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When I was still a little girl, daddy’s little girl, I used to tag along with him whenever he left our house to see his friends over the weekends. One of his friends worked at a private school as a teacher. Through this friend, he got to know more people from this school and they began asking him for help him during many occassions (technically he was freelancing there, or something like that?). Back then, it still was not-too-well-known before growing into a huge National Plus private school like it is today. Dad and I dropped by the school to visit him once. The place was practically a heavenly asylum to every child, there were so many children’s books. I spent the whole time running around the room and read random books curiously. Before we left, he told me to just take whatever the books that I liked home. I picked several books with varying themes. There were a series of books about life of the dolphins which even my dad liked to read. To me personally, the crème de la crème was one titled Anne of Green Gables. Yep, that classic. I liked that one more than the others. Any of you happen to have read it?
If you look it up, there are a ton of versions/covers made for the book. The one that I read (now lost) was the one that’s told in Indonesian language, with title chand into Anne Si Rambut Merah. I’ve just learned that originally, it is a 1908 novel written by a Canadian author best known as L. M. Montgomery. People these days know it more as a children’s book because it’s “written for all ages, it has been considered a children’s novel since the mid-twentieth century.” Whoa, I cannot believe it is more than a century old!
[Warning: Major spoilers beyond this point.]
Can’t really make out its storyline anymore, but afair, Anne (the protagonist) was being picked on by her classmate for having red, carrot-like hair. All that teasing the boy does while unaware of her sensitivity about her own hair. The classmate is smart but witty Gilbert, who kept acting up and bugging Anne until one day, it was revealed that he secretly harbored feelings for her since the very moment he set eyes on the talkative redhead. ROFL He’s one of those guys who becomes a jerk and treats the person they crush on like a crap. I’ve got something to say to you, G:
Talking shit about someone's biggest insecurity doesn't make you "cool" it makes you look like a low life asshole.
— Tala Cabot✌️ (@TalaJean) May 31, 2013
For those out of the loop, here is the plot summary:
Anne, a young orphan from the fictional community of Bolingbroke, Nova Scotia (based upon the real community of New London), is sent to Prince Edward Island after a childhood spent in strangers’ homes and orphanages. Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert, siblings in their fifties and sixties, had decided to adopt a boy from the orphanage to help Matthew run their farm. They live at Green Gables, their Avonlea farmhouse on Prince Edward Island. Through a misunderstanding, the orphanage sends Anne Shirley.
Anne is described as bright and quick, eager to please, talkative, and extremely imaginative. She has a pale face with freckles and usually braids her red hair. Marilla at first says the girl must return to the orphanage, but after a few days she decides to let her stay. Marilla feels that she could be a good influence on the girl and had also learned that another disagreeable woman in town might take Anne in instead.
As a child of imagination, Anne takes much joy in life and adapts quickly, thriving in the close-knit farming village. Her talkativeness initially drives the prim, duty-driven Marilla to distraction, although Matthew falls for her charm immediately. Anne says that they are “kindred spirits.”
The book recounts Anne’s adventures in making a home: the country school where she quickly excels in her studies; her friendship with Diana Barry (her best or “bosom friend” as Anne fondly calls her); her budding literary ambitions; and her rivalry with classmate Gilbert Blythe, who teases her about her red hair. For that he earns her instant hatred, although he apologizes many times. As time passes, Anne realizes she no longer hates Gilbert but cannot bring herself to speak to him.
The book also follows Anne’s adventures in quiet, old-fashioned Avonlea. Episodes include her play time with friends (Diana, Jane Andrews and Ruby Gillis), her run-ins with the unpleasant Pye sisters (Gertie and Josie), and domestic mishaps such as dyeing her hair green (while intending to dye it black) or accidentally getting Diana drunk (by giving her what she thinks is raspberry cordial but is currant wine).
At fifteen, Anne goes to Queen’s Academy to earn a teaching license, along with Gilbert, Ruby, Josie, Jane and several other students. She obtains her license in one year instead of the usual two and wins the Avery Scholarship for the top student in English. Her attainment of this scholarship would allow her to pursue a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree at the fictional Redmond College (based on the real Dalhousie University) on the mainland in Nova Scotia.
