Anne of Green Gables

Genre

The genre of Anne of Green Gables would be considered realistic fiction, although it could also be considered historical fiction since it takes place in the early 1900s. The genre is realistic fiction because although the events in the story didn't actually happen, they are events that could happen in real life.

Plot Pyramid

Narrative Point of View

Marilla and Matthew decide to permanently adopt Anne into their family.

Main Characters

Anne makes many more new friends in her new home of Prince Edward Island, and she begins to mature. Marilla starts to realize that she is coming to love Anne and is learning a lot from her even though Anne is only a young girl.

This book is written from the third person omniscient point of view. Throughout the story, the narrator describes the thoughts and feelings of all of the characters in the story.

Marilla wants to send Anne back to the orphanage, but Anne begs to stay, so Marilla and Matthew decide to give her a chance. Anne has a very vivid imagination, and she keeps getting into trouble, but people always forgive her because she's so sweet and sincere.

Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert are elderly siblings who decide to adopt a boy to help care for their property. Anne Shirley is an orphan who finds out that she is going to be adopted. When Matthew goes to pick up the "orphan boy" he and Marilla are adopting, he finds Anne instead!

Marilla: strict, serious, lonely

Marilla first seems like a static character because she's very strict and stubborn. Later in the story, though, she becomes very dynamic as she adapts to having Anne in the family and learns lessons from her.

Anne's story isn't really over because there are six more books in the series, but at the end of the first book, Matthew dies unexpectedly, and Anne becomes the greatest source of comfort for Marilla. They have truly become a family.

Anne: young, orphaned, imaginative

Anne is the protagonist in the story. She is a dynamic character because she goes through a lot of change and growth throughout the story.

Matthew: sweet, quiet, shy

Matthew is a very lovable character in the book. He is a static character because he doesn't change very much during the story. He is always kind and loving and shy.

Theme

One major theme in Anne of Green Gables is that children can teach adults just as much as adults can teach children. I know this is a significant theme because as the story progresses, the main character, Anne (who is only 11) doesn't have the respect of her caregiver, Marilla. Later, however, it becomes clear that Marilla has learned a lot from Anne, including how to have an imagination and how to be grateful for every day.

Figurative Language

Anne of Green Gables

L.M. Montgomery uses a lot of figurative language in Anne of Green Gables. Some of the writing techniques she uses are similes, personification, and hyperbole. Here are examples of each:

Simile: "All went merry as a marriage bell until Anne's layer cake was passed." (Chapter 21, page 242)

Personification: "'Maples are such sociable trees,' said Anne; 'they're always rustling and whispering to you.'" (Chapter 15, page 146)

Hyperbole: "'I must do it. My honour is at stake,' said Anne solemnly. I shall walk that ridge-pole, Diana, or perish in the attempt. If I am killed you are to have my pearl bead ring.'" (Chapter 23, page 255)

by L.M. Montgomery

Presented by Sarah Whitman on June 3rd, 2015

Text-to-Text Connections

The End

Language Arts and Writing Workshop 7

The book Anne of Green Gables relates easily to another book that I love, Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott. In both books, there is a mother figure who is trying to teach a young girl (or group of young girls) to be a good, responsible grown woman. Also, both stories involve subtle romantic adventures (for Anne, with Gilbert Blythe, and for Jo March with Laurie and with Mr. Baer). Finally, Little Women was written a little bit before Anne of Green Gables, and it is clear that attitudes about women and children were changing. In Little Women, all of the lessons in the book are taught by Marmee (the mother) but in Anne of Green Gables, Anne eventually becomes the teacher even though she is a child.

Imagery

Tone and Mood

The book Anne of Green Gables is full of imagery. In almost every chapter, the author describes the scenery, sometimes through Anne's voice and sometimes through the narrator's. This imagery is an important part of the story because it is clear that the scenery and the earth's beauty are very important to Anne. One example of imagery comes from Chapter 15, when the author describes a pathway that Anne loves:

"It was a little narrow, twisting path, winding down over a long hill straight through Mr. Bell's woods, where the light came down sifted through so many emerald screens that it was as flawless as the heart of a diamond. It was fringed in all its length with slim young birches, white-stemmed and lissom-boughed; ferns and starflowers and wild lilies of the valley and scarlet tufts of pigeon berries grew thickly along it; and always there was a delightful spiciness in the air and music of bird calls and the murmur and laugh of wood winds in the trees overhead."

The tone of Anne of Green Gables would best be described as descriptive and whimsical.

The mood could be described as unpredictable at some points, but most of the time the mood is upbeat and energetic.