Anne of Green Gables

Overview

Anne of Green Gables is a 1908 novel by Canadian author Lucy Maud Montgomery, widely regarded as a classic of children's literature. Set in the late 19th century on Prince Edward Island, it follows the adventures of Anne Shirley, an imaginative and talkative 11-year-old orphan who is mistakenly sent to live with aging siblings Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert at their farm, Green Gables. The novel has been translated into many languages, adapted into numerous films, TV series, and stage productions, and remains one of the most beloved books in the world. Mark Twain called Anne “the dearest and most moving and delightful child since the immortal Alice.”

Plot Summary

Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert, a brother and sister living in the fictional town of Avonlea, decide to adopt a boy to help with the farmwork. Through a mix-up, the orphanage sends them a red-haired, freckled girl named Anne Shirley. Despite Marilla’s initial reluctance, Matthew insists on keeping her, and Anne gradually wins their hearts. She brings a whirlwind of imagination to Green Gables, naming every tree and brook—the “White Way of Delight,” the “Lake of Shining Waters.” She befriends Diana Barry, clashes with the stern Mrs. Lynde, and begins a long rivalry with Gilbert Blythe after he calls her “Carrots.” Anne’s temper and vanity lead to mishaps, but she also shows remarkable resilience and intelligence. She excels in school, earns a scholarship to Queen’s College, and dreams of becoming a teacher. However, tragedy strikes when Matthew dies of a heart attack, and Marilla’s eyesight begins to fail. Anne gives up her scholarship to stay in Avonlea and teach at the local school, choosing to care for Marilla and keep Green Gables.

Themes and Background

The novel explores themes of belonging, the power of imagination, the conflict between individuality and conformity, and the meaning of home. Anne’s imagination is both her escape from a harsh past and a gift that transforms the Cuthberts’ rigid lives. Montgomery drew on her own childhood: she was raised by strict grandparents after her mother’s death and her father’s remarriage, and she often felt like an outsider. The seed of the story came from a journal entry about a relative who had intended to adopt a boy but was sent a girl instead. Montgomery wrote the manuscript in 1905, faced multiple rejections, then stored it in a hatbox before finally sending it to L.C. Page & Co., who published it in 1908.

Influence and Legacy

Anne of Green Gables was an immediate bestseller and launched Montgomery’s career. It spawned seven sequels, beginning with Anne of Avonlea, and created a literary franchise that has never gone out of print. The novel is a cornerstone of Canadian literature and a global phenomenon, inspiring generations of readers, especially young women, to embrace their uniqueness. Green Gables farm on Prince Edward Island is now a national historic site and a major tourist attraction. The story has been adapted into films, television series (most notably the 1985 CBC miniseries Anne of Green Gables), anime, and musicals. Anne Shirley—with her red braids, freckles, and indomitable spirit—remains one of the most iconic characters in fiction.

About the Author

Early Life

Lucy Maud Montgomery (born November 30, 1874, in Clifton, now New London, Prince Edward Island) was a Canadian author best known for the Anne of Green Gables series. Her mother, Clara Woolner Macneill, died of tuberculosis when Montgomery was 21 months old. Her father, Hugh John Montgomery, remarried and moved to western Canada, leaving her to be raised by her maternal grandparents, Alexander and Lucy Macneill, in Cavendish. The grandparents were strict and frugal; Montgomery found solace in nature, books, and her own imagination. She began writing poetry at age nine, and at fifteen she published her first poem and won a national writing contest.

Education and Early Career

After completing her education in Cavendish, Montgomery earned a teaching certificate in one year (instead of the usual two) from Prince of Wales College in Charlottetown. She studied literature at Dalhousie University in Halifax in 1895–1896. She taught at several schools on Prince Edward Island while continuing to write. In 1898, after her grandfather’s death, she returned to Cavendish to care for her grandmother and took over the local post office, a role that gave her insight into rural life.

Literary Career

Montgomery wrote the manuscript of Anne of Green Gables in 1905. The novel was rejected by multiple publishers; she stored it in a hatbox, but in 1907 she revised it and sent it to L.C. Page & Co. of Boston, which published it in 1908. The book was an immediate success, allowing her to become a full-time writer. She published seven sequels about Anne, as well as the Emily trilogy (Emily of New Moon, 1923), and other novels, short story collections, and poetry. In total, she penned 20 novels and more than 500 short stories and poems.

Marriage and Later Life

In 1911, Montgomery married Ewen MacDonald, a Presbyterian minister, and moved to Leaskdale, Ontario. She had two sons, but her marriage was shadowed by her husband’s recurring depression and her own struggles with mental illness. She continued to write prolifically, publishing eleven books while living in Leaskdale. The family moved to Toronto in 1926 and later to Swansea.

Death and Legacy

Montgomery died on April 24, 1942, in Toronto, at age 67. The official cause was coronary thrombosis, but her diaries suggest she may have taken her own life due to long-term depression. She was buried in Cavendish. Montgomery was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1935. Her work has been translated into dozens of languages, and she is recognized as Canada’s most widely read author. The Anne of Green Gables series has never gone out of print, and the Green Gables farm is a major tourist attraction. Montgomery’s legacy endures through her richly imagined characters and her celebration of the natural world and the power of hope.