# XXXVI explained — The Blue Castle

> Chapter companion for The Blue Castle by L. M. Montgomery.

## What happens

Valancy rereads Dr. Trent's letter for comfort but cannot sleep, tormented by the realization that her heart condition cannot be serious if she survived the train track accident. She dreams of Barney accusing her of tricking him, wakes to find him gone, and decides to go to Deerwood to see Dr. Trent for the truth.

## Themes in this chapter

### Mortality and Carpe Diem

Valancy confronts the possibility that her fatal diagnosis was a mistake, forcing her to reconsider her mortality and the choices she has made.

### Identity and Self-Worth

Valancy's sense of self is shaken as she questions the foundation of her recent liberation and her relationship with Barney.

## Character check-ins

### Valancy Stirling

Lies awake in misery, re-evaluates Dr. Trent's diagnosis, dreams of Barney, and resolves to visit Dr. Trent.

### Barney Snaith

Pretends to sleep but is awake; leaves the house early, taking the canoe, and does not return.

### Dr. Trent

His letter is reread by Valancy; she plans to visit him in Deerwood.

## Key lines

> There could be nothing seriously wrong with her heart, no matter what Dr. Trent had said. If there had been, those thirty seconds would have killed her.

Valancy concludes that her heart must be fine because she survived the train track accident without dying.

_Valancy uses the accident as evidence to doubt Dr. Trent's diagnosis._

> The old clock had stopped. Barney must have forgotten to wind it up, something he had never done before. The room without it was dead, though the sunshine streamed in through the oriel and dimples of light from the dancing waves beyond quivered over the walls.

The stopped clock makes the room feel lifeless despite the bright sunlight and dancing reflections from the lake.

_The stopped clock symbolizes the disruption and silence in Valancy's world after the accident._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_blue_castle_se/chapters/xxxvi
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_blue_castle_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_blue_castle_se/chapters