When Marilla Cuthbert sees the young, red-headed girl walk into their home, she has no problem stating that a mistake has been made. Marilla discusses the error in front of Anne, who realizes immediately that the beautiful, green-gabled farmhouse will not be her new home. Anne cannot control her emotions as the dreams she has been building in her imagination disintegrate, leaving her with nothing but disappointment. As she sobs, she announces to the Cuthberts exactly how she feels. No one has ever wanted her, she wails—why had she thought things would change? Displaying how dramatic she can be, Anne tells the brother and sister that she has been cast into “the depths of despair.”

The tears soften Marilla momentarily, and she asks the girl what her name is. Anne replies that she would like to be called Cordelia because she finds that name very romantic. She pleads with Marilla to please call her this. When Marilla insists on using the girl’s real name, Anne confesses what it is. She tells Marilla that though she thinks Anne is a very plain name without any imaginative thought behind it, she is glad her name is at least spelled with an e at the end of it; that extra e makes her name more acceptable.

At dinner, Anne is too upset to eat and tries to appeal to Marilla’s good nature, hoping Marilla will feel sorry for her. However, Marilla is a very rational woman and knows that a girl will only mean another mouth to feed. A boy, on the other hand, would be someone who could help Matthew with the farm chores and eventually take over all the duties of the farm. Besides, this young girl is constantly talking and her emotions are out of control. There is nothing Marilla can do for this girl orphan. Whether she cries or despairs, Anne will have to be returned to the orphanage. Marilla will meet with Mrs. Spencer to figure out how the mistake occurred.

In the meantime, Marilla shows Anne to the guest bedroom upstairs. She tells Anne to say her prayers before she goes to bed and to properly fold her clothes and leave them on the chair. After Marilla leaves the room, Anne does neither. She looks around the room and out the window at the beautiful landscape of the farm. This all could have been hers if only she were not Anne Shirley, she thinks. The thought of going back to the orphanage is worse now that she has seen what she might have had. Her misery overcomes her, and she cries herself to sleep.

Meanwhile, Marilla returns downstairs to talk to her brother. She is caught off guard when Matthew actually has something to say. Furthermore, Matthew is leaning toward keeping the girl. When Marilla questions what good a girl would do them, Matthews says she could help Marilla in the house. Marilla counters by stating that she needs no help. She prides herself in keeping a clean and tidy house. Then Matthew says he likes the girl and points out how happy she was on the ride home, believing she was finally going to have a family of her own. He tells his sister that maybe they should keep her so they can do something good for Anne.