Anne of Green Gables
a kindred spirit
I first started reading Anne of Green Gables on November 24, 1990 when I was just 7 years old. I finished that first book in just two weeks, and on March 17th of the next year I finished the last of the series. I had found a kindred spirit!! My hair, freckles, and personality were just like Anne's. (That's me at left, when I was 7 years old.)
Those who know me can attest that I'm Anne through and through. I'm very outgoing, dreamy, stubborn, opinionated, passionate, loving, emotional, and I love writing (due in part to my childhood heroes Anne Shirley and Jo March!). And I still have the red hair and freckles!
I differ from Anne in that I have never minded having red hair--I liked it even more once I read the Anne books. And for a while I signed my name "Gretchen Louise Ann," though for some reason, I wasn't Anne with an E.
When I was younger, I had long red braids, and many people told me I looked like Anne. I even met a lady who looked and sounded like Marilla once, and we had our picture taken together. Though I now lack my long braids, I still get comments on how much I'm like Anne of Green Gables! You can see more pictures of me as "Ann" here.
Since Anne is so much a part of who I am--definitely a Kindred Spirit--I had to create a webpage dedicated to Anne of Green Gables. I hope you enjoy browsing through it, and visiting all the links!
A Kindred Spirit,
Gretchie "Ann"
My Favorite Anne Quotes:
"There's such a lot of different Annes in me. I sometimes think that is why I'm such a troublesome person. If I was just one Anne it would be ever so much more comfortable but then it wouldn't be half so interesting."
-Anne in Anne of the Island
"For a moment, Anne's heart fluttered queerly and for the first time her eyes faltered under Gilbert's gaze and a rosy flush stained the paleness of her face. It was as if a veil that had hung before her inner consciousness had been lifted, giving to her view a revelation of unsuspected feelings and realities.
"Perhaps, after all, romance did not come into one's life with pomp and blare, like a gay knight riding down; perhaps it crept to one's side like an old friend through quiet ways; perhaps it revealed itself in seeming prose, until some sudden shaft of illumination flung athwart it's pages betrayed the rhythn and the music; perhaps... perhaps... love unfolded naturally out of a beautiful friendship, as a golden-hearted rose slipping from its green sheath.
"Then the veil dropped again; but the Anne who walked up the dark lane was not quite the same Anne who had driven gaily down it the evening before. The page of girlhood had been turned, as by an unseen finger, and the page of womanhood was before her with all its charm and mystery, its pain and gladness."
-Anne of Avonlea, by L.M. Montgomery
"It seems so funny and horrible to think of Diana's being married," sighed Anne...
"I don't see what's so horrible about it, when she's doing so well," said Mrs. Lynde emphatically. "Fred Wright has a fine farm and he is a model young man."
"He certainly isn't the wild, dashing, wicked young man Diana once wanted to marry," smiled Anne. "Fred is extremely good."
"That's just what he ought to be. Would you want Diana to marry a wicked man? Or marry one yourself?"
"Oh, no. I wouldn't want to marry anybody who was wicked, but I think I'd like it if he could be wicked and wouldn't. Now, Fred is hopelessly good."
"You'll have more sense some day, I hope," said Marilla.
-Anne of the Island
"All life lessons are not learned at college. Life teaches them everywhere."
-Anne in Anne of the Island
"Experience teaches sense. You can't learn it in a college course. You've been to college four years and I never was, but I know heaps more than you do, young ladies."
-Aunt Jamesina, in Anne of the Island
"There are lots of things that never go by rule,
There's a powerful pile o' knowledge
That you never get at college,
There are heaps of things you never learn at school."
Anne Links:
Gretchen's Of Carrots & Freckles Page
The Ultimate Anne of Green Gables Website
Avonlea Addicts Anne of Green Gables Pages
The World of Anne (Cordelia) Shirley
A Journey Through Green Gables
A Magic Place Called Green Gables
All things Anne
(lots of links!)
Escape to Avonlea - Anne of Green Gables
Amanda's "Anne of Green Gables" Page
Includes a sweet tribute to Anne & Gilbert
The Anne Movies
Anne of Green Gables
Buy DVD - VHS
Anne of Green Gables III
(This movie is a definite disappointment compared to the first two!)
Buy DVD - VHS
Behind the Scenes from Eras of Elegance:
Anne of Green Gables
Anne of Avonlea
Anne of Green Gables: The Continuing Story
"The Future of Anne of Green Gables" from Eras of Elegance
The Anne movies are great for guys, too!
My friend Lizzy shared this story: "The other night I went downstairs to find my dad and brothers watching TV. But instead of watching some sort of action movie, they were watching 'Anne of Green Gables'! I guess it is our favorite family movie, but it was amusing to find the guys of the family watching it, without any prompting from us girls. My dad was like, 'Yeah, we are raising these boys to be men, and protectors of their family, but we are also raising them to be romantic.'"
Photos related to the Anne of Green Gables films and all other Sullivan productions are owned, trademarked and copyrighted by Sullivan Entertainment Inc. and permission to use such photos on this web site has been granted by Sullivan Entertainment Inc.