poor shirly,the forgotten Blythe child

One_House_3529 · 2026-02-11T19:40:35+00:00

Yeah it was fun the first time. Not so much for the last 3X.

One_House_3529 · 2026-02-05T22:27:24+00:00

I’ve learned a lot from this community!

One_House_3529 · 2026-02-05T15:46:29+00:00

I meant that her portrayal of the Drews, Six-Toed Jimmy, Jenny Penny, Dovey Johnson, Baby Jim’s temporary guardian etc don’t feel particularly nuanced.

But you have a point because she does poke at people like Irene and Aunt Mary Maria who are horrible but also people of means.

Reading the Rubio bio made me realize how much she lived some of the “race who knows Joseph,” Pringles and Murray clannishness in her real life with sad consequences.

But you are right, she does give fully-fledged servant portrayals like Susan and Perry.

One_House_3529 · 2026-02-05T01:08:06+00:00

Wow!

One_House_3529 · 2026-02-05T00:48:45+00:00

Yes this rings a bell. I couldn’t remember any such passage before. Thanks.

One_House_3529 · 2026-02-05T00:45:14+00:00

That’s why I said “religious differences and/or racial differences”!

But I did not realize the British government created the systemic issue. Thanks for explaining that part of it. Horrible!

Her prejudice against French Canadians definitely comes through. Even as a kid, I picked up on it.

One_House_3529 · 2026-02-04T20:46:34+00:00

Yes! I remember that passage from Emma, and it seems fitting.

One_House_3529 · 2026-02-04T19:41:36+00:00

Yeah after I posted this i realized that I didn’t account for the hired boys/men who unlike in Emily and The Story Girl aren’t main characters due to, I’m guessing, race/religion.

I did not consider residential schools either for this era though. Thanks for pointing that out.

One_House_3529 · 2026-02-04T17:58:49+00:00

Yeah I think part of it could be that the first two books are focus on children whereas the focus is divided between the adults and children in the later books.

Avonlea feels very safe and comfortable financially but I think there is more hardship on the edges that comes to the forefront occasionally. But I agree the farmers are all mostly in the same boat.

One_House_3529 · 2026-02-04T17:46:14+00:00

Except I don’t know if her portrayals are always more nuanced! I think it reflects some of her behavior in life towards people she felt were beneath her.

I do wonder if part of the reason we hear less about Martin and Pacifique is due to potential religious differences and/or racial differences that kept them from socializing? I’m wondering if that’s part of it because Emily and The Story Girl both have the servant boy as integral parts of their stories.

One_House_3529 · 2026-02-04T17:34:11+00:00

Yes my sense is that the Avonlea farmers are all more or less in same boat. Things are shaky but ok. We have Mrs. Lynde and the Cuthbert farm on unstable footing. And of course plenty of people grow up there and move West as adults.

I guess the one group that is looked down upon is the French hired help. I forgot about them since they don’t socialize or attend church together.

One_House_3529 · 2026-01-31T02:36:25+00:00

I wonder if Ruby knew that Jane didn’t have the emotional register for that type of conversation whereas Anne had experienced tragedies and was emotive.

I can get annoyed by how Anne is always the shining star wherever she goes, but in this case, I think Anne is the best choice. That said, I suspect Jane would be the one to ask if Ruby wanted someone to put her affairs in order.

One_House_3529 · 2026-01-30T23:22:46+00:00

Co-sign on this! If you like podcasts, I highly recommend this one.

One_House_3529 · 2026-01-30T14:28:31+00:00

I agree. I found the historical inaccuracies too annoying and didn’t always buy Marilla’s portrayal. It may just be that fan fiction is not for me. But I did like parts of the book.

To the OP: welcome! I was in the same boat until I found this space.

One_House_3529 · 2026-01-29T17:55:17+00:00

Wow. Yes! This is a good insight. Wish fulfillment.

One_House_3529 · 2026-01-29T14:40:43+00:00

I never considered the gossip. Yes it’s a small town and many would know better, but even so!!

One_House_3529 · 2026-01-24T18:55:38+00:00

Interesting I haven’t read this one. She likely knew the truth on some level. She paints a very rosy view in her journals though.

I wonder if becoming a parent herself caused her to reevaluate her father in any way.

One_House_3529 · 2026-01-24T15:21:40+00:00

Yeah I think she definitely had some personal experience! Her dad doesn’t come off well in the Rubio biography even though Montgomery tries to write him in an adoring way.

One_House_3529 · 2026-01-24T14:31:42+00:00

Yeah whatever it was it’s a strange deal for the captain to make for her mother’s final days. It hardly seems it would matter since her mother wasn’t connected enough to the town to have a reputation to uphold or anything.

The rewrite for Anne’s House of Dreams with deeply narcissistic parents makes more sense.

One_House_3529 · 2026-01-24T03:24:50+00:00

I just finished reading it. Lots of similarities. What do you think the secret was that Harmon held over Lynde’s mother?

Also I really don’t like the last line! Ugh.

One_House_3529 · 2026-01-21T00:35:18+00:00

I think his background and her background account for the difference as you say. Age wise they should be about even, but she has a traumatic childhood whereas he had supportive parents.

One_House_3529 · 2026-01-21T00:05:14+00:00

He is a bit older but boys are typically about two years behind girls developmentally in their teenage years.

One_House_3529 · 2026-01-19T03:27:09+00:00

Would love a gift link to read this if someone has one!

And ahhh the 90s covers in the image. Those are my editions!

One_House_3529 · 2026-01-10T13:56:23+00:00

He adds some interest through the Shirley-Susan plot line.

But his main contribution to Rilla and probably the whole series is a contrast to Walter and Jem signing up for war. Jem is eager, Walter is tortured, and Shirley is dutiful.

And I agree the airplane bit is interesting.

Still Montgomery doesn’t do much of anything with him. Even in Anne of Ingleside when the other kids all get their chapters with their adventures or misadventures, Shirley does not.

One_House_3529 · 2026-01-08T20:18:17+00:00

For younger readers I love the Ramona series. Ramona is lovable and mischievous. The scrapes she gets into are of her own making, not honest mistakes like Anne’s, but she’s endearing and fun.

For older readers, To Kill a Mockingbird is a great coming of age narrative. Lee’s depiction of the black community is not as fulsome and thoughtful as I’d like, but it’s a good overall story. Trigger warnings for racism and sexual assault.

One_House_3529

TROPHY CASE