Anne of Avonlea

A first impression should never be the sole factor in determining someone’s worth. Too often, emotions, preconceived judgments, and differences of opinion mar what could be a beautiful relationship. Therefore, second chances are necessary for determining one’s true value.

Much emphasis is placed in this second novel on the impact of outsiders on Avonlea. As a small, close-knit town, any outsider faces intense scrutiny and judgment before any interaction even takes place. These views often come via Mrs. Rachel, the town busy-body, who emphasizes how one’s family or past dictates their future. Her words in Chapter 1—“I don’t know what Avonlea is coming to, with so many strange people rushing into it. It’ll soon not be safe to go to sleep in our beds” (6)—bespeak an underlying animosity to anyone considered “different.” Anne does not realize it, but Mrs. Rachel’s words stick in her mind and must be overcome through interaction and experience. The new families in town—the Donnells, the Cottons, etc.—are described as “belong[ing] down east” and “shiftless” (7), implying that anyone coming into Avonlea must be treated with caution and concern. As the teacher of these young folk, Anne has to overcome these initial biases and see people for their worth outside of Mrs. Rachel’s descriptions. However, true to Anne’s personality, she does so quickly, as first seen with Mr. Harrison. Though his initial anger and resentment cause Anne to fly off the handle as well, leading her to believe that Mrs. Rachel’s beliefs are true, once Anne sits down and speaks with him, she quickly considers him a kindred spirit. It is these second chances that define a large majority of the novel.

Likewise, with the Village Improvement Society, the local townspeople express vehement disapproval of anything that seems different. Their initial judgments, mostly conceived by pessimistic thoughts about modern youth, give way to heralded support, with many of the original grumps vowing to keep their property clean and beautiful in support of the cause once the Improvers are disappointed by the wrong paint job at the town hall. Eventually, the entire town supports the A.V.I.S., and Anne and Gilbert’s dreams finally come to fruition.

However, the romances in the novel's latter half speak to the impact of second chances. Miss Lavendar and Stephen Irving, driven apart by pride in their younger years, are given a second chance at love once they meet in middle age due to Anne’s tutelage of Paul. Mr. Harrison—the town bachelor, or so it seems—reunites with his wife, Emily, and learns that the meaning of life comes from compromising between two viewpoints. These relationships would not happen without the promise of a second chance at approaching an old problem.

Whether romantic or professional, second chances allow people to be seen through a new set of eyes, letting those involved make amends and rectify old injuries.