Near the end of the book, Matthew dies of a heart attack after learning that all of his and Marilla’s money has been lost in a bank failure. Out of devotion to Marilla and Green Gables, Anne gives up the Avery Scholarship to stay at home and help Marilla, whose eyesight is diminishing. She plans to teach at the Carmody school, the nearest school available, and return to Green Gables on weekends. In an act of friendship, Gilbert Blythe gives up his teaching position at the Avonlea School to work at White Sands School instead, knowing that Anne wants to stay close to Marilla after Matthew’s death. After this kind act, Anne and Gilbert’s friendship is cemented, and Anne looks forward to the next “bend in the road.”
Anne is described as bright and quick, eager to please, talkative, and extremely imaginative. She has a pale face with freckles and usually braids her red hair. Marilla at first says the girl must return to the orphanage, but after a few days she decides to let her stay. Marilla feels that she could be a good influence on the girl and had also learned that another disagreeable woman in town might take Anne in instead.
As a child of imagination, Anne takes much joy in life and adapts quickly, thriving in the close-knit farming village. Her talkativeness initially drives the prim, duty-driven Marilla to distraction, although Matthew falls for her charm immediately. Anne says that they are “kindred spirits.”
The book recounts Anne’s adventures in making a home: the country school where she quickly excels in her studies; her friendship with Diana Barry (her best or “bosom friend” as Anne fondly calls her); her budding literary ambitions; and her rivalry with classmate Gilbert Blythe, who teases her about her red hair. For that he earns her instant hatred, although he apologizes many times. As time passes, Anne realizes she no longer hates Gilbert but cannot bring herself to speak to him.
The book also follows Anne’s adventures in quiet, old-fashioned Avonlea. Episodes include her play time with friends (Diana, Jane Andrews and Ruby Gillis), her run-ins with the unpleasant Pye sisters (Gertie and Josie), and domestic mishaps such as dyeing her hair green (while intending to dye it black) or accidentally getting Diana drunk (by giving her what she thinks is raspberry cordial but is currant wine).
At fifteen, Anne goes to Queen’s Academy to earn a teaching license, along with Gilbert, Ruby, Josie, Jane and several other students. She obtains her license in one year instead of the usual two and wins the Avery Scholarship for the top student in English. Her attainment of this scholarship would allow her to pursue a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree at the fictional Redmond College (based on the real Dalhousie University) on the mainland in Nova Scotia.
Near the end of the book, Matthew dies of a heart attack after learning that all of his and Marilla’s money has been lost in a bank failure. Out of devotion to Marilla and Green Gables, Anne gives up the Avery Scholarship to stay at home and help Marilla, whose eyesight is diminishing. She plans to teach at the Carmody school, the nearest school available, and return to Green Gables on weekends. In an act of friendship, Gilbert Blythe gives up his teaching position at the Avonlea School to work at White Sands School instead, knowing that Anne wants to stay close to Marilla after Matthew’s death. After this kind act, Anne and Gilbert’s friendship is cemented, and Anne looks forward to the next “bend in the road.”
I was still 6 or 7 back then. All I knew was Anne suffered from 1bully Gilbert Blythe, but turned out there were more struggles she gotta do and more setbacks she gotta face. She’s such a trooper I’ve always aspired to be. Overcoming all those with resilience and determination, as well as the help from her enemy-turned-good friend, Mr. Blythe. The other moral we got is to embrace the differences we have. Stop thinking of them as flaws to be insecure about, and instead, start to regard them as a distinctions that makes us stand out from the rest. Imagine how dull the world would be if everyone looked the same?
Anne of Green Gables is so good and inspiring, expected from a book that has been translated into 20 languages and sold more than 50 million copies worldwide. no wonder that it’s also taught to a lot of students around the world. By the way, for those who have not read but are curious about the book, you still can find it on Amazon and many other online stores. l don’t know if they still reprint it in Indonesia (given that it’s a best-seller), but so far, I’ve only come across the preloved ones online.
Yasmin💕
