Why does Anne lose her temper with Mrs. Rachel?

Mrs. Rachel says Anne is skinny, homely and has red hair like carrots. Anne is so hurt and angry that she scolds Mrs. Rachel in front of Marilla.

Does Anne say sorry to Mrs. Rachel?

Yes. Marilla makes Anne apologize, and Anne does it very dramatically. Mrs. Rachel laughs and forgives her.

Is Mrs. Rachel kind in the end?

Yes. Though she is blunt, she helps Marilla and Anne many times. She is also the one who tells Anne that Gilbert gave up the school for her.

From Anne of Green Gables

Mrs. Rachel Lynde

The village neighbor • Outspoken and nosy

Avonlea’s outspoken neighbor, who always knows the news and always speaks her mind.

Who is Mrs. Rachel Lynde?

Mrs. Rachel Lynde is the busiest woman in Avonlea and always says exactly what she thinks. She can be nosy and blunt, and her first words about Anne lead to a fiery quarrel. But she is also warm-hearted and dependable, and she shows up for her neighbors when they need her most.

Mrs. Rachel Lynde is a character in Anne of Green Gables, the 1908 novel by L. M. Montgomery, retold for ages 6–9 by Sean Lee.

What is Mrs. Rachel Lynde like?

outspoken
nosy
dependable

Mrs. Rachel Lynde’s story

Mrs. Rachel Lynde lives where the Avonlea road dips into a hollow, and nothing passes her window without her noticing. In the first chapter she sees Matthew driving out in his best clothes and goes straight to Green Gables to find out why. The book says she is a capable woman who runs the Sewing Circle and helps run the Sunday school, and she always speaks her mind.

Her first look at Anne is a disaster. She calls Anne skinny and homely and says she has hair as red as carrots, and Anne storms at her in a rage. Marilla makes Anne apologize, and Anne does it with such drama that Mrs. Rachel laughs and forgives her. After that she is Anne’s neighbor, critic and supporter, giving advice that Marilla sometimes follows.

Mrs. Rachel is also kind when it matters. She gets news and shares it, and she comes to Green Gables in the grief after Matthew’s death. She tells Anne that Gilbert gave up the Avonlea school for her. Even when she disagrees with Anne’s plans, she is glad to see Anne stay in Avonlea.

“Mrs. Rachel prided herself on always speaking her mind”

L. M. Montgomery, the narrator, describing her habit of frankness. From the original 1908 novel by L. M. Montgomery.

A moment to remember

When Anne kneels on her porch and dramatically begs forgiveness, Mrs. Rachel bursts out laughing and forgives her.

Marilla Cuthbert: old friend and neighbor
Anne Shirley: girl she scolds and then befriends
Matthew Cuthbert: neighbor
Gilbert Blythe: kind-hearted boy she praises

Talk about it

Mrs. Rachel said something hurtful, and Anne said something hurtful back. What could each of them have done differently?

Questions about Mrs. Rachel Lynde

Why does Anne lose her temper with Mrs. Rachel?: Mrs. Rachel says Anne is skinny, homely and has red hair like carrots. Anne is so hurt and angry that she scolds Mrs. Rachel in front of Marilla.
Does Anne say sorry to Mrs. Rachel?: Yes. Marilla makes Anne apologize, and Anne does it very dramatically. Mrs. Rachel laughs and forgives her.
Is Mrs. Rachel kind in the end?: Yes. Though she is blunt, she helps Marilla and Anne many times. She is also the one who tells Anne that Gilbert gave up the school for her.