Anne Of Green Gables

“In short, our discerning extraordinary observer might have concluded that no commonplace soul inhabited the body of this stray woman-child of whom shy Matthew Cuthbert was so ludicrously afraid.”

This initial description of Anne from the omniscient narrator foreshadows Anne's impact on the Cuthbert siblings. It is true that “no commonplace soul” exists within Anne, as her hardships have shaped her into a young woman filled with imaginative fantasies that help her avoid her often very grim reality. By calling her a “stray woman-child,” Montgomery acquiesces that Anne has been forced to grow up before her time.

“Isn’t it splendid to think of all the things there are to find out about? It just makes me feel glad to be alive—it’s such an interesting world.”

Anne’s overactive imagination leads to her optimistic and hopeful view of the world. Under this bubbly, questioning persona lies a child who has been forgotten and overlooked for much of her existence—an understated fact that young readers may initially gloss over. However, even though her upbringing has been subpar, Anne still sees the potential beauty in everything she encounters, speaking volumes about her character and resilience.

“‘I suppose—we could hardly be expected to keep her.’

‘I should say not. What good would she be to us?’

‘We might be some good to her,’ said Matthew suddenly and unexpectedly.”

The initial conversation between Matthew and Marilla as Anne sleeps in the east gable room her first night at Green Gables foreshadows these three characters' eventual relationships. While Marilla sees the situation from a pragmatic standpoint—they do not need a girl on the farm—Matthew sees beneath the surface and realizes that this little girl has lived a life of neglect and loneliness.