A Tribute To Anne
This year all lovers of L.M.Montgomery's 'Anne' series celebrate the 100th anniversary of the publication of Anne of Green Gables. This article about Anne was originally published at Seeds of Knowledge.com under my pen-name, Viola Ashford.
A TRIBUTE TO ANNE
L.M. Montgomery's classic stories, especially her warm-hearted series about Anne of Green Gables had a strong influence on my girlhood, and that of many women of my generation. Still popular, the 'Anne' books are constantly reprinted, have been made into a high-rating TV series, and are the subject of a mailing list on the Internet. Sadly however, the series is not as widely read as it once was. Many of today's teenage novels are pessimistic, dealing with dark issues such as depression, drugs and teenage suicide, often awakening feelings of despair and hopelessness.
The 'Anne' series is set in the late 19th century on the beautiful Canadian province of Prince Edward Island, off the coast of Nova Scotia. When the story begins Anne is an 11 year-old, red-haired orphan mistakenly adopted by stern Marilla and her kindly brother Matthew, who were expecting a boy to help out on their farm Green Gables.
Sunny-natured, feisty Anne soon charms her way into their hearts and the hearts of those in the little village of Avonlea, even though she annoys Marilla by constantly getting into 'scrapes'. These misadventures include being nasty to Marilla's best friend when her red hair is criticized, accidentally making herself and her best friend Diana drunk on Marilla's homemade wine, and mistakenly dying her red hair green.
Anne has to cope with experiences common to many girls of her age, for example, being taunted at her new school, worry about her marks, and malicious friends. She also, at 16, has to bear the sorrow of her beloved Matthew's death. Heroic Anne survives all this with flying colors.
Clever, independent and ambitious, Anne, the daughter of schoolteachers, unlike most girls of her time, wants a career. She obtains a B.A, the first person from Avonlea to do so, and fulfills her ambition to become a high-school teacher.
The girls who read about Anne cried for her when Matthew died, worried about how she would get out of her scrapes, and cheered for her when she went to university and obtained her BA.
As a teenager Anne was one of my role models. She confronts her problems optimistically, with charm and grace. She is determined to achieve her ambitions and does this under difficult circumstances at a time when women were not encouraged to pursue careers. Many women all over the world owe their desire for an education and career to her example.
More importantly than that, however, Anne, with her courageousness and optimism, showed how life should be lived.
A TRIBUTE TO ANNE
L.M. Montgomery's classic stories, especially her warm-hearted series about Anne of Green Gables had a strong influence on my girlhood, and that of many women of my generation. Still popular, the 'Anne' books are constantly reprinted, have been made into a high-rating TV series, and are the subject of a mailing list on the Internet. Sadly however, the series is not as widely read as it once was. Many of today's teenage novels are pessimistic, dealing with dark issues such as depression, drugs and teenage suicide, often awakening feelings of despair and hopelessness.
The 'Anne' series is set in the late 19th century on the beautiful Canadian province of Prince Edward Island, off the coast of Nova Scotia. When the story begins Anne is an 11 year-old, red-haired orphan mistakenly adopted by stern Marilla and her kindly brother Matthew, who were expecting a boy to help out on their farm Green Gables.
Sunny-natured, feisty Anne soon charms her way into their hearts and the hearts of those in the little village of Avonlea, even though she annoys Marilla by constantly getting into 'scrapes'. These misadventures include being nasty to Marilla's best friend when her red hair is criticized, accidentally making herself and her best friend Diana drunk on Marilla's homemade wine, and mistakenly dying her red hair green.
Anne has to cope with experiences common to many girls of her age, for example, being taunted at her new school, worry about her marks, and malicious friends. She also, at 16, has to bear the sorrow of her beloved Matthew's death. Heroic Anne survives all this with flying colors.
Clever, independent and ambitious, Anne, the daughter of schoolteachers, unlike most girls of her time, wants a career. She obtains a B.A, the first person from Avonlea to do so, and fulfills her ambition to become a high-school teacher.
The girls who read about Anne cried for her when Matthew died, worried about how she would get out of her scrapes, and cheered for her when she went to university and obtained her BA.
As a teenager Anne was one of my role models. She confronts her problems optimistically, with charm and grace. She is determined to achieve her ambitions and does this under difficult circumstances at a time when women were not encouraged to pursue careers. Many women all over the world owe their desire for an education and career to her example.
More importantly than that, however, Anne, with her courageousness and optimism, showed how life should be lived.
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