Who Walter Blythe is
Walter Blythe belongs to the Blythe family at Ingleside, in the village of Glen St. Mary on Prince Edward Island. He is a dreamer and a poet, sensitive to beauty and to suffering in the world around him.
As the First World War reaches the village, his sensitivity gives the prospect of fighting a terrible vividness. He imagines its horrors so clearly that he cannot share the eagerness some other young people feel.
What Walter Blythe wants
Walter struggles with what duty asks of him and what violence might do to his inner life. He fears dying, but he fears the effect of killing on him even more.
His hesitation attracts sharp remarks in a village that watches young men who remain at home. As brothers and friends leave, he feels increasingly lonely under the pressure of other people's expectations.
Walter Blythe and the others in the story
Rilla adores Walter, and he confides in her about fears that others do not readily understand. Their closeness gives him someone who understands at least a little of his struggle.
Poetry also gives Walter a way to express what he feels about the war. He writes a poem about a piper calling the young to follow, and it becomes known beyond the Glen.
Questions
Who is Walter Blythe?
Walter is Rilla's older brother, a gentle young poet whose conscience is tested by the war.
Why does Walter hesitate about going to war?
He dreads both death and killing, especially what taking life might do to him.
How does Walter relate to Rilla?
He trusts Rilla with his fears, and she loves him deeply. She offers some understanding when he feels judged by others.
