Anne of the Island · Chapter
XXVII: Mutual Confidences explained
In March, the girls at Patty's Place study for exams.
What happens
In March, the girls at Patty's Place study for exams. Philippa Gordon announces her engagement to Jonas Blake, revealing her love for him despite his lack of wealth and conventional handsomeness. Anne reflects on her own feelings for Roy Gardner, contrasting his romantic but humorless nature with Gilbert Blythe's companionship. The chapter ends with Phil's joyful confession and Anne's uncertain admission of love for Roy.
Themes in this chapter
Love and Marriage
Phil's engagement to Jonas Blake contrasts romantic ideals with practical love; Anne's conflicted feelings about Roy Gardner explore the tension between idealization and genuine connection.
Friendship
Anne and Phil share confidences in the park, demonstrating deep mutual support and honest conversation about their romantic lives.
Self-Discovery
Phil recognizes her own capacity for love and commitment despite her frivolous exterior; Anne questions her feelings for Roy, hinting at inner uncertainty.
Characters to notice
- Anne Shirley
Reflects on her feelings for Roy Gardner, comparing his romantic sonnets to Gilbert Blythe's humor; admits she supposes she loves Roy.
- Philippa Gordon
Announces her engagement to Jonas Blake, expresses happiness, and discusses her plans to live simply in the slums.
- Gilbert Blythe
Mentioned in Anne's thoughts as someone who would see a joke, contrasting with Roy's lack of humor.
- Roy Gardner
Anne's ideal; sends her a sonnet and violets for her birthday, but lacks a sense of humor.
- Aunt Jamesina
Comments on the higher education of women and cooking; mentions her daughter is an M.A. who can cook.
- Priscilla Grant
Laughs at Miss Patty and Miss Maria traveling to Egypt; expresses gladness about keeping Patty's Place.
Key passages
“for Roy, of course she was in love with him—madly so. How could she help it? Was he not her ideal? Who could resist those glorious dark eyes, and that pleading voice? Were not half the Redmond girls wildly envious? And what a charming sonnet he had sent her, with a box of violets, on her birthday!”
Anne assumes she is deeply in love with Roy because he matches her romantic ideal, with his dark eyes, pleading voice, and poetic gifts that make other girls envious.
Anne's self-deception about her feelings for Roy is highlighted by her rationalization and the contrast with Gilbert.
“Gilbert would never have dreamed of writing a sonnet to her eyebrows. But then, Gilbert could see a joke. She had once told Roy a funny story—and he had not seen the point of it. She recalled the chummy laugh she and Gilbert had had together over it, and wondered uneasily if life with a man who had no sense of humour might not be somewhat uninteresting in the long run.”
Anne compares Roy's lack of humor to Gilbert's ability to share a laugh, questioning whether a humorless partner would make life dull.
This moment reveals Anne's subconscious preference for Gilbert's companionship over Roy's romantic ideal.
“I’m the happiest girl in the world. So Mr. Blake has asked you to marry him at last? Yes. And I sneezed three times while he was asking me. Wasn’t that horrid? But I said ‘yes’ almost before he finished—I was so afraid he might change his mind and stop.”
Phil joyfully announces her engagement to Jonas Blake, humorously noting she sneezed during his proposal but eagerly accepted.
Phil's genuine happiness contrasts with Anne's uncertain feelings about Roy.
