Article written by Ashleigh Lowry.
With the newest season of Anne with an ‘E’ out on Netflix, I thought I would take the time to look back at the book written by L. M. Montgomery that started it all. This series is an extremely personal one for me, as most of my younger and teenage years were spent reading about (and watching) this smart and imaginative girl.
For those who don’t know the story, I’ll quickly sum it up. Anne Shirley is an orphan that moves in with elderly siblings, Matthew and Mariella Cuthbert. Their family farm, Green Gables, is situated on Prince Edward Island, in the fiction town of Avonlea. After a bit of a rocky start, with a mistake in communication that sends Anne to the siblings instead of a boy to help as a farmhand, the Cuthbert’s decide to adopt Anne and raise her as a Cuthbert. As the series progresses, we watch Anne go from young girl, scholarly woman, to mother of her own group of smart and inquisitive children.
As I mentioned before, Anne’s story is one I’ve been reading since childhood. I fell in love with the strong female character who was in close touch with her imaginative nature, enjoyed writing and reading, cared for her friends and family with every fibre of her being, and in the end married someone who loved her for her intelligence and personality. I admired how Anne built strong and everlasting friendships with both men and women while making, acknowledging and learning from her mistakes, forging her own path in the world. Every bit of her story, all the way down to descriptions, such as Prince Edward (a location that has been on my travel list since I was fourteen), formed a strong part of my personality and love of fiction. This much-loved heroine has inspired so many over the years, and it is not very hard to see why.
For the sakes of a short article, I want to look over just the first book and its themes, lessons and morals that explore the course of Anne’s life (age 11 - 16) at Green Gables. One of the biggest themes and life lessons that I got from Anne, was the importance of family. Though I differ from Anne in how my family is comprised (mine being of blood, Anne’s being of bond), she taught me the importance of family. They are the only people that – no matter how idiotic your decisions may be – will always love you.
Throughout the novel, Anne makes a few mistakes (getting her friend drunk on currant wine and dyeing her hair green), and both Mathew and Marilia still love Anne, and help her deal with the consequences. Through all of her ups and downs, Anne has both the Cuthbert siblings for love, support, and a warm hug at the end of the day. Anne allowed me to realise that my family will always be there for me, no matter the mistakes or misguided decisions I’ve made. They will stand with me as I deal with the consequences, more than likely with a loving-but-snarky comment on how I got myself into the situation.
Something that Anne and her story definitely had a hand in, is the inspiration for continuing to grow my imagination through reading, writing and learning. Two of Anne’s defining features is her intelligence and creativity. She uses both to get in and out of trouble, showing a fantastic ability to problem solve and improvise. Anne is a very modern woman, as she continues to study to achieve her teacher qualification early and receive a scholarship for academic excellence.
Before Anne had come to Green Gables, she'd used her imagination as a safe haven from the harsh working conditions and abuse she’d dealt with. She created fantasy worlds and characters to help her through her day-to-day struggle. Afterwards, she channelled them into creating stories and adventures for herself and her friends, building strong bonds and everlasting memories. I found Anne’s ability to use both these skills as a wonderful inspiration for who I wanted to be; someone both smart and creative, that used her mind and imagination to become closer to herself and her friends.
One of the best parts of Anne's story, I found, was that her friends and family encouraged her to pursue her dreams and passions. They allowed her to find what she truly loved, something she continued to become successful at it. Her bosom friend, Diana, and the Cuthberts all took pride in encouraging Anne’s academic progression, while helping her through the ups and downs of it all. They also encouraged her to act and create in her downtime. She has a wonderful support system around her, which allowed me to recognise my own support system of friends and family as I continued to go after my passions.
Another life lesson that I learnt from Anne of Green Gables, is the importance of true female friends. Diana and Anne stay bosom friends from the first day they meet. Though they have different interests and paths in life, they never hold any jealousy or negative feelings towards each other. Even when they go through negative times, their loyalty and respect for each other wins out in the end. This is definitely a lesson that I believe is important to all women and girls today, as we all need a friend that no matter how much or how little you may differ in lifestyle or interests, you have each other’s back and can count on each other being there when you need them to be. The way that Montgomery has created these two girls – in a healthy and strong female friendship – is something to aspire to in real world friendships going forward.
Anne of Green Gables is a strong and capable protagonist that has inspired many, including myself, throughout the decades. Through wit, charm and a fantastic imagination, Anne is the heroine that teaches women and girls of any age that being true to who you are can mean a whole lot of adventure.
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