Anne of the Island · Chapter
XXXI: Anne to Philippa explained
Anne writes to Philippa from Valley Road, where she is teaching and boarding at 'Wayside' with Miss Janet Sweet.
What happens
Anne writes to Philippa from Valley Road, where she is teaching and boarding at 'Wayside' with Miss Janet Sweet. She describes Janet's appearance, home, and quirks, including the preserved coffin plates. Anne mentions her interactions with the hired boy Sam Tolliver and reflects on her history with elderly love affairs, noting she will not meddle in a current one.
Themes in this chapter
Home and Belonging
Anne describes her new lodgings at Wayside and her growing fondness for Janet Sweet, finding a sense of home in the small, quirky house.
Love and Marriage
Anne mentions her involvement in elderly love affairs, including Ludovic Speed and Theodora Dix, and a current romance she observes but refrains from meddling in.
Characters to notice
- Anne Shirley
Narrator of the letter, teaching at Valley Road and boarding with Janet Sweet.
- Philippa Gordon
Recipient of Anne's letter.
- Janet Sweet
Anne's landlady at Wayside, a kind and old-fashioned cook.
- Esther Haythorne
Previous boarder at Wayside, disliked by Janet for her fads and criticism of the feather bed.
Key passages
“I like her; and she likes me—principally, it seems, because she had a sister named Anne who died young.”
Anne feels that Janet's fondness for her stems from the memory of her deceased sister, also named Anne.
Shows Anne's insight into human connections and her acceptance of being liked for a sentimental reason.
“I do really think, though, that Ludovic Speed would never have got any further along than placid courtship if I had not helped him and Theodora Dix out.”
Anne believes that without her intervention, Ludovic Speed would have remained stuck in a slow, uneventful courtship with Theodora Dix.
Highlights Anne's past role in facilitating a romance, contrasting with her current resolve not to meddle.