Authored by Lucy Maud Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables is a novel which was published in the year 1908. The novel is a work of fiction which is targeted at audience of all ages. The inspiration behind this book lies in a small piece of paper which Montgomery had written at a very young age. The paper described about a couple who were sent an orphan girl in place of a boy by mistake and still the couple decided to keep that girl with them. The novel has also been influenced by the author’s experiences in the childhood she spent in Prince Edward Island. The book has sold more than 50 million copies worldwide by far since it was first published. This leading best seller novel is also taught to students in many countries.
The plot of the book shows Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert who are brother and sister living together at Green Gables. Green Gables is a farm situated in the village of Avonlea on Prince Edward Island in Canada. These two siblings decide on adopting a boy from an orphan asylum as a farm helper. Due to some mistake, the person who comes to their house is Anne Shirley, an eleven year old talented girl. Anne is a talkative and sharp girl having log red hair. She insists that her name be spelt with an ‘E’ because it seems more distinguished than other names. The book talks about the education of Anne where she is excellent in her studies and very quick in learning. It also describes about the ambitions of this small girl, her friendships with other children like Diana Barry, who she calls as her bosom friend, Ruby Gills, Jane Andrews and her enmity with Gilbert Blythe, who constantly taunts her about the red hair. At the end of the book, Matthew dies from a heart attack on hearing the news about their money being lost. Anne, who is pursuing B.A. at Redmond College, comes back to Green Gables to take care of Marilla who is facing problems with her eyesight. Before going to Redmond College, Anne had obtained a teaching license from Queen’s Academy and the Avery Prize which helps her to attend the college. On returning back to Green Gables, Anne starts teaching at the Avonlea School because of Gilbert Blythe. To prove his friendship, Gilbert gives up his job at Avonlea and goes on to teach at the White Sands School. Both of them become good friends and Anne feels proud about the bend that takes place in the road.
Montgomery has used her experiences in plotting this book along with the characterization. The story of Anne has been described right from the childhood to her college years in a charming way. The simplicity and innocence of the character is shown in the writing of Montgomery. Anne of Green Gables rightly deserves to be in the list of top 10 all time best sellers.
