Anne explained

What happens

Themes in this chapter

• Kindness and Empathy

  Sara's empathy for the hungry child leads her to establish a charity, and the bun woman's kindness provides Anne with a home and job.

• Wealth and Poverty

  Sara's newfound wealth enables her to help the poor, contrasting her own past poverty with her current ability to give.

• Resilience and Inner Strength

  Sara's past suffering and her ability to transform it into compassionate action demonstrate her inner strength.

Characters to notice

• Sara Crewe

  Sara tells her story to the Large Family, proposes a charity for hungry children, and reunites with the beggar child Anne.

• Mr. Carrisford

  Reveals his and Ram Dass's role in the attic comforts; becomes a new man through his friendship with Sara and supports her charitable plan.

• Ram Dass

  Described as the one who observed Sara, crossed the roof, and brought secret comforts to her attic.

• Becky

  Accompanies Sara as her delighted attendant, now with a pink, round face.

• Miss Minchin

  Observes Sara and Becky from her window with irritation as they depart in the carriage.

• Ermengarde St. John

  Mentioned among those who gather to rejoice with Sara.

Key passages

• “Never had such joy reigned in the nursery of the Large Family. Never had they dreamed of such delights as resulted from an intimate acquaintance with the little-girl-who-was-not-a-beggar.”

  The Large Family's nursery was filled with unprecedented joy because they had come to know the girl who was not a beggar.

  Describes the children's delight in Sara's company after her rescue.

• “The idea had been so fanciful that Mr. Carrisford’s sad face had lighted with a smile, and Ram Dass had been so filled with rapture that he had enlarged upon it and explained to his master how simple it would be to accomplish numbers of other things.”

  The whimsical plan made Mr. Carrisford smile, and Ram Dass eagerly expanded on how easily many other things could be done.

  Shows how Ram Dass's idea to help Sara cheered Mr. Carrisford.

• “I was wondering if I could go to see the bun woman, and tell her that if, when hungry children—particularly on those dreadful days—come and sit on the steps, or look in at the window, she would just call them in and give them something to eat, she might send the bills to me.”

  Sara asks if she can arrange with the bun woman to feed hungry children and have the bills sent to her.

  Sara's proposal for a charity to feed the poor.

• “Perhaps Mrs. Brown will let you be the one to give the buns and bread to the children. Perhaps you would like to do it because you know what it is to be hungry, too.”

  Sara suggests that Anne might be the one to distribute the food because she understands hunger.

  Sara's empathy leads her to involve Anne in the charity.