User blog comment:Eikakou/Anne (2017) episode 4 - An Inward Treasure Born review/@comment-4934571-20170414230012

CBC's archive can be a little bit tricky. Last week it worked perfectly, this week was an unlucky one. I couldn't make the video work properly (Error 2), that's why I found the series online. Unfortunately, while CBC archive offers pure episode without additional logos and adverts interrupting the view, the online stream has a TV recording of the episode (with logo and other stuff), in lower quality and without ending titles (they were awkwardly cut off). I wasn't able to write down the cast list, add the episode here on Wiki and edit the credits on IMDb (yes, I do it as well). I also didn't have much time to watch as I was very busy at uni this week and then travelled home to Slovakia for Easter. The archive finally worked on Wednesday when I was on a train home - but I only wrote down the cast list. I finally had time to watch yesterday in the evening and now I am sitting down to FINALLY write my review. And of course, thank you, Eikakou, for your brilliant summary!

Eikakou has already summed up the events of this episode, that's why I am going to skip long plot description and just discuss some of the memorable parts.

I like how this series continues with its documentary-like depiction of the life in the late 19th century. We can finally see how the children had to help with setting fire at school – Gil is chopping wood, while the girls (Ruby and Prissy, I think) are carrying it inside. The community life was apparently a huge thing back then. When the Gillis house is on fire, all of the neighbours come to put it out, not only men, but also women and children who bring buckets and help around. The next days, all the men and boys help the Gillises with repairing their house – Matthew and Thomas Lynde are there, as well as Minister, Mr. Phillips, Gilbert and Billy. The school starts only after the house is finished.

We also can see Anne's coping mechanism. Now that she's not going to school, she has a lot of free time. Anne needs to have her mind fully occupied and without school work, she starts using her imagination in full mode and lives in her daydreams. She doesn't pay attention to her chores and tries to repress all the thoughts on school. (When you don't think about it, it just doesn't exist, right?) I've never truly thought about the real meaning of Katie Maurice, but now I realized that she is a product of Anne's traumatic life. Like Anne, I was lucky enough to grow up without any friends and I do understand Anne's need to have one. But Anne grew up in a very unhealthy environment and there was no solace in her life. That's why she created Katie who was the only one who could hear her out, her only confidant. Although she doesn't say it, Anne again finds herself without friends, she is completely alone, isolated in her imagination. She believes that nobody at school likes her (or can ever like her). And Marilla, Matthew and Jerry just cannot understand her feelings. She is lonely and that's the moment when Katie appears. The scene is quite scary and implies that Anne may be mentally ill. She is stubborn and when Marilla sends her to school, she doesn't go and instead lies to everyone without any remorse. However, she still has a hunger for new information and learning. Anne takes one of the books and teaches her new students (several pine cones) in a shed in the woods – a foreshadowing of her career as a teacher?

Minister's visit is a wakeup call for Anne. She finally realizes that in her era she has no other option – she can go back to school or learn to be a good wife. Poor Jerry has to work and cannot study. Anne does have the opportunity and yet is too stubborn to understand her privilege. Marilla has a very interesting storyline in this episode as well. She knows that even though she went to school (Rachel mentioned in one of the previous episodes that they were classmates), she wasted her whole life at Green Gables, practically posing as Matthew's and taking care of him. That's why she is very frustrated and hostile towards him at one point. (Is there anything she should mend for him today?)

We learn that Ruby has three younger sisters, one of them is only an infant. After the fire, the family is divided among the Lyndes, Barrys and Cuthberts. Ruby is supposed to live with Anne at Green Gables, which doesn't make her happy at all. Being there is practically a punishment for her. Anne, however, tries to be friendly and tells Ruby about princess Cordelia and positive things she can look forward to. (She reminded me of Pollyanna and her philosophy.) Anne has many flaws and can be stubborn and not honest, but she tries to make lives of the others better and selflessly offers Ruby that she can borrow one of her dresses as she has two. She also bravely stands up against Billy and wants a hammer to do his work.

Gilbert's interest in Anne is still growing and he notices her rather than Ruby. However, Anne is still determined not to like him, we even heard the famous Gil- in this episode. Matthew and Marilla have some nice scenes in this episode, the coffee or tea talk, the boxing in the barn or Marilla wanting to run inside the burning Gillis house to find Anne. Ruby is a very important character in this episode and we see her slow transformation into Anne's friend. Unlike Diana (who is independent, talkative, polite and mature), she is very childish and a bit silly and spoiled. Ruby also seems less clever than Diana and Anne, she even admits that she doesn't understand half of what Anne says. Diana may not know some of the words as well, but she is too polite to tell and complain. Diana is a perfect representative of a good friend in this episode and I really like this portrayal of her.

The music is divine again.

9/10