Anne of Green Gables Chapter 17 Summary

A New Interest in Life

  • Diana beckons to Anne from the window. Anne rushes out to meet her, but it turns out Diana's mother hasn't relented. Diana only wants to say goodbye.
  • They say a tearful, extremely poetic farewell. Diana says she loves her, which Anne has never heard before. Anne cuts a lock of Diana's hair to remember her by.
  • Anne decides to go back to school so she can see Diana again, even from a distance.
  • The Avonlea children have missed Anne, and shower her with tiny gifts on her return. Gilbert leaves an apple on Anne's desk, but she ignores it. Burn.
  • Anne starts trying hard in school to get ahead of Gilbert, and soon they develop an academic rivalry.
  • Gilbert is friendly about it, but Anne—not so much. Soon they're promoted to the fifth class.