Chapter 5: The Advent of Mary Vance (Lucy Maud Montgomery. Rainbow Valley)
Okay so basically the Meredith kids find a poor little orphan kid hiding in a barn - that’s Mary Vance. They bring her home and just sort of make her a house guest without getting anybody’s permission for it and their father doesn’t even notice. He is the town Minister and a bit busy thinking theological things.
Anyways, I really like the characterization happening in this chapter. It’s mostly about Mary Vance, obviously, but right at the end there’s this nice little line that says worlds about Mr. Meredith:
“And in the study below Rev. John Meredith walked the floor with rapt face and shining eyes, thinking out his message of the morrow, and knew not that under his own roof there was a little forlorn soul, stumbling in darkness and ignorance, beset by terror and compassed about with difficulties too great for it to grapple in its unequal struggle with a big indifferent world”
(Lucy Maud Montgomery. “Rainbow Valley”)
I think it’s a nice contrast to end the chapter with. Here’s this kid upstairs who’s never had anyone show her the slightest kindness and there’s the nicest minister in the world just downstairs, having no idea she’s even there because he’s preoccupied with sermons. John Meredith is simultaneously love able and frustrating. I like that dichotomy in a character.
