Susan Baker was the hired lady who worked for the Blythe family and lived with them in House of Dreams, Four Winds and later in Ingleside, Glen St. Mary.
Biography
Early life
Susan was born probably in Glen St. Mary, Prince Edward Island, or other nearby villages during 1851 to Mr. and Mrs. Baker. She was raised there along with her brother and sister Matilda.
Their cousin Sophia was in the same age as Susan and they lived in the same area. One day, Susan and Sophia had a fight in Sunday School over a card saying God is Love.
Life with the Blythe family
Life in House of Dreams
Susan, as aforesaid, moved in with Anne and Gilbert Blythe, while the couple was still living at the House of Dreams. Susan, then still slightly young, had been hired directly prior to Joyce's birth. Susan adored "Mrs. Doctor Dear", as she called Anne, and looked slightly askance at Marilla Cuthbert, who visited while Joyce was born. But, as Miss Cuthbert did not interfere with kitchen matters, nor with her adorations of Anne, all was well.
After Jem's birth she said that he had really nice ears. When Gilbert decided to move to Ingleside, she went with them and stayed there. After Shirley's birth, Anne was sick and Susan took care of him. She felt like his second mother.
Life in Ingleside
Susan loved the Blythe children. Shirley, in particular, could do no wrong in her eyes. Susan could and did spank the other Blythe children at intervals, when she thought they needed it for their soul's good, but she would not-and did not-give Shirley the well-deserved spankings. When the doctor spanked Shirley once, she was quite angry.
- "That man would spank an angel, Mrs. Dr. dear, that he would."
- —Susan to Anne[src]
She would not make the doctor a pie for weeks.
World War I
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Personality
Susan was sometimes known as the grim and faithful handmaiden of Ingleside. Even as the years progressed, her fervor and energy for working for the Blythe family out of love did not halt. Susan was strong and brave throughout the trials and tribulations of World War I and did not falter, except when Shirley left. Susan never wanted to be married, though she did wish she could have had a proposal, or at least some romantic happenings, so she could look other women in the eyes - she said.
Her wish to have a proposal did not come true until Whiskers on the Moon. Susan was not at all proud of the occurrence, and, in fact, chased her would-be lover out the door with a pan of boiling water.
Relationships
Anne Shirley
Gilbert Blythe
Jem Blythe
Walter Blythe
Susan did not disapprove when Walter fought with Dan Reese, rather she encouraged it as a sign of boyishness. She disapproved of his poetry, up until the day he enlisted for the war. She thought his poetry was nonsense until he died in the war.
Nan Blythe
Diana Blythe
Shirley Blythe
Rilla Blythe
Physical appearance
Susan had a spiky knob of grey hair atop her head.
Etymology
Susan is a female given name of Hebrew origin and means lily or lotus.
Behind the scenes
Portrayal
- Marianne Lutz provided the voice of Susan in the German audio drama Anne's House of Dreams (2010).
Appearances
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Book appearances Short story appearances |
Audio drama appearances
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