Anne of Green Gables — Chapter 12

About This Passage

Montgomery stages the most important meeting of the novel in a garden at sunset — a setting saturated with beauty that Anne cannot fully appreciate because she is too nervous. The phrase 'fraught with destiny' elevates a children's playdate to the language of epic, and 'gazing bashfully at each other over tiger lilies' places flowers between the girls like a natural altar. The passage models how a writer can simultaneously describe setting and emotional state — the garden IS beautiful, AND Anne is too anxious to enjoy it.

Narration Prompt

In your own words, tell the story of this chapter. What were the most important moments? What made them important — and how do you know?

Discussion Questions

1. Anne creates a solemn oath for her friendship with Diana: 'I solemnly swear to be faithful as long as the sun and moon shall endure.' Why does Anne need a CEREMONY for friendship when Diana would have been happy just to play? What does this reveal about how Anne understands commitment — and how is it connected to her experience of losing people throughout her life?
2. Anne immediately wants to give Diana half her chocolate. She says, 'The other half will taste twice as sweet to me if I give some to her.' Compare this generosity to Chapter 3, where Anne dreamed of chocolate caramels but always woke before she could eat them. Now that Anne HAS something, her first instinct is to share. What does this tell us about what having and giving mean to Anne?

+ 3 more questions in the complete study guide