Sunday, January 11, 2009

Anne of Green Gables (1985)

My lastest dip into the dailylit.com universe was the eternally fantastic Anne of Green Gables (1908) by Lucy Maud Montgomery. I think the only book that little Kristy read more than this one was Charlotte's Web. And the 1985 TV movie! Oh! Seriously one of my favorite things on earth. I even played Marilla in a high school theater production of Anne of Green Gables (I got to spray my hair with gray dye and act all elderly and stern, it was pretty fun).

I hadn't read this book for almost 20 years, but it hasn't aged a bit. And since it was written one-hundred and one years ago, that is a testament both to Montgomery's writing and the universal experience of being a young girl. Anne is the ultimate outsider -- an orphan girl, too old for most people to want to adopt, who is accidentally sent to brother and sister Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert when they request a boy orphan to help them on their farm. She has red hair, which she hates. She is smarter and more dramatic and more romantic than anyone on Prince Edward Island. She is overly sensitive, extremely confident, and can hold a serious grudge. And even though I'm not really anything like Anne Shirley, I always felt like we were kindred spirits.

I just love Anne. And I have a box set with the next three books in the series at my parent's house that I can't believe I forgot to bring home with me after Christmas. Hopefully she will wait to keep growing up until I can revisit the rest of the series...

3 comments:

CC said...

I agree completely. During the summer as a kid I lived at Green Gables. Well, actually I lived in Hawaii, but my heart was on PEI. If you ever want to borrow the miniseries, let me know!

Anonymous said...

Miniseries watch party! I loved those books too. Why, oh, why can't I be a plucky red-headed orphan?

dojski said...

I love the entire book set! Unlike you though, I do not think Anne and I are kindred spirits, though heaven knows I wish otherwise. She's just too cool a spirit to be on my league.

I cried buckets on Windy Poplars and Rilla of Ingleside.

I've been hunting for the TV and movie versions, to no avail. ahhh. =)