Little Women XXXVII Summary

Summary

At three o'clock on the Promenade des Anglais in Nice, Laurie wanders among the fashionable crowd and notices a young lady driving herself in blue — Amy March. He recognizes her, greets her with boyish warmth, and they immediately set off together: first to fetch letters at the banker's, then to Castle Hill to feed peacocks and admire the view. Their conversation mixes light personal news (where they are staying, letters from home) with quieter, more telling observations: Laurie shows a new, more serious bearing, while Amy demonstrates a cultivated elegance and an awareness of fashion learned abroad. Amy reads home letters aloud and shares sketches; Laurie responds with small, affectionate gestures, carrying a sketch of Jo in his pocket.

That evening Amy prepares for a Christmas party at her hotel, dressing with care in a white silk ball-dress adorned with azaleas and other economical trinkets she knows how to use well. At the ball Laurie arrives looking debonair and places a nosegay in her hand; their interaction alternates between familiar intimacy and a new, more grown-up reserve. During the dancing Amy experiences a sting when Laurie does not immediately claim the next dance, choosing instead to dance with others; she retaliates by engaging another partner and masking her annoyance with gaiety. As the evening progresses, Laurie watches Amy with increasing appreciation of her poise and charm; he comes to see her not simply as a child-friend but as a graceful young woman. By the end of the night Laurie devotes himself to Amy and behaves with renewed warmth, a change that both of them subtly feel as a result of the "new impressions" they exchange during their reunion.

Key events

1. Laurie sees and greets Amy driving on the Promenade des Anglais.
2. They visit Castle Hill, feed peacocks, and exchange letters and news.
3. Amy prepares carefully for the hotel's Christmas ball to impress Laurie.
4. At the ball Laurie initially fails to secure Amy for a dance, offending her.
5. Amy dances spiritedly with other partners; Laurie watches and reassesses her.
6. Laurie returns more attentive; the evening ends with renewed warmth between them.

Analysis

This chapter stages a reunion that foregrounds change — in appearance, manners, and inward tone — and uses social ritual (a promenade, a drive, a ball) to make those changes visible. For Amy, time abroad has taught polish, economy in dress, and a performing self-consciousness; she is learning to convert modest means into effective presentation. For Laurie, travel and exposure to the Continent have introduced a more contemplative, sometimes listless manner, which contrasts with his former boyish abandon. The narrative juxtaposes external gaiety (the lively promenade, the brilliant ball) with subtler interior shifts: Amy's deliberate prinking reflects ambition and social learning, while Laurie's momentary indifference at the dance reveals new reserve and an evolving perspective on Amy.

Structurally the chapter functions as a pivot: a brief daytime intimacy—feeding peacocks, sharing letters—prepares the reader for the public test of character at the ball. Symbolism is modest but effective: the peacocks and the promenade suggest display and spectacle, paralleling Amy's cultivated appearance and the performative aspects of social life; the Corsica "speck" glimpsed at sea alludes to distant, unattained things and to the smallness of outward change compared to inner feeling. The narrator's tone combines warm irony (about fashions and social types) with tenderness toward the characters, letting readers perceive change without moralizing it. The chapter deepens theme: maturation and the negotiation between natural affection and social self-fashioning.

Important quotes

“O Laurie, is it really you? I thought you'd never come!”

AmyAmy greets Laurie on the Promenade des Anglais, beginning their reunion and conversation.

“I do want him to think I look well, and tell them so at home”

Amy (Narrated thought)Amy reflects on her motives for dressing carefully before the ball: to please Laurie and be reported favorably at home.

“It's as old as the hills; you have seen it on dozens of girls, and you never found out that it was pretty till now—stupide!”

AmyAmy teases Laurie about his sudden admiration for her foreign-acquired 'illusion' of style, showing self-awareness about her appearance.

Characters in XXXVII

• Laurie
• Amy March
• Jo March
• Beth March
• Flo
• Mrs. Carrol
• Hannah
• Aunt March
• Vladimir