“ANNE OF GREEN GABLES” | Cozy Cottage Book Club

In the Cozy Cottage Book Club we read “Anne of Green Gables” by L.M. Montgomery.

A story about a daydreaming red-headed orphan girl who came to Prince Edward Island by mistake. Yet, won the hearts of the whole village of Avonlea.

Part 1: Fun facts + get to know the author, L.M. Montgomery.

Part 2: The Setting of Avonlea on Prince Edward Island

Part 3: Characters, quotes, + reading “Anne of Green Gables” as an adult.

PART 1: Let’s start by getting to know the author, L.M. Montgomery.

One of Canada’s most famous authors
and “A Woman History Can’t Forget”

Lucy Maud Montgomery was born November 30, 1874 on Prince Edward Island. When she was just 21 months old her mother died and her father left her in the care of her grandparents in Cavendish. As an only child and orphan of sorts; she started writing very young and using her imagination to entertain herself as well as playing with her cousins in nearby Park Corner.

When Montgomery was entering adulthood, it was a time when women couldn’t vote and very seldom attended university. She took a 2 year teaching course which she completed in one year and taught for a little while before she continued to higher education which few women had done. In between the years of 1897-1908 (the year that Anne of Green Gables was published) she wrote and had published over 100 short stories, earned her own income and set on her path to becoming one of the most prolific authors the world has known.

Her success was not without tragedy; Montgomery married and moved to Ontario where she continued to write. She struggled with depression which she wrote about in a detailed diary throughout her life in which she chronicled the horrors of the First World War, the grief over losing one of her 3 sons, and her husband’s mental illness. She passed away on April 24, 1942 and it has been speculated that she overdosed on barbiturates which was prescribed for her nerves and insomnia. She was buried on her beloved Prince Edward Island where she gave so much beauty and hope to this world.

“…I have at last learned that it is not what we get out of life but what we put into it that makes or mars it.”

-L.M. Montgomery

Fun Facts you might not know about “Anne of Green Gables”

-L.M. Montgomery didn’t like her first name and preferred Maud; “I never liked Lucy as a name. I always liked Maud—spelled not ‘with an e’ if you please.”(Sound familiar to a certain redhead?)

-The inspiration for Anne came from a journal entry from 1892, Montgomery wrote: Elderly couple apply to orphan asylum for a boy. By mistake a girl is sent them.

-Green Gables is based on her cousin’s farm which you can visit on PEI.

-“Anne of Green Gables” was the first book she wrote in 1905 but was rejected by all the publishers she sent it to. She tucked it away in a hatbox until 1907 when she submitted it again and it became an instant success.

-All but one of Montgomery’s 20 books are set on Prince Edward Island.

-“Anne of Green Gables” was first translated into Swedish in 1909.

-Anne is huge in Japan thanks to a missionary from New Brunswick that left her copy with her friend, translator Hanako Muraoka in 1939. Muraoka read the book and fell in love. She decided to secretly translate the novel, retitling it Akage No Anne (Anne of the Red Hair).

-Anne has been adapted for film and the stage over a dozen times

BOOK CLUB | Discussion Questions (Part 1) | If you’re not a member yet, sign up for It’s a Charming Life’s Patreon.

• What is your personal connection to the book (and have you read it as an adult)?
  
• Why do you think “Anne of Green Gables” has remained a classic for over 100 years?
  
• Do you see the kindred spirit similarities between L.M. Montgomery and Anne?
  

PART 2: The Setting on Prince Edward Island, Canada and the fictional town of Avonlea.

Avonlea is said to be based on the township of Cavendish, where thousands of Anne fans flocks to visit Green Gables themselves, and learn more about L.M. Montgomery and all her fictional characters.

The story takes place during the late 1800s and seems to be during an idyllic era that we all love to visit from time to time. Perhaps that is why the book is one of the world’s most beloved children’s classic. It is something peaceful in L.M. Montgomery’s way of describing the place through Anne’s eyes that you sometimes wonder if Anne and Lucy Maud Montgomery perhaps were the same person. Dipping their feet in the lake of shining waters, strolling under the white way of delight, or with quick steps walking home through the haunted woods without being seen by any ghosts.

Did you ever wonder why the roads of Avonlea are red?

Julia Campbell, a relative of L.M. Montgomery, is happy to give you the answer. Make sure you watch the lovely conversation between the Sleepy Hollow Book Club and Julia Campbell of the Anne of Green Gables Museum, who was so generous to also give us a little inside tour.

Get the most kindred “Green Gables” gifts and merchandise from Shop at Sullivan. Doesn’t the idea of drinking tea such as “Avonlea Afternoon” or “Kindred Spirits” tickles your imagination?

BOOK CLUB | Discussion Questions (Part 2)

• What is your favorite season in Avonlea as L.M. Montgomery writes it?
• Anne describes Prince Edward Island as the prettiest and most bloomiest place in the world. Now, use your own scope for the imagination to fill in the blank: “I’m so glad I live in a world where there are _____.”
• Why do you think Green Gables has become such an iconic tourist destination that people from all over the world will take a pilgrimage to visit the PEI?

PART 3: Personal Connections and reading Anne of Green Gables as an adult.

It is always a pleasure to revisit old beloved children’s classics as adults, or for some of us, the first time. Here is what reading “Anne of Green Gables” as adults did to us.

Jonas: I was well familiar with the story and the characters through the movie adaptation, and later as the series “Anne with an E”. This was the first time I ever read the book. I tried to read it with the quest from a male perspective, finding out “is it really a book only suitable for girls?”

“We might be of some good to her.”

Matthew Cuthbert

My conclusion is that even if the book might connect best toward females, there is no excuse for males not to read it. As for me, I quite enjoyed it. My favorite character is Matthew, which I can really connect with. I see myself in his way of handling things. (Like buying material for a dress but leaving with 20 pounds of brown sugar, and a broom.) He is a good role model since he truly is a kindred spirit toward Anne.

Other than that, I just enjoy reading L.M. Montgomery’s writing because I admire her as the amazing author she was. I got so inspired that I simply had to create an Anne of Green Gables bookmark, which you can buy in my Etsy store.

Lindsay: I don’t have a clear childhood memory of reading Anne and my love of the world of L.M. Montgomery came from first watching “Road to Avonlea” and then the mini-series where Diana Barry quickly became my kindred spirit. She’s kind, loyal, and is the sort of friend you always look to for comfort (and nice compliments). I love seeing how Anne’s adventurous ways and imagination runs off on her. I also formed a real soft spot for Marilla when I saw how she softened and grew to love Anne just like dear Mathew did from the start.

“Kindred spirits are not so scarce as I used to think. It’s splendid to find out there are so many of them in the world.”

Anne Shirley

What stood out to me the most in reading “Anne of Green Gables” as an adult was the theme of kindred spirits and how orphan Anne found where she belonged in a home of other misfits. Sometimes you recognize a kindred spirit right away and sometimes you are surpised by them. The meaning of the quote above has deepened for me greatly. It’s hard to put into words what having a kindred spirit feels like so I asked on Instagram and got some lovely answers: “Being able to instantly reconnect/pick up where you left off no matter the time apart…To be able to be unabashedly yourself with someone and not have to translate your soul…Your heart understood mine…To have an enduring friendship, one where time and distance cannot put a damper on the magic…Wordless understanding”

BOOK CLUB | Discussion Questions (Part 3)

• What is your favorite quote from the book?
• Who is your favorite character and why?
• What does being kindred spirits mean to you?

Thank you so much for joining us in reading and discussing “Anne of Green Gables”, it was such a pleasure! Bye For Now,
Lindsay & Jonas