# All Sorts and Conditions of Men… and Women explained — Anne of Avonlea

> Chapter companion for Anne of Avonlea by L. M. Montgomery.

## What happens

Anne and Diana embark on a fundraising canvass for the Avonlea Village Improvement Society, encountering a variety of residents along the Newbridge road, including the pessimistic Eliza Andrews and her more optimistic sister Catherine. Despite ridicule and resistance, the Society presses forward with plans to re-shingle and paint the hall, reflecting Anne's idealism and the community's mixed reactions to change.

## Themes in this chapter

### Community and Belonging

The formation of the Avonlea Village Improvement Society highlights collective effort and the challenges of rallying diverse community members.

### Change and Transition

The Society's initiatives face resistance from traditionalists like Eliza Andrews, reflecting tensions between progress and conservatism.

### Imagination and Idealism

Anne's poetic reflections on nature and her optimistic vision for the Society embody her enduring idealism.

## Character check-ins

### Anne Shirley

Secretary of the A.V.I.S., leads the canvass with enthusiasm and idealism.

### Diana Barry

Treasurer of the A.V.I.S., accompanies Anne on the canvass with practical concerns.

### Gilbert Blythe

President of the A.V.I.S., assigns canvass routes and walks home with Anne.

### Eliza Andrews

Pessimistic resident who refuses to contribute and criticizes the Society.

### Catherine Andrews

Optimistic sister who secretly contributes her egg money to the cause.

### Daniel Blair

Resident encountered in a comical situation wearing his wife's apron.

### Marilla Cuthbert

Mentioned as having eye trouble; Anne reports the day's events to her.

### Fred Wright

Vice-president of the A.V.I.S., assigned to canvass the White Sands road.

## Key lines

> Bliss is it on such a day to be alive; but to smell dying fir is very heaven. That’s two thirds Wordsworth and one third Anne Shirley.

Anne joyfully declares that being alive on a beautiful day is bliss, and the scent of dying fir is heavenly, blending Wordsworth's poetry with her own sentiment.

_Anne's characteristic blending of literary allusion and personal emotion._

> The world is getting better—it certainly is.

Catherine Andrews affirms her belief in progress despite her sister's pessimism.

_Reflects the optimistic counterpoint to Eliza's cynicism._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/anne_of_avonlea_se/chapters/vi-all-sorts-and-conditions-of-men-and-women
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/anne_of_avonlea_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/anne_of_avonlea_se/chapters