The girl sits up, puts her hands nonchalantly in her pockets, and begins to whistle. Oh, don’t, Jo, says Amy. It’s so boyish!
Well, that’s why I do it, says Jo. I detest rude, unladylike girls!
And I hate affected, niminy-piminy chits! Even though the March girls Jo, Amy, Beth and Meg disagree about plenty of matters, on plenty of occasions, the four make up the core of a cheerful, happy household … at least as happy as can be expected, given the fact that father is far away from home, fighting in the war – perhaps never to return! – while mother is saying they should not have the pleasure of Christmas presents … not this year, when so many are suffering and so many are in danger of losing their lives!