Anne of Green Gables

Anne of Green Gables is a 1985 television movie based on the novel Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery. The film was produced and directed by Kevin Sullivan for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.

The film aired on the CBC as a two-part miniseries on December 1 and 2, 1985. Both parts of the film were among the highest-rated programs of any genre ever to air on a Canadian television network. On February 17 and 18, 1986, the film aired on the PBS in the United States.

When Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert of Green Gables, Prince Edward Island, send for a boy orphan to help them out at the farm, they are in no way prepared for the error that will change their lives. The mistake takes the shape of Anne Shirley, a redheaded 11-year-old girl who can talk anyone under the table. Fortunately, her sunny nature and quirky imagination quickly win over her reluctant foster parents. Anne's feisty spirit soon draws many friends--and much trouble--her way.

Not a day goes by without some melodramatic new episode in the tragicomedy of her life. Early on, Anne declares her eternal antipathy for Gilbert Blythe, a classmate who commits the ultimate sin of mocking her hair color. Later, she accidentally dyes that same cursed hair green.

Another time, in her haste to impress a new neighbor, she bakes a cake with liniment instead of vanilla. Lucy Maud Montgomery's series of books about Anne have remained classics since the early 20th century. Her portrayal of this feminine yet independent spirit has given generations of girls a strong female role model, while offering a taste of another, milder time in history.

Everyday when I was a child, my teacher would read to us from Anne of Green Gables.  I was hooked from grade five on.  I read that book so many times my mom had to buy me a second copy because I wore the first one out!  What was it about this book that was so important to me?

The book, Anne of Green Gables had characters that I, and my friends, could relate to.  Although I loved Anne and would have loved to be more like her, it was her friend Dianna that I knew was just like me.  Dianna gave me confidence to trust who I was.  Dianna helped me to see that even though I was outgoing and boisterous like Anne, people like me were important, too.  We kept the Anne’s of this world from going overboard!

All over the world little girls were encouraged to be brave, honest, and imaginative when they met Anne of Green Gables.  They knew that if Anne could be so brave, if Anne could stand up to the bullies of life, if Anne could defy all odds and become a teacher – then they could do all those things, too.  Anne was the little girl that we all wanted to be but she didn’t make us feel ashamed if we weren’t just like her.  In fact, all of her mistakes and misdemeanors reminded us that thinking things through wasn’t necessarily a bad thing!  After all, none of us wanted to end up with green hair!

The book Anne of Green Gables grew into a series of books that allowed us to watch Anne and her friends grow from children to adults to parents themselves. In fact, I enjoyed the later books much more as an adult than I did as a child because I could relate to the adult Anne so much more.

This is not just a children’s story but a story for people of all ages. No matter what age the reader is, Anne of Green Gables teaches us lessons in love, perseverance, and tolerance. Anne shows us how we can enjoy every moment of life and live without regrets.

All over the world today, young girls and adults alike can watch Anne grow up with the Anne of Green Gables series.  They have many options including books, DVD’s, CD’s, and videos.  Anne can continue to inspire young girls with her active imagination.  She can help all of us see that the boundaries are limitless and that dreams really can come true.

When finished reading the Anne series. I declare that Anne will touch your heart and so will Lucy Maud. How she makes stories out of common place event that may happen to any one. We all see and notice things but very few of us could really write stories like that.

That reminds me how I used to write stories and it used to annoy me when my teacher said they were not good enough for the magazines. After reading the Anne series I went through my childhood literature and now I know why my teacher said that.

Resources

Anne DVD – The sequel DVD Anne of Green Gables Continuing Story. A story for people off all ages.

Notes On Anne – Anne of Green Gables Text. Where you can read and have an insight on the story.

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