Edward Thomas, second son of Bert and Joanna Thomas, shares his tumultuous upbringing with siblings Eliza, Horace, Harry, and Noah. Their household fractures under financial strain, Bert's alcoholism and violent outbursts, and Joanna's stress-induced severity. Amid this instability, Edward sporadically joins his brothers in mischief. He remains an integral part of family struggles—witnessing Bert's job losses, enduring their relocation to Marysville, and facing the aftermath of his father's death. Following this loss, Edward moves with his mother and brothers to Bolingbroke to live with his grandmother, severing ties with Anne Shirley.