Anne of Green Gables Read-Along Chapters 13-21

Hello, readers and friends! It's the third week of the Anne of Green Gables read-along, and today we're discussing chapters 13-21.

This set of chapters starts off with Marilla telling Anne about the church picnic. Anne is very excited, because she has never been to a picnic before. Yet whether or not she may go is questioned after Marilla's amethyst brooch goes missing. Anne admits she played with it, but is adamant that she replaced it. Alas, after making Anne stay in her room, Marilla finds the brooch and lets Anne go to the picnic. In the next chapter, Anne starts school in Avonlea where she meets that troublesome Gilbert Blythe, whom teases her about her hair and soon after becomes Anne's rival. Anne and Diana have their infamous tea party with disastrous results. Then Anne redeems herself in Mrs. Barry's eyes as she nurses Minnie May when she has the croup.

I must admit, I relate to Anne as she daydreams while going about with her daily chores. When I was eighteen, I took a part-time job at our church as a janitor to earn the money to publish my first book, Stephanie's Story. I still have that job. It's not a bad job, but admittedly, it isn't very glamorous. A lot of times I'll daydream as I go about cleaning, sometimes pretending I'm Cinderella or a servant on Donwton Abbey. Thank goodness I've never had a blunder like Anne's with the mouse in the pudding sauce! And I think we've all let our imaginations run away with us like Anne and Diana did with The Haunted Wood.

Discussion Questions

1: If you were to base your judgment of Anne and Gilbert's relationship off of their first meeting, in which he calls her Carrots and she breaks a slate over his head, what would you say their future would be?

It's hard for me to think of their relationship in any other way because it feels like blasphemy for Anne to not be with Gilbert. If I didn't know the story, I'd probably say it would be similar to its true outcome; that they would become rivals. Yet I'd probably think that Anne wouldn't come to think of Gilbert in a romantic way- though I'm glad that she later changes her mind.

2: Do you feel like Mrs. Barry's judgment after the unfortunate tea party was fair?

I understand that it would be scary and maddening if your kid came home drunk, but I feel like Mrs. Barry wasn't even trying to understand the situation.

3: Do you find it very likely that Josephine Barry would take a liking to Anne?

I do. Even though Josephine is a bit of a crusty woman and doesn't seem to like many people, I think Anne's personality contrasts her's and sort of catches her off guard. As Matthew always says, Anne is interesting, and I think that caused Josephine to want to visit with her.

4: Why do you think that Anne was so taken with Mrs. Allan?

I think it was because Mrs. Allan was very fashionable, but also because she was very nice and sweet. She was a good role model for young girls.

Favorite Quotes

"Oh Marilla, looking forward to things is half the fun of them," exclaimed Anne.

"I'm so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers."

"But, really Marilla, one can't stay sad long in such an interesting world, can one?"

"Isn't it nice to think that tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it yet?"