# Lorna Ends Her Story explained — Lorna Doone

> Chapter companion for Lorna Doone by R. D. Blackmore.

## What happens

Lorna recounts her childhood in the Doone valley, the protection of Sir Ensor Doone, and a fateful encounter with her self-proclaimed guardian, Lord Alan Brandir, who reveals their kinship and attempts to persuade her to leave the Doones.

## Themes in this chapter

### Family and Loyalty

Lorna's loyalty to her grandfather Sir Ensor is contrasted with Lord Alan's claim of kinship and guardianship, highlighting conflicting family ties.

### Gender Roles and Independence

Lorna's initial dismissal of Lord Alan as a 'doll' reflects her perception of gender and strength, while his role as guardian challenges her autonomy.

## Character check-ins

### Lorna Doone

Narrates her past, describing her sheltered childhood and her meeting with Lord Alan Brandir.

### Sir Ensor Doone

Mentioned as Lorna's grandfather who gave strict orders to protect her innocence and maintain order in the valley.

### Lord Alan Brandir

Appears as Lorna's self-proclaimed guardian and cousin, a young Scottish lord who reveals their kinship and tries to convince her to leave.

## Key lines

> It is not a twelvemonth yet, although it seems ten years agone, since I blew the downy globe to learn the time of day, or set beneath my chin the veinings of the varnished buttercup, or fired the foxglove cannonade, or made a captive of myself with dandelion fetters; for then I had not very much to trouble me in earnest, but went about, romancing gravely, playing at bo-peep with fear, making for myself strong heroes of gray rock or fir-tree, adding to my own importance, as the children love to do.

Lorna reflects on her childhood innocence less than a year ago, when she played carefree games and imagined heroes, before the troubles of her life began.

_Lorna contrasts her past simplicity with her present awareness of the Doones' evil._

> My grandfather, Sir Ensor Doone, had given strictest order, as I discovered afterwards, that in my presence all should be seemly, kind, and vigilant.

Lorna later learned that Sir Ensor had commanded everyone to behave properly and kindly around her.

_Highlights Sir Ensor's protective role and the hidden violence of the Doones._

> At a sudden turn of the narrow path, where it stopped again to the river, a man leaped out from behind a tree, and stopped me, and seized hold of me. I tried to shriek, but my voice was still; I could only hear my heart.

A man suddenly jumped out from behind a tree on the path, grabbed Lorna, and she was too frightened to scream.

_Describes the tense moment when Lord Alan first confronts Lorna._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/lorna_doone_se/chapters/xxi-lorna-ends-her-story
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/lorna_doone_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/lorna_doone_se/chapters