"Mr. Cuthbert, do you know where she's headed?"
"The orphanage."
Episode 2 of Netflix's new sweetheart, "Anne with an E", has stayed with me over the last few days.
Titled "I am no bird and no net ensnares me", the episode revolves around Anne's return to Green Gables after Marilla Cuthbert, her adopted mother,
sends her back to the orphanage on the account of her belief that Anne is a thief, only to find out this isn't true.
The episode contains a very important redemption scene between the two, one that establishes Anne and Marilla's emotional dynamic,
a dynamic that the next five episodes will heavily lean upon, so it's important for the scene to land with potency,
and it tear-jerkingly does because the scene is a double whammy.
While this is the first time we see Marilla become vulnerable with Anne, the emotional landing of the scene also owes its thanks to a third-party
relationship, and it's the characters silent relationship with light.
"And I've a book, I would press these sacred blossoms
between its pages so I can be forever reminded of this treasured moment."
The use of Natural light in this show can't be talked about enough; It's a tool the series' Director of Photography
Bobby Shore makes full use of, and he really let it flood the lens in moments when Anne is
existing in her most free expression or where she feels like she belongs.
Other characters have this favour with the light as well,
but only when they exist with or have been changed by Anne.
Light represents a certainty while shadow represents an uncertainty
and Bobby Shore uses this contrast to create some of the show's more emotionally complex moments.
Bobby bounces light and shadow off each other to generate a sense of dissonance between subjects
and as we lead up to that redemption scene between Anne and Marilla.
He does this in five different stages to give that final scene its real payoff:
At the episodes' halfway point as Anne finally returns to Green Gables, Anne has a face full of light while Marilla remains in shadow
only backlit by the same source that lights Anne...
While only meters from each other, they don't share the same light as Marilla has her back to her true feelings.
She is hiding her vulnerabilities.
Anne: "Hello, Miss Cuthbert."
Marina: "Hello, Anne.
It's nice to see you back.
Please take her things up to your room. I'll get supper on."
Following the confusion of this interaction, Anne steps out from the light and moves deeper into the shadow of the house.
The shadow remains over her until she enters her bedroom where she is bathed again in light.
The following scene between Marilla and Anne takes place here, but this time Marilla exists in half light and half shadow.
She is at war not with Anne but with herself, this lighting representing internal conflict.
Marina: "We're having a simple supper and we'll need your help. Just come down when you're ready."
Anne: "Yes, Miss Cuthbert."
From this moment out the two never share the same light: one is always in shadow while the other lifts brightly by that natural light.
Diana: "And your homeland help with the church picnic. Did he tell we're hosting it here?"
"I'm really glad you're back Anne."
This focus on conflict helps this next scene to feel amazing as Anne and her best friend Diana
exist together in a shared light: they are equals and Diana is Anne's safe place.
The certainty in the light hitting the lens,
conflicts of a half light and equality in a shared light
are the three lessons Bobby hopes to have taught us as we arrive at this next scene with the church picnic.
Moira Wally Beckett, Anne with and E's writer, uses the church picnic to set the stage for the episode's most important scene between Marilla and Anne.
As Anne arrives, Diana is held back by her mother
Like Marilla earlier, a conflicted Diana sits in half like a shadow and Anne's safe place has been taken away from her.
Anne is alone.
Man #1: "My my,
looks like the cup birds have picked up a stray."
Man #2: "Stray Dog."
Woman #1: "No need to be uncharitable. Do ya suppose they mean for her to be a daughter or a servant?"
Girl #1: "Doesn't she have awful red hair?"
Kids #1 and #2: (Indistinct)
"You live in a trash can!
Garbage girl (2x)!"
"Anne?"
A transformation takes place here as Marilla chases after Anne;
without dialogue, this transformation is represented through the lighting.
Marilla moves out of conflict as light floods the lens right before she finds Anne curled up by a tree.
This is the first time Marilla has been favored by the sun,
the Marilla we see here has been changed by Anne.
Marilla: "If you could..
find it in your heart to...
believe me and...
forgive me...
then we can start anew."
With the scene's dialogue complete, we cut to a wide where we see Anne and Marilla finally sharing the same light.
Anne has a new safe place with the transformed Marilla.
Double-whammy.
[Outro Music]