37 pages • 1 hour read
John PetersonThe Littles
Fiction | Novel | Middle Grade | Published in 1967A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Summary
Background
Chapter Summaries & Analyses
Character Analysis
Themes
Symbols & Motifs
Important Quotes
Essay Topics
Tools
BetaChapters 5-8Chapter Summaries & Analyses
Chapter 5 Summary
Mrs. Newcomb spends her days writing, and in the evenings, she reads what she’s written to Mr. Newcomb. The Littles have become invested in Mrs. Newcomb’s novel, and they gather each evening in their living room, which shares a wall with the Biggs’ living room. They uncork a subtle hole in the wall to listen as Mrs. Newcomb reads. Whenever her reading runs late, Tom and Lucy beg to stay up past their bedtime because they do not want to miss any part of the story. Uncle Pete loves the story, too, but he’s worried about the Newcombs’ housekeeping. They’ve been leaving out food and uncovered garbage, and no one has swept the house since the Biggs left. Granny is certain there will be mice.
Mr. Little returns home one day to confirm Granny was right—there are now mice. The Littles must keep their doors locked and stay armed when they leave the safety of their rooms. There is a weapons chest under the sofa that Mr. Little retrieves. He laments that their generation of Littles must use them. Mr. Little assures Lucy that Uncle Pete will teach Lucy and Tom how to shoot a bow and arrow. Uncle Pete, who is Mr. Little’s uncle, was adept with the bow when he, Mr. Little’s father, and their brothers fought mice several decades ago. A mouse got Uncle Pete’s foot, which is why he walks with a limp, and one of his brothers was killed in the same attack.
Mr. Little says the weapons are only for defense, but Uncle Pete advocates for hunting the mice down before they become a problem. Mr. Little figures the Newcombs will realize they have mice and put out some traps.
Chapter 6 Summary
Mr. Little and Tom begin watching the Newcombs at dinner, hoping to hear them discussing the mice issue or taking notice of the state of the house. However, the Newcombs only talk about their day and make no mention of mice. Armed, Mr. Little and Tom make their way home from the lookout above the kitchen.
While discussing ways to get the Newcombs to notice the mice, Mr. Little and Tom hear a mouse somewhere in the dark corridor. Mr. Little plans to light a match to scare the mouse, but he tells Tom to be ready to attack if that doesn’t work. Tom is so anxious that he shoots his arrow right at the mouse the moment the match is lit. Tom fires another shot, but the mouse keeps advancing. Mr. Little manages to scare it off with the match.
Chapter 7 Summary
Uncle Pete and Lucy say they also encountered mice that day. When their weapons failed, they managed to scare the mice with matches, just like Mr. Little and Tom. Tom explains his idea to dress up like a mouse and run in front of Mrs. Newcomb in the kitchen. If the Newcombs see there’s a mouse, they’ll do something about it. Mr. Little wants to be the one to dress up, but the family agrees he’s too big—it has to be Tom. The following afternoon, Granny Little puts the finishing touches on Tom’s mouse costume, which covers his body completely but leaves his tail out. They smooth Tom’s tail so it looks more like a mouse’s. Lucy thinks Tom looks frightening, and the family praises Granny’s work. Tom gallops around, practicing his mouse movements. The family sees Tom and Mr. Little off at the tin-can elevator. It will be the first time any big people see any of the Littles.
Mr. Little waits at the end of Tom’s path, ready to give Tom a signal to cross. As Mrs. Newcomb walks through the kitchen, Mr. Little gives the signal. He realizes immediately that it was poor timing, but it’s too late. Tom begins to cross through the kitchen, and he passes right between Mrs. Newcomb’s feet. Mrs. Newcomb screams at the sight of a mouse, and Tom makes it to safety.
Mr. Newcomb enters the kitchen. Mr. and Mrs. Newcomb discuss getting rid of the mice. Mr. Newcomb believes the Biggs have some mouse traps stored somewhere. Mrs. Newcomb insists that the mice must go as soon as possible because she’s afraid she might get bitten.
Chapter 8 Summary
The Littles are happy with Tom’s successful plan, and Mr. Little praises Tom’s performance. Tom admits he was a little scared and apologizes to Granny for the damage done to the costume when he caught it on a nail after getting to safety. Granny says she’ll mend it so they can use it as a Halloween costume.
Lucy is too scared to leave her room until the mice problem is taken care of, so Uncle Pete suggests helping the Newcombs out by fighting the mice themselves. Mr. Little says they can put away the weapons when the mice are gone. Mrs. Little suggests they stay hidden for a few days while the mouse traps do their work since the traps themselves are also a danger to the Littles. Uncle Pete thinks it’s a bad idea for the Littles to stay locked up without knowing what’s happening in the house, so Mr. Little and Uncle Pete agree to look around once daily. Uncle Pete plans to visit the kitchen in the morning, and Tom asks if he can join. Lucy reiterates that she’ll be staying in her room.
