Expert: Andrew - 3/20/2011

Question
Do u think u could give me a very very detailed summary of the books first 8 chapters? Thanks!

Answer
Hello Raven

Sorry for the late response, until two days ago I hadn't even heard of the book, so had to hunt down a copy in order to read the first eight chapters. While usually I do not do homework questions, I did not specify this before you asked your question, and so will let this one slip.

Eight Cousins bu Louisa May Alcott is a 1875 youth book, which follows the life of Rose, a 13 year old girl who has recently lost her father, and moved in with her aunties, until her legal guardian can get his affairs in order, and come to pick her up. While living at her aunties, Rose acts very depressive, exclusive and gloomy, not taking to anything her aunties try to cheer her up. Her aunties decide to try one more thing, in a desperate attempt to cheer her up.

One morning, while sitting in one of the houses best parlous, Rose hears a bird song. Believing that it is a mockingbird, she goes in search of it. Chasing down the noise, she ends up in the kitchen, were a worker is cleaning the floors. Asking the worker, who reveals her name to be Phebe, she finds out that it was in fact her who made the noises, and not a bird. During the conversation between the two, Rose becomes to like her and the two bond.

When one of Rose's aunties comes into the kitchen and finds the two talking, she tells Rose that she is wanted in the Parlor. Walking into the parlor, she finds seven Scottish boys, all lined up in a row. The tallest one steps forward, and introduces himself as the 'chief' and reveals there identity as her cousins, and that they were sent by her aunties.

After the introductions, they all go out to play in there wagon, which is found in the barn. After an afternoon of playing, Rose decides that she likes her cousins very much. When called inside, the eight of them all have dinner, before the boys are sent home. Asking her weather she likes the cousins, Aunt Plenty is disappointed when she gets told that Rose likes Phebe better.

Making her way into the parlor, Rose falls asleep on a chair, an awoke to her fathers voice. Hugging him, he says he is Uncle Alec, her legal guardian, before she falls back asleep. Waking up the next morning, Rose looks out over her balcony to find her uncle coming back from a morning swim. Climbing up the wall onto her balcony, he greets her, and gets her to vent all her troubles onto him. He then begins to make changes to her daily routine, such as throwing away her medicines, and stopping her from drinking coffee in the morning.

Getting ready for church, Uncle Alec sends someone to warn Rose's cousins that he was at the house. Arriving at church, Rose observed this as being a good idea, as the boys were very excited to see uncle Alec, and caused a racket during the church service. Warning the boys that they wont get any of his 'goodies', Uncle Alec was able to quell their uproar.   

At dinner later that night, Rose is sent to her room and the aunties begin to discuss what should happen with Rose, each putting in there own opinion on how she should be raised. Barley managing to keep them at bay, he makes a compromise, saying he will educate her for a year, and if she is no better off he will leave her in their care.

After a fight with Aunt Plenty about medication, Uncle Alec prescribes Rose 'pills' which are really just break that has been shaped to look like medicine. Sending Rose to bed, he kisses her head and wishes her a goodnight. He then asks Aunt Peace weather he can have the room across from Rose's, and she says yes.

The next morning, Uncle Alec teacher her to milk a cow, before getting her to run across the yard and back. He then proceeds to give her new clothing, that will fit her shape better. Later, she is given a box, and looks inside to find a large amount of exotic clothing and collectible's.

After dinner, Alec and Rose drive around to their cousins, giving out some of the exotic things Alec had collected on his travels. When they arrive at the house of the seven boys, there is a racket as the boys open their presents. The youngest of the cousins, Jamie, wishes to show Rose his dolly, which turns out to be a four year old girl. After all the goodies are given out, the boys escort Rose and Alec home.

The next day, Uncle Alec shows Rose his room which he has been working on since he got home. She loves it, as it has been made for long term, elegant, luxury living. He then tells her that it is her room now. Rose is ecstatic, and thanks him greatly for it.

For the next week, rose is given lesson after lesson by Uncle Alec. One day, he gets her on a boat and takes her to another one of her uncles warehouses, to look at a Chinese ship and meet two Chinese people, Whang Loo and Fun See.

After looking around the boat, she waits inside, and listens to her Uncles talk to Whang Loo, while Fun See gives her many extravagant gifts. After heading home, Rose has a few more lessons with Uncle Alec, when Aunt Jane walks in and exclaims that Rose is too spoilt. Rose then shows off all she has learned recently, and Aunt Jane goes home shocked. Uncle Alec and Rose then dance in the hallway, having shown 'the enemy' that his course of action is working.