This is Rilla's favorite brother and the second eldest of the Blythe boys. At the beginning of the novel, nobody thinks that Walter will have to go fight in the war, because he has recently recovered from typhoid. He is partially grateful for this, as it spares him the danger of war, but also realizes that this relief is indicative of a cowardice within him. He is sensitive and poetic, and closest in spirit to his sister. However, as the war continues, Walter begins to be mocked and looked down upon by his peers, even being sent a white feather (a sign of cowardice) anonymously in the mail. As he reflects on his own life and his values, Walter decides on his own that he must go and fight. On the battlefield, he proves to be a brave and fearless soldier, even winning a medal for saving one of his comrades from enemy fire. At the same time, a poem he writes on war becomes quite famous. When he dies, the family is devastated, and this devastation reaches to others: namely, Una, his sweetheart.
