Change and Loss

Where it surfaces

• The Shadow of Change

  The chapter is steeped in the melancholy of autumn and the impending separation from home and friends, emphasizing the bittersweet nature of transition.

• II: Garlands of Autumn

  The chapter marks the end of Anne's Avonlea childhood as she prepares to leave for college, with farewells and nostalgic walks.

• Greeting and Farewell

  Anne grapples with leaving Green Gables and the end of her girlhood, feeling that things will never be the same.

• Home Again

  The contrast between Anne's new life at Redmond and the enduring, yet changed, home at Green Gables.

• The Round of Life

  The chapter is steeped in the awareness of change: old faces missing from church, Billy Andrews married, and most poignantly, Ruby Gillis's unrecognized decline. Anne and Diana walk through a beautiful spring evening while contemplating the fragility of life.

• The Way of Transgressors

  The chapter explores the tension between childhood innocence and the growing awareness of right and wrong.

• XIV: The Summons

  Ruby's impending death marks the first loss among Anne's schoolmates, emphasizing the inevitability of change.

• Miss Josephine Remembers the Anne-Girl

  The chapter reflects on the loss of Ruby Gillis, Miss Josephine Barry's death, and the changing dynamics in Anne's relationships, especially with Gilbert.

• Gilbert Speaks

  Anne feels the loss of Gilbert's friendship and her 'world tumbling into pieces,' marking a significant emotional shift.

• Spring and Anne Return to Green Gables

  Marilla reflects on her past and the transformative impact Anne has had on her life.

• Paul Cannot Find the Rock People

  Anne feels a sense of something missing with Gilbert's absence, and Paul mourns the change in his imaginary friends, highlighting the inevitability of change.

• A June Evening

  Anne mourns the end of her close companionship with Diana as marriage approaches, and reflects on the inevitability of growing up and change.

• Diana's Wedding

  Anne feels the bittersweet passage of time as Diana marries and she herself begins to feel like a stranger in Avonlea.

• Tea with Mrs. Douglas

  Mrs. Douglas's emphasis on her own frailty and impending death underscores themes of aging and the transition of care from mother to wife.

• XXXIII: “He Just Kept Coming and Coming”

  Janet's fear of losing John and the emotional turmoil of her fortieth birthday underscore the theme of change and the passage of time.

• John Douglas Speaks at Last

  Mrs. Douglas's death brings a significant change, freeing John and Janet from a long-standing promise and altering the dynamics of the household.

• The Last Redmond Year Opens

  The girls face their final year at Redmond, marking the end of an era, and Stella expresses feelings of discouragement and uncertainty about the future.

• Full-Fledged B.A.'s

  The end of Redmond life marks a significant transition, and Anne experiences a pang of loss upon hearing of Gilbert's rumored engagement.

• False Dawn

  The chapter marks the end of Anne's Redmond life and her departure from Patty's Place, symbolizing the loss of a cherished era.

• Deals with Weddings

  Anne feels the loss of her college life, the Snow Queen tree, and her old friendship with Diana as she faces a changed world.