Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery Book Review

Anne of Green Gables is a beloved classic that tells the story of Anne Shirley, an orphan girl named who is adopted by the unwed Cuthbert siblings in their old age. Once she is adopted, Anne breathes life into their home and the entire community of Avonlea around her. She is fulfilled by finding her chosen family and the various friendships she makes. Anne is a remarkable and timeless heroine because she served as a role model for many children like myself through the lessons her story teaches. Considering the pivotal influence this book had on my life as a child, Anne of Green Gables cultivated my moral action and thought by illustrating the importance of optimism, education, and selflessness. 

Namely, Anne of Green Gables helped develop my personal perspective by exemplifying the strength of optimism. Growing up, Anne had a childhood marked by tragedy. Losing her parents burdened her not only with insurmountable grief but spending years of her childhood in service to other families. Even after she finds a home, Anne faces barriers in her pursuit of social acceptance. She is disregarded by community members because of arbitrary reasons such as her past and her physical appearance. However, she is not embittered by this. She firmly believes in the goodness of the world and faces every day with unwavering hope. Her optimism enables her to be a visionary and she uses her imagination to improve the world around her because of her love for it. This message, and by extension the book, can be summarized in Anne’s idea that “It is not what the world holds for you, it is what you bring to it.”  Unlike other people, she does not see the world only as it is. She sees the way the world could be, despite the way that it is. The true optimism of the novel is not blind and ignorant cheerfulness. It is facing isolation, judgment, grief, and bullying with the resolution to rise above it with compassion and joy. 

Similarly, the value of education was further instilled in me by Anne of Green Gables. Even though she was not formally educated as a child, Anne was a voracious reader. Her imagination is set free by her deep affection for literature and poetry. Although her vocabulary is criticized by adults as melodramatic and unnecessary, it is completely sincere.  Her imagination and romanticism are seen as childish and bizarre. In reaction to this, she responds “People laugh at me because I use big words. But if you have big ideas, you have to use big words to express yourself, don’t you?” Anne knows that her ideas and perspectives deserve to be heard and expressed eloquently. When she starts school in Avonlea, she is arguably in a disadvantaged position. She is years behind her classmates and has issues focusing her attention. By all means, she is not a student many would anticipate excelling in a traditional learning environment. Despite all of this, she is the exception to every single rule. Anne is highly motivated and dedicated as a student. Later on, she is part of a select study group of gifted students preparing for the college entrance exam. She graduates top of her class and she is accepted into college to pursue teaching. She is granted her teaching license in one year, half of the time expected, and she is awarded a distinguished scholarship for being the top English student. By refusing to compromise her disposition and her passion, Anne is able to fulfill her potential and contribute to the lives of others by valuing learning. 

To continue, Anne of Green Gables emphasizes the moral value of selflessness. Anne has a specific affinity for beauty and is highly ambitious. She talks frequently of her hatred for her hair and desire to have fancy dresses like the other girls. She is inherently competitive and jealous to succeed at achieving her goals. In contrast, the deepest love of beauty Anne has is not only for nature but for the beauty in other people. Instead of puffed sleeves and black hair, Anne makes herself crowns of flowers and appreciates the natural beauty of Avonlea. Once she has matured, Anne tells her friends “Look at that sea, girls--all silver and shadow and vision of things not seen. We couldn't enjoy its loveliness any more if we had millions of dollars and ropes of diamonds.” After Matthew passes away and Marilla is struggling with her eyesight, Anne chooses to stay home and teach in order to take care of her, pausing her future plans. Anne becomes selfless when she realizes that our relationships are the only thing in life that is truly invaluable. 

In summation, I have strived to embody optimism, education, and selflessness because of the lessons that have been edified in Anne of Green Gables. This novel is not only relevant to me in a personal sense, but a broad sense. These values enable all of us and position us to help change the world with careful thought as well as compassion. These moral values empower us to use our lives as opportunities to find creative ways to ensure progress in the future.  Simply put, Anne of Green Gables can enable all of us and position us to help change the world with careful thought as well as compassion.