Maud Hart Lovelace Reading Challenge: One of My Favorite Scenes

The MHL Reading Challenge continues! This week's prompt for the giveaway was to write about a favorite scene or character from one of Maud's books. Since I have about 40 favorite scenes (per book, that is) I am going to pick a scene from one of the books that I recently re-read, Betsy and Tacy Go Downtown. This scene takes place in Chapter 6. What I love about it is how encouraging Betsy's family is of her writing. I also always enjoy the interactions between Mr. and Mrs. Ray. (Mr. Ray, in particular, is a favorite of mine. :)) 

"Betsy's mother was a great believer in people having private places."

This particular moment takes place one evening after supper. That afternoon, Mrs. Ray had helped Betsy find a writing corner:

"Your father and I are very proud of your writing. We want you to keep at it. You ought to have a desk but we can't afford one yet. I'll find a place for your things, though."

Mrs. Ray loved to fix things up around her house. And when she got started, Mr. Ray often said, she didn't let any grass grow under her feet. 

I wonder if part of the reason that Betsy's parents are so supportive of their children's ambitions is because they saw how Uncle Keith (Mrs. Ray's brother) was not encouraged in pursuing his talents? [If you haven't read this book, you will learn more about this in the story.] 

"Well, Betsy," he [Mr. Ray] said, "your mother tells me that you are going to use Uncle Keith's trunk for a desk. That's fine. You need a desk. I've often noticed how much you like to write. The way you eat up those advertising tablets from the store! I never saw anything like it. I can't understand it though. I never write anything but checks myself. "

    "Bob!" said Mrs. Ray. "You wrote the most wonderful letters to me before we were married. I still have them, a big bundle of them. Every time I clean house I read them over and cry."

    "Cry, eh?" said Mr. Ray, grinning. "In spite of what your mother says, Betsy, if you have any talent for writing, it comes from family. Her brother Keith was mighty talented, and maybe you are too. Maybe you're going to be a writer."

    Betsy was silent, agreeably abashed.

   "But if you're going to be a writer," he went on, "you've got to read. Good books. Great books. The classics." (pp. 89-91)

Mr. Ray then proceeds to tell Betsy a plan he and Mrs. Ray have devised to allow Betsy to go downtown twice a month to check out some books from the library (and get her lunch in town, too). Betsy is elated at this exciting news and Julia shares her joy.

Julia was as happy as Betsy was, almost. One nice thing about Julia was that she rejoiced in other people's luck.

I noticed that in this book Julia and Betsy start to get along a lot better, though their interests are not very similar at this point. 

I also love how Betsy reacts to this news--even talkative Betsy needs to be alone sometimes! [And if you want to know what the mention of "Rena's novels" is about, you'll have to read the book!]

Betsy was so full of joy that she had to be alone. She went upstairs to her bedroom and sat down on Uncle Keith's trunk. Behind Tacy's house the sun had set. A wind had sprung up and the trees, their color dimmed, moved under a brooding sky. All the stories she had told Tacy and Tib seemed to be dancing in those trees, along with all the stories she planned to write some day and all the stories she would read at the library. Good stories. Great stories. The classics. Not Rena's novels.

I meant to just quickly mention this scene, and now I am starting to analyze the book! I am thinking about posting my reviews that I put up on Goodreads for these four books, though I will probably flesh them out with some photos and quotes. So stay tuned for those! I just wanted to make sure to get my post up for this week as soon as possible so I don't forget to enter the giveaway. Again, if you do join the challenge, please mention that I referred you, if you'd like, as this will earn me an extra entry in the giveaway! Thank you again.