Discussion 2 ~ Emily of New Moon Read-Along

Welcome to the second discussion of the Emily of New Moon read-along! ♥ If this is the first you've heard of the read-along, you can learn more about the schedule in this invitation post.

Today we're going to discuss chapters 11-17. If you've already read them, you can share your thoughts in the comments section or in your own post! (Feel free to use the image above, linking back to the Emily of New Moon read-along tag.) If you still need to catch up, you're welcome to check in whenever you're ready. :)

Hope you enjoy the discussion!

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Emily of New Moon: Chapters 11-17

Discussion format: your favorite quotes, general impressions, and five questions to answer for each week's reading

Favorite Quotes

• "I should not write fassinating again because you told me I must not use the same word too often but I cant think of any other that deskribes my feelings so well."

• "The call always had an odd effect on Emily; it seemed to her that it fairly drew the heart out of her body—and she had to follow it. She thought Teddy could have whistled her clear across the world with those three magic notes."

• "Ilse glanced happily around her—poor little neglected Ilse, who found in Emily's companionship what she had hungered for all her short life and who was, even now, being led by love into something of her rightful heritage."

• "Old Kelly thought that the surest way to please a female creature of any age was to tease her about getting married."

• "Perry was away with Cousin Jimmy all day and when he came home at night he said to me, very feerce, Who has been making you cry. I said I had been crying—a little but not much—because I was not let go to the party because I had laughed at prayers. And Perry marched right up to Aunt Elizabeth and told her it was all his fault that I laughed."

• "There is a beautiful fringe of isikles along the cookhouse roof. But there will be much more beautiful things in heaven."

• "Spring is such a happyfying time isn't it, Father."

General Impressions

For a sweet but emotional coming-of-age story, these chapters sure seem action packed! We get to know Ilse much better, and we also meet Teddy and Perry. There are lovely scenes with the children playing and spending time together, and then there are scenes full of excitement and horror—like when Emily thinks she's been poisoned, or when the teacher decides to be very awful (and completely unprofessional) and reads Emily's poetry aloud to the class in a mocking way. (Just...ugh!!)

Did anyone else think the scene where Emily gets locked in the spare room as similar to the red-room scene in Jane Eyre? There does seem to be a bit of Gothic flair to this story!

Overall, I'm really enjoying getting to know Emily's new home, family, and friends. The moment when Aunt Elizabeth actually cracks a smile over Emily's dramatic near-poisoning suggests there might be hope for her to grow more tender in time. (A very, very small ray of hope, but still!) As always, Aunt Laura is a dear, and I absolutely love when Cousin Jimmy speaks up and reminds Aunt Elizabeth and Miss Brownell that no human should kneel before anyone but God in that way. (Go, Jimmy! And I'm so glad Elizabeth listened and changed her mind.)

I'm pretty sure I would be like Emily in having to adjust to the constant tantrums and fights with a friend, but I must admit that Ilse is hilarious and charmingly genuine in all she thinks and feels. I love how her friendship with Emily is helping her grow and opening her eyes to truths beyond her dad's opinions.

As for Teddy and Perry... Goodness, I like both of them. ♥ I love Teddy's gentleness and sweet friendship, and I love Perry's forthrightness and protective nature. Perry standing up for Emily makes my romantic heart happy, even though I realize they're a little young to be thinking too romantically yet. ;) (This is making me want to find out what happens in the rest of the trilogy though!)

There are so many humorous lines and scenes in this section of the book, and it's really fun to get some of Emily's point of view through her letters to her father. I'm looking forward to reading more and seeing how Emily's friendships and writing develop!

Discussion Questions

Answer any or all five of these questions in the comments section or in your own blog post!

1. If you could have Ilse, Teddy, or Perry as your friend, which one do you think you would get along with the best? Which one do you think would help you grow the most?

2. What did you think of Emily's response when Lofty John suggests she's eaten poison? How might you have reacted similarly or differently?

3. Which scene did you find the most humorous in these chapters? What part particularly made you laugh or smile?

4. Imagine yourself as a student in the classroom when Miss Brownell is reading Emily's poetry—or in the house when Miss Brownell comes to speak with Aunt Elizabeth. How would you feel, and what might you do to come to Emily's aid during or after the incident?

5. If you lived at New Moon, which season would be your favorite to experience?

Join us next Sunday for our third discussion! 

(Chapters 18-24)