March: Chapter 7 Summary & Analysis

In a flashback, March’s memories detail him losing the wealth he built earlier in life. Initially, March and Margaret live comfortably in Concord, enjoying financial stability and the liberty to devote themselves to family and abolitionism. March meticulously designs their home to reflect elegance and social refinement, installing gardens, charming furniture, and even a secret room to shelter runaway enslaved people. Margaret, though teased about having little domestic responsibility, delights in motherhood and her passions. With their growing family, which now includes daughters Meg and Jo, March recalls the joys of parenthood alongside intimate friendships with neighbors like Emerson and Thoreau.

As the years pass, Margaret’s fervent abolitionism intensifies, driven partly by her empathy as a mother. Her passionate nature sometimes erupts in fiery outbursts, causing tension within their home. A notable clash occurs when Aunt March, already unpopular with Margaret, criticizes Margaret and March’s planned attendance at abolitionist John Brown’s lecture. Margaret fiercely rebukes Aunt March, angry that she is clearly against the abolitionist cause in general. March intervenes forcefully, leading Margaret out of the house and into an uncomfortable walk that barely calms her. Despite lingering tension, they attend Brown’s lecture, where Brown’s radical rhetoric unsettles March but excites Margaret.

At a reception following the lecture, Margaret enthusiastically engages with Brown, fascinated by his bold, militant commitment to abolition. Feeling overshadowed by Brown’s charisma, March impulsively offers financial support for Brown’s abolitionist projects, largely motivated by a desire to impress Margaret. In subsequent meetings, March continues to invest large sums into Brown’s ventures, believing he funds peaceful settlements for freed enslaved people. Brown’s increasingly grandiose plans promise substantial profits, tempting March to commit nearly all his remaining fortune. Unbeknownst to March, Brown repeatedly mortgages the same land parcels to multiple investors, secretly funding plans for armed insurrection rather than peaceful escape routes.

Eventually, Brown’s ventures collapse financially, wiping out all of March’s money. Rather than expose Brown to public shame and legal trouble, March uses his remaining capital to cover Brown’s debts to other creditors. When he finally confesses the totality of their ruin to Margaret, who is now pregnant with their fourth child, she initially reacts with shock and deep sadness. However, ultimately, she bravely accepts the loss and soldiers on. Their luxurious home life swiftly dissolves, replaced by stark simplicity as they dismiss their servants and sell most possessions. March takes solace in a simple life, returning to physical labor to make a living, while Margaret creatively maintains a welcoming household with few resources.

Though March tries to keep their reduced circumstances quiet, word quickly spreads throughout Concord. Close friends like Emerson and Thoreau support the family discreetly, while local creditors approach March gently and sympathetically. Aunt March, however, arrives angrily, harshly criticizing March and offering to adopt Meg. She refers to the girl as a “burden” in the process. Enraged at the notion that any of her daughters is a burden, Margaret begins yelling at Aunt March, forcing March to physically remove his wife from the room. This incident triggers another fierce argument between husband and wife, culminating in Margaret striking March with a switch. Margaret immediately feels bad about what she has done, and she resolves thereafter to master her temper.

Following their estrangement from Aunt March, the family moves to a modest rented cottage. Jo reconnects with Aunt March years later, becoming her paid companion, gaining access to her uncle’s library, and pursuing self-education. Meanwhile, Meg works as a governess, wistfully observing the luxury enjoyed by her wealthy employers. Though March acknowledges his daughters’ struggles, he ultimately sees their reduced circumstances as beneficial, as they have fostered independence and resilience rather than vanity or idleness.