from "Louisa's Golden Egg"
by Barbara Tutt
Characters
Louisa Alcott
May Alcott – Louisa's younger sister
Anna Alcott – Louisa's older sister
George Bartlett – neighbor of the Alcotts
Clerk – boy employed by Mr. Niles
Thomas Niles – manager of Roberts Brothers Publishing Co.
Lily Almy – Niles's niece, about fifteen years old
Scene 1
Time: Summer 1868
At rise: Louisa's study in Orchard House, the family home. Louisa is seated at the table with a colorful old cape around her shoulders. She is writing steadily. On the table are a stack of finished pages, an ink bottle, and an apple.
1 MAY (heard off-stage): Louisa! (no reaction from LOUISA, who is deep into her work) Louy! Can I come in?
2 LOUISA (with exasperation): I'm knee-deep in Little Women.
3 MAY (entering): You've got to see this. (shows LOUISA a sketch pad) My first sketch for your new book. Well? (LOUISA grimaces, taking a small bite of the apple to avoid answering.) Is it splendid? . . . pleasing? . . . how about promising?
4 LOUISA: That's it! You've got promise, May.
5 MAY: I do wish we could afford drawing lessons for me.
6 LOUISA: So do I. Now run along. I just got to where I cut off all my hair. I mean, Jo March cuts off her hair.
7 MAY: Your hair fell out when you almost died from typhoid fever.
8 LOUISA (rises): True. But the hair was gone, May, that's the point. I'm turning our lives into fiction. A woman who sells her hair to help her struggling family is much more appealing. (turns grandly, her cape whirling) And so much more dramatic!
9 MAY: You always were a ham! What's Amy doing in the book now?
10 LOUISA: Amy—that's you—is bothering me, of course! The oldest sister, Meg, will fall in love with a man named John—just like Anna did.
11 MAY (suddenly subdued): And what will happen to Elizabeth?
12 LOUISA (quietly): Beth will die, just like our Lizzie did.
(ANNA enters, carrying a piece of paper.) What is it, Anna?
13 ANNA: Mother's calling for you, Louisa. She's feeling weak today.
(gives LOUISA the paper) Another doctor's bill.
14 MAY: Father didn't make a cent on his last lecture tour.
15 ANNA: Without Louy's stories, we'd be complete beggars.
16 LOUISA (bitterly): Yes, now we only have to beg part of the time.
17 MAY (picks up stack of pages): Maybe Little Women will make our fortune at last.
18 LOUISA: It better. This ugly duckling is desperate for a golden egg!
Scene 2
Time: Summer 1868
At rise: Mr. Niles's office, six weeks later. The table from Scene 1 is now Niles's desk, cleared of everything but a name card reading "T. Niles" and Louisa's manuscript, tied with a string. Two chairs have been added. No one is on-stage as CLERK enters, followed by LOUISA and GEORGE.
19 CLERK: Mr. Niles is out to lunch with his niece. Please wait. (CLERK exits; LOUISA nervously paces; GEORGE sits.)
20 LOUISA: You didn't need to escort me, George. I often come to Boston alone.
21 GEORGE: I know. But I was coming to town anyway. So when will this Niles fellow publish your book?
22 LOUISA: Maybe never. (pointing) There it sits, complete with May's drawings. He's had it for three weeks now, and all he said in his letter was
(LOUISA uses a deep, pompous voice) "I'd like to speak to you, Miss Alcott." What's he waiting for—Christmas?
23 GEORGE: That reminds me. You will be in our village Christmas play, won't you? I'll give you any part you like.
24 LOUISA: If Niles doesn't publish my book, I won't have the heart for a Christmas play this year, George.
25 GEORGE: At least he wants to talk about it.
26 LOUISA: I don't need talk! I need money! I'm so ashamed of the Alcotts being the charity case of Concord!
27 GEORGE: Steady, Louisa. Maybe he loved Tiny Ladies.
28 LOUISA (laughing in spite of herself): It's Little Women!
29 GEORGE: Well, you don't need me to fight your battles, that's clear. Good luck! (GEORGE exits; LOUISA takes a deep breath, resuming her pacing.)
30 CLERK (entering): Mr. Niles just got back. (confidentially) By the way, Miss, no matter what he says, I read a bit myself, and I didn't think it was half bad. For a book about girls, I mean! (LOUISA smiles as CLERK exits; NILES and LILY enter.)
31 NILES: Sorry to keep you waiting. This is my niece, Lily Almy.
32 LOUISA: Hello, Lily.
33 NILES: Miss Alcott is a writer, Lily.
34 LILY (obviously unimpressed): That's nice.
35 NILES: My niece does not have a great enthusiasm for literature.
36 LILY: Well, I do like to look at Godey's Lady's Book.
37 NILES: That is a fashion magazine, not a real book.
38 LILY (primping): Mother's picking me up here to take me clothes shopping. I do wish she'd hurry.
39 NILES: Just wait here, Lily. I must speak to Miss Alcott. (LILY sighs and sits; NILES sits at his desk; a tense pause follows.)
