Anne of Green Gables: Chapter 22: Anne Is Invited Out to Tea Summary & Analysis

One August evening Anne dances home from an errand, full of news—she’s invited to tea at the minister’s house tomorrow. She shows Marilla the invitation from Mrs. Allan; it’s the first time she has ever been addressed as “Miss.” Marilla tells Anne she needs to take things more calmly.  Marilla is troubled that Anne feels both good and bad so intensely, fearing this sensitivity will cause her difficulties in later life. She doesn’t understand that Anne’s capacity for joy makes up for her capacity for sadness. And deep down, she really prefers Anne as she is.

The next day, Anne is so happy that she says she could be a “model child” if only she were invited to tea daily. But she’s also nervous that she’ll misbehave or commit a breach of etiquette. Marilla says she shouldn’t think so much about herself, but should just think about Mrs. Allan and what would be nicest for her. Anne gets through tea just fine, and she tells Marilla all about it that night.

Anne rapturously describes Mrs. Allan’s beautiful dress. She says she’d like to be a minister’s wife someday, but she supposes it won’t work because she isn’t “naturally good,” unlike Mrs. Allan, who doesn’t appear to have to work at being good. There was another little girl at tea, from the White Sands Sunday school. After the other girl went home early, Anne and Mrs. Allan had a long talk. Anne told Mrs. Allan everything about her life and history, and Anne was encouraged to hear that Mrs. Allan, too, had once struggled with geometry. Just before leaving, Mrs. Lynde stopped by the Allans’ with the news that a new teacher has been hired for the school: Miss Muriel Stacy. Mrs. Lynde thinks a lady teacher is “a dangerous innovation.”