spoiled, bratty, little sister, but she really does improve as she gets older. In fact, she turns into a very sweet, fine young lady. I like Amy a lot. :)

      Yes, indeed. Jo and Laurie are best just as friends. I couldn't really see them as a married couple. :)

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  6. This scene is sooo sweet! At first, for some peculiar reason, I thought it was Amy and Laurie on their honeymoon and I honestly did not remember any part of the book showing them on their honeymoon :P But this is where Amy is in Europe with Aunt Carroll and she meets Laurie there, right?
    And the double meaning...goodness, I never even thought of it that way! But I shall forevermore ;)

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    1. Yup, that's right. In fact, this is the same chapter where Amy gives Laurie her "I despise you" speech. :) Was it Amy's comment about a "regular honeymoon Paradise" that got you thinking about honeymoons? Because I can totally see how that might happen. ;)

      I know. Isn't it cool? I can't remember if I'd ever noticed it before either, but it stuck out to me when I read it this time, so I thought I'd share it. :)

      Thank you so much for your comment, Blessing!! It's always a delight to hear from you! :D And sorry it took me a bit long to respond. :/

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  7. MISS MARCH!!!! I'm so happy you chose this scene. I thought of it but I couldn't have done it the justice you did. I never noticed the comparison myself. Lovely insight!

    ~Cordy

    P.S. Did you take the pictures? I like them. :D

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    1. Thanks, Cordy!! I'm glad you approve! :D And I think it's so cool that you thought of this scene, too. Great minds think alike! ;) (I'm glad you decided to go with the one from An Old Fashioned Girl, though, because that one was absolutely DARLING!!! :))

      ~Miss March

      P.S. Yes, I took the pictures. Aww. Thanks!! :D

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