Little Women

What do you suppose the eldest son of the King family did that was so "dreadful"?

Towards the end of Chapter Four, Meg tells her family tells her family how she found "everyone in a flurry" over some "wicked thing" that the children's older brother had done. This resulted in his banishment from the family home, "Mrs King crying and Mr King talking very loud," and his sisters "turn[ing] away their faces when they passed [Meg]" to hide their tears. What do you think the son might have done to warrant such a reaction?

Asked by
Last updated by jill d #170087
Answers 1
Add Yours

I see no evidence of why the eldest son was banished in the text. As far as I can see, we aren't even apprised of his age. Normally, we might infer that he has had problems in school. Unfortunately, Meg is governess to the four children, so I don't think that is possible.

GradeSaver will pay $15 for your literature essays
GradeSaver will pay $25 for your college application essays
GradeSaver will pay $50 for your graduate school essays – Law, Business, or Medical
GradeSaver will pay $10 for your Community Note contributions
GradeSaver will pay $500 for your Textbook Answer contributions