Passion Change

That "of course" seems important. Not only does it establish a narrative tone, it suggests that change is inevitable, unavoidable, unconstitutional (okay, maybe not unconstitutional, but you get the idea). This will be an important theme throughout the story. 

Right from the start we are introduced to the story's setting in the context of how it has changed. In this quote, the way Grace remembers the Woodses' house does not match up with how it actually appears, revealing a level of uncertainty and unreliability of Grace's memories. How does the unreliability of memory affect our perception of change? To what extent can we be certain of the truth of Grace's memories from that summer long ago if we are so quickly reminded that memories are not always accurate? 

Why might it be better for Grace to not find the Traverses' summer house just as she remembers it? This quote hints at a certain comfort we find in the inevitability of change—a sentiment that is important to keep in mind while reading this story. We might not always like change, but we probably wouldn't want things to always stay the same either. 

Munro does an awesome job at being real. Grace might certainly feel sad or disappointed to find the Traverses' house gone, but there is also some level of relief she might feel in finding the Traverses' house is no longer there. Sure, Grace might feel sadness, and she will express it if she feels it, but that's not all she'll feel. It's moments like these that help flesh out Munro's characters to make them so believable.

Although Mrs. Travers thinks of it differently, Mr. Travers has a negative view of his wife's previous marriage. How do our emotions and attachments influence our perceptions of how things have changed?

Ah, the fleeting beauty of youth, a time when everything seems new and exhilarating—until it's not. At the start of Grace's reflections about that summer long ago, she remembers the feeling of never wanting anything to change. But as the story continues and tragedy strikes, we wonder if she felt the same way at the end of the story. The final line, about how the check was enough to guarantee her a start in life, suggests that she might have been ready for some changes. Aside from experiencing personal tragedies, how else are we discouraged from being satisfied with life "just as it is now"?

It's as if up until this point, Grace has only seen Mrs. Travers with a mask, and in this scene the mask is off. This is an important moment for Grace, when she realizes the woman she looks up to so much is only human, flaws and imperfections and all. Moments like these are an important part of growing up—we all experience something like this in one way or another, whether it's with our parents, friends, or mentors. 

Maybe one of the hardest parts about getting older is feeling guilty about leaving home. This quote touches on yet another challenging aspect of growing up, and serves to make "Passion" that much more relatable. In a story that largely deals with the challenges we face moving forward with our lives, Munro takes a minute to focus on the other sorts of challenges we face in looking back. It's a bit remarkable Munro was able to cover so much ground in this story, but then again, it's not like she was given the Nobel Prize for nothing.

At this point it seems there has been some sort of reversal in how Grace perceives Mr. Travers and how she sees Mrs. Travers. There's more to everyone than meets the eye—and it's only a matter of time until our initial perception of them begins to change.