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Here's a few of my comments/thoughts about the next few chapters.
Do you have any questions ?
Do you have any questions ?
Chapter 8 -Anne's Bringing-up is Begun
I agree that it took Marilla a while to be ready to accept Anne. Still, it seemed odd to me that even after she had made up her mind to keep the girl that Marilla held off so long in telling Anne.
This is the chapter where Anne wonders if she will ever have "a bosom friend-an intimate friend, you know - a really kindred spirit to whom I can confide my inmost soul".
I've been thinking some lately about what I expected from friendships and what I was willing to give to them in my 20's, 30's, 40's and now. Have your ideas about friendship changed as you have matured? What differences do you think there are in your friendships based on life stages of your children?
Anne talks about Katie Maurcie, the reflection girl and Violetta, her echo friend that kept her company through her difficult childhood. Did you (or your children) every create an imaginary friend?
Chapter 9 - Mrs. Rachel Lynde Is Properly Horrified
As I was reading the familiar scene where Rachel speaks so unkindly to Anne and the outburst of retaliation it sparked it immediately took me back to an incident from my own youth. When I was thirteen a member of my extended family who I saw infrequently paid a visit. She made some truly awful comments directly to me about how bad my complexion was and asking me what I was doing about it. I couldn't agree more with Anne when she said "Oh, but there's such a difference between saying a thing yourself and hearing other people say it." I knew my break outs were bad, but to have this woman look at me as if she were considering a piece of fruit in the market and finding it wanting and then to say right to me "oh my, your skin has really become a problem, hasn't it?" was more than my young, unconfidant spirit could stand. But rather than lash out the way Anne Shirley did to Rachel Lynde, I simply burst into tears and went to my room. Her words cut deep - so much so that at 54 I still remember them, remember the tone with which they were said, remember the look of the room we were in, remember exactly how furious, hurt and ashamed I felt all at once.
Many adults believe children should not "talk back" or speak in any challenging way to adults.
What is the best way to teach kids BOTH how to be polite and how to stick up for themselves?
How do you think a parent should respond when a child acts out with a tantrum or other behavior considered unacceptable following an incident where the parent feels the kid was wronged?
Chapter 10- Anne's Apology
Anne's apology was pretty hilarious.
Anne's apology was pretty hilarious.
Does it make sense to force children or teens to give apologies when they are still resenting the person they must apologize to?
Chapter 11 Anne's Impression of Sunday-School
Anne has a deep longing for puffed leaves, wanting to feel pretty and fashionable. Marilla sees that as foolish and vain. Above all, she wants to fit in with the other girls as she shows when Ann says: "I'd rather look ridiculous when everybody else does than plain and sensible all by myself."
How do you teach youth standards of appropriate dress and modesty when current fashions are anything but?
Where do you draw the line between frivolous vanity and wanting to look nice?
That's it for me for this section...let me know if it brought up any different ponderings for you.
Hi there, sorry I’m so late on this.
ReplyDelete8: I see a lot of “friend drama” on the internet and on Facebook, and I realize that I am very lucky in the lack of drama in my life. This extends to my friendships, I don’t get worried or bugged about little things. However, I also realize that I am often befriended vs. friending, as I tend to be a bit quiet about that. I think that’s the way I have changed is that I am more outgoing and specifically approach people now.
I know my kids did have imaginary friends, but they weren’t all encompassing. I think that Anne’s were borne out of extreme loneliness vs. my kids that came from more imagination. I don’t remember ever having one, but I know I really enjoyed dolls and paper dolls, which I suspect were meeting the same needs.
9: Originally, I found Mrs. Rachel to be a much more sympathetic character, but this chapter both she and Anne behaved badly. I struggle with the idea that age gives one the right to be rude, and quite frankly Mrs. Rachel was rude. This does not excuse Anne’s behavior - I did get a bit of a giggle at how Anne was not going to ever emerge from her room if Matthew had not intervened. I think that sending someone as used to entertaining herself to her room was a misstep. However, I do agree with Anne being told to apologize.
10: Well, I do think that apologizing was a good idea, but perhaps waiting until she was in a better place would have been a better idea.
11: I think that Marilla is a bit tone deaf in listening to Anne’s desires, I don’t think that it would have been harmful to let her have a more fashionable sleeve. I think Marilla is much more matter of fact than Anne is, and doesn’t listen to her often. I suspect in many ways it comes from their different personalities, but it also harkens back to Marilla’s reticence about Anne too, I think.
The thing that I thought was interesting about this chapter was the actual description of Sunday School and of church, and how Marilla was scandalized, but also agreed.