40 NILES: To be brief, I thought Little Women was dull.
41 LOUISA: Dull? You thought it was dull?
42 NILES: Yes. I might not publish it after all.
43 LOUISA: Mr. Niles, didn't you ask me to write a story that young girls would enjoy? Well, with all due respect, you are not a young girl!
44 NILES: Quite right, Miss Alcott. I like your spirit! (picks up the manuscript and takes it to LILY, untying the string around it) Lily, you must be the test. See if this amuses you as much as your fashion magazines.
45 LILY (wailing): But, Uncle, you know I hate boring old books.
46 LOUISA: Give it a try, Lily. Please? It might not be half bad. (LILY scowls and starts to read; she reads through the following conversation, becoming more and more engrossed.)
47 NILES: I expected something more exciting, you see.
48 LOUISA: Like swashbuckling pirates or haunted castles? Really, Mr. Niles, this book is simple and true and full of the drama of real life.
49 NILES: Then there's the language problem. Those girls use slang!
50 LOUISA: They talk like real people, that's all. Is that so bad?
(LILY giggles without looking up, eagerly going to the next page. NILES looks at her in surprise, then looks back at LOUISA.)
51 NILES: But will it sell? I'm running a business here. (CLERK enters.)
52 CLERK: Mrs. Almy is here for Miss Lily, sir. (exits)
53 NILES: You can run along to the shops now, Lily. (no response from LILY, whose eyes are glued to the page) Lily? (still no response) Lily! Your mother is here to take you shopping.
54 LILY (still reading): Tell her I'm busy.
55 NILES (amazed): Lily! Is that really you?
56 LOUISA: Let her take the book, Mr. Niles. When she's done, decide whether or not to publish it. A deal?
57 NILES (shrugs): Very well.
58 LOUISA: Don't drop it in the mud, Lily. That's the only copy! (NILES guides LILY off; she exits, still reading.)
59 NILES: Incredible! Lily with her nose in a book.
60 LOUISA (wryly): And a dull book at that!
Scene 3
Time: December 1868
At rise: The Alcott kitchen, the week before Christmas. The table is covered by a tablecloth. ANNA and MAY are sitting at the table, sewing.
61 MAY: There! Louy's costume for the Christmas play is done. Where is she?
62 ANNA: In her study, poor thing. Looking through the mail and brooding. Little Women has been out since October.
63 MAY: And still no word from the publisher.
64 ANNA: What if nobody's buying it? (LOUISA runs in, carrying a letter.)
65 LOUISA: It's from Mr. Niles. Finally! I can't look!
66 MAY: Let me, then. (grabs the letter and opens it) "My dear Miss Alcott. When my niece Lily said that every girl would love your book, she was right. Enclosed is your first royalty check. Many more will follow—our presses can't keep up with the demand for Little Women." Oh, Louy!
67 LOUISA (grabs the check with a squeal): Look—three hundred dollars!
68 ANNA: I've never seen so much money!
69 LOUISA: I can pay our debts. I can buy Mother a decent coat. I can—what's the matter, May?
70 MAY: Listen. "The reviewers have praised the story. But they think your sister's illustrations are rather awful."
71 LOUISA: Never mind, May. If the sales keep up like this, I'll send you to Europe for art lessons.
72 MAY: You're magnificent, Louy!
from "Louisa’s Golden Egg," by Barbara Tutt, from Cobblestone Magazine, December 1988. Copyright ©1988 by Carus Publishing d/b/a Cricket Media.
Question
Read the sentence from speech 18.
This ugly duckling is desperate for a golden egg!
What is the meaning of this sentence?
Responses
Louisa, finished with the apple, is now desirous of more food.
Louisa, finished with the apple, is now desirous of more food.
Louisa, although fond of drama, is not an attractive individual.
Louisa, although fond of drama, is not an attractive individual.
Louisa, an enthusiastic person, is sharing her desire to become an actress.
Louisa, an enthusiastic person, is sharing her desire to become an actress.
Louisa, through circumstances beyond her control, is in urgent need of money.
Louisa, through circumstances beyond her control, is in urgent need of money.
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1 answer
The correct response to the meaning of the sentence "This ugly duckling is desperate for a golden egg!" is:
Louisa, through circumstances beyond her control, is in urgent need of money.
In this context, Louisa refers to herself as the "ugly duckling," suggesting that she feels unattractive or overlooked in her current situation, while the "golden egg" symbolizes her need for financial success or stability, which she hopes to achieve through her writing.
