What's Inside
This collection presents early narratives featuring characters navigating the social expectations of late Victorian life in Prince Edward Island. In one piece, Jean and her roommates pool their lean purses to decorate a lamp for a grieving neighbor. Others observe social climbers like Agnes and Edna, who find their schemes undone by simple sincerity. The narratives shift from the drawing rooms of Montressor Place to the precarious cliffs of Kelpy’s Cave, where the ocean often dictates the outcome of a romance before the characters can. These stories, ranging from domestic comedy to seaside drama, examine specific local encounters, from the persistent courtship of Jerome Irving to the arrival of a newcomer at the Penningtons’ farm.
Works & figures
- Jean
A talented letter-writer who organizes a Christmas surprise for her landlady. (in “letter in my very best style to go with them," said Jean, warming up”)
- Miss Seeley
A plucky student who works through vacations to afford college tuition. (in “story neatly and properly, as all stories should be rounded up.”)
- Conrad Montressor
A father lost at sea three months after his wedding. (in “part with me; she had little to love save me, my father, Conrad”)
- Jerome Irving
A patient suitor who has asked for the same hand for fifteen years. (in “The Way of the Winning of Anne”)
- Helen
A stoic woman who accepts a copy of Tennyson before facing the tide. (in “story."”)
What it's really about
- Social Status
- Reputation and lineage dictate the behavior of aunts and college students.
- Persistence
- Men and women navigate decades-long courtships and difficult work.
Why it's memorable
- A rose-colored crepe paper lampshade intended to bring sunshine to a dreary room.
- A thread of crimson seaweed tucked inside a book as a final silent goodbye.
Where to start
Start with The Way of the Winning of Anne to see a portrait of small-town stubbornness that defines the early period of this collection.
For your book club
- Do the girls at Chestnut Terrace act out of true altruism or a sense of shame?
- How does the recurring threat of the sea influence the tone of these domestic stories?