Emily of New Moon · Chapter
The Tansy Patch explained
Emily and Ilse have a terrible fight over whether to have a parlour in their playhouse, but reconcile the next day as if nothing happened.
What happens
Emily and Ilse have a terrible fight over whether to have a parlour in their playhouse, but reconcile the next day as if nothing happened. They become friends with Teddy Kent and visit the Tansy Patch often, where they enjoy playing, drawing, and twilight hours. Emily writes to her father about Aunt Elizabeth's disapproval of Teddy and the mysterious Mrs. Kent.
Themes in this chapter
Friendship and Loyalty
Emily and Ilse's quarrel and quick reconciliation highlight the resilience of their friendship, while their shared visits to Teddy deepen their bond.
Family and Belonging
Emily's letters to her father show her longing for connection, while Mrs. Kent's possessive love for Teddy and Aunt Elizabeth's coldness contrast different family dynamics.
Secrecy and Truth
Mrs. Kent's hidden jealousy and the secret of Teddy's drawings (hidden from his mother) underscore the theme of hidden truths and unspoken tensions.
Characters to notice
- Emily Byrd Starr
Quarrels with Ilse over the playhouse parlour, then reconciles; becomes a regular visitor to the Tansy Patch; writes letters to her father about her experiences.
- Ilse Burnley
Fights with Emily in a Burnley tantrum, but quickly forgets the quarrel and rebuilds the playhouse; joins Emily in visiting Teddy at the Tansy Patch.
- Teddy Kent
Lives at the Tansy Patch with his mother; draws pictures; enjoys playing with Emily and Ilse; gives Emily a painted shell but asks her to keep it secret from his mother.
- Aunt Elizabeth Murray
Disapproves of Teddy and the visits to the Tansy Patch, but permits them under Dr. Burnley's orders; Emily writes about her sternness and the Murray traditions.
- Mrs. Kent
Teddy's mother; a mysterious, unhappy woman with a scar on her face; watches the children from behind the blind; jealous of Teddy's friendships; drowns kittens.
- Dr. Burnley
Orders the visits to the Tansy Patch; has a strange influence over Aunt Elizabeth; mentioned in Emily's letter.
Key passages
“Emily wanted a parlour and Ilse didn’t. Ilse lost her temper at once, and went into a true Burnley tantrum.”
Emily insisted on having a parlour in their playhouse, which made Ilse immediately furious in a characteristic Burnley outburst.
The fight begins over a simple disagreement about the playhouse design.
“When Emily went to the playhouse next morning, bent on retrieving her share of broken dishes and boards, there was Ilse, skipping around, hard at work, with all the shelves back in place, the moss garden remade, and a beautiful parlour laid out.”
The next day, Emily returned to the playhouse expecting to salvage her belongings, but found Ilse had already rebuilt everything and added the parlour Emily wanted.
Ilse's quick forgiveness and practical action show her impulsive but generous nature.
“Aunt Elizabeth does not aprove of Teddy... The first time I asked her if I might go and play with Teddy she looked at me severely and said, Who is this Teddy person. We do not know anything about these Kents. Remember, Emily, the Murrays do not assosiate with everyone.”
Aunt Elizabeth disapproves of Teddy, and when Emily first asked permission to play with him, she sternly reminded Emily that the Murrays do not associate with just anyone.
Emily's letter reveals Aunt Elizabeth's class-consciousness and the social barriers she imposes.
“She drowned a kitten once because she thought he liked it better than her. But he didn’t because Teddy is very much attatched to his mother.”
Mrs. Kent once drowned a kitten out of jealousy because she thought Teddy preferred it over her, though Teddy is actually very devoted to his mother.
This reveals Mrs. Kent's extreme possessiveness and emotional instability.
