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Foreshadowing
Explanation and Analysis—Jo and Mr. Bhaer:
Alcott uses foreshadowing to hint at the girls' impending marriages. Take, for instance, Jo and Mr. Bhaer. In Chapter 43, Jo compliments his singing and promises to join him in a duet. Her words foreshadow their marriage as well as the success of their union:
And Mr. Bhaer cleared his throat with a gratified "Hem!" as he stepped into the corner where Jo stood, saying... "You will sing with me? We go excellently well together." A pleasing fiction, by the way, for Jo had no more idea of music than a grasshopper.
Jo and Bhaer "go well together" in both music and life. Although Jo does not conform exactly to the feminine ideal, or know much about music, she finds her own sort of success in both the duet and the relationship. In the following passage, Jo lapses into an appreciation of Mr. Bhaer's talent:
Mr. Bhaer sang like a true German, heartily and well, and Jo soon subsided into a subdued hum, that she might listen to the mellow voice that seemed to sing for her alone.
Here, Jo seems passive. However, her quiet appreciation signifies an active recognition of compatible values. Jo appreciates Bhaer's talent as a musician just as she respects him as a person; both his talent and good qualities make him an attractive candidate for marriage. Her compliance here foreshadows her future amenability to marriage.
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