Chapters 5-8 Analysis
The arrival of mice, as foreshadowed by Granny Little, poses a significant danger for the Littles; it also compounds their existing conflict with the Newcombs’ poor housekeeping. As a result of this danger, the Littles must bring out their weapons, about which Mr. Little laments: “Who would think that this generation of Littles would have to open this weapons chest?” (27). The reintroduction of weapons to the Little household develops weapons as a symbol of fear and uncertainty in their lives. Mr. Little also warns the family, “Don’t go out alone” (27), developing the theme of The Power of Unity.
These chapters demonstrate the link between unity and safety, illustrating the mortal danger that mice pose to the Little family. Uncle Pete tells the tale of his narrow escape from mice with the help of his brother, Tim, who perished in the same attack. However, it is only because of Tim that Uncle Pete lived. When Tom and Mr. Little also narrowly escape a mouse, their teamwork succeeds in frightening the mouse and keeping both of them safe. Uncle Pete and Lucy, too, recount a similar encounter, and they are able to get away only because of their cooperation. Mr. Little warns all the members of his family to never go out alone as long as the mice lurk. His warning as well as the Littles’ experiences prove that their unity helps them stay safe from the threat of the mice.
The mouse problem also develops the theme of Focusing on Cleanliness and Order, as the mice are a direct result of the Newcombs’ neglect of the Biggs’ house. Shortly before the mice appear, Uncle Pete remarks: “The bad housekeeping—it worries me” (26). Granny Little responds: “All those crumbs! Mark my words, […] there WILL be mice” (26). The mice work as a motif for this theme, emphasizing the consequences of not focusing on cleanliness and order. The appearance of mice escalates the conflict caused by the Newcombs, whose neglect is so profound that they do not notice that mice have begun eating their mess.
Tom Little comes up with a plan to dress as a mouse and scare the Newcombs into taking action against the real mouse infestation, and this develops the theme of The Importance of Adaptability and Resourcefulness. Tom’s plan is not only creative but also very brave, both of which are vital skills for the Littles. The climax of the novel takes place when Tom runs across the Biggs’ kitchen floor, dressed as a mouse and startling Mrs. Newcomb. He is vulnerable to danger by exposing himself to the “big people,” and he is also running around in a house that is infested with real mice that might eat him. Tom narrowly escapes being stepped on by Mrs. Newcomb, but he achieves his goal. Mrs. Little acknowledges the monumental occasion of this being “the first time any of the big people have ever seen any of [the Littles]” (46), emphasizing that though their secrecy is important to them, the Littles understand that this occasion demands that they temporarily give this up.
These chapters deepen the characterization of the Littles, as their debates about the mice show the family’s dynamic. Uncle Pete’s characterization as a foil to the other Littles emerges through his pessimistic outlook and stubborn nature. While Mr. Little and the rest of the family believe the Newcombs will notice the mice and get rid of them, Uncle Pete feels they’ll “[p]robably never” help the situation (40), and he advocates for “going out and attacking [the mice]” (29). Uncle Pete’s attitude contrasts with the rest of the Littles’ more passive and optimistic approach. Tom and Lucy also come across as distinct contrasts. While Tom demonstrates bravery by dressing up as a mouse and scaring Mrs. Newcomb, Lucy is always afraid and declares that she will “not [leave her] room until the mice are gone” (53). Tom and Lucy’s contrasting reactions to the mouse problem develop their characters. The Newcombs are also characterized beyond simple antagonists, as Mrs. Newcomb’s compelling storytelling provides a source of entertainment and joy for the Little family. By rejecting a simple good/bad dynamic, Peterson focuses on the characters actions and shows how negligence or acting selfishly can negatively impact others.
Finally, the illustrations in these chapters aid the narrative as they show the size contrasts between the Littles, the Newcombs, the Biggs’ house, and the mice. The illustration showing the Littles’ living room gives perspective on the proximity of this room to the Biggs’ living room, where Mrs. Newcomb reads her work. Another illustration shows Mr. Little and Tom hanging on the chain of the lamp above the kitchen table, where the Newcombs are eating dinner, showing how dangerous it is for the Littles to navigate the world they live in. An illustration also shows the mouse attack, showing how large the mouse appears next to Tom Little, which further emphasizes the risks the Littles face. The illustration that shows Tom narrowly escaping being stepped on by Mrs. Newcomb is an important visual that stresses the stakes of his endeavor. Although the novel’s descriptions detail the macro world of the Littles, the illustrations have a significant role in emphasizing the scale by which the Littles live in the Biggs’ house and the dangers that come with this life.
