What I've learnt from Anne of Green Gables

This winter I've read an awful lot of Anne books (as in Anne of Green Gables). I've sadly almost re-read the whole lot despite trying to string them out between other books - I wish that I could string them out forever and ever.

I remember being completely obsessed with Anne at primary school - for a few months I would had a couple of the books going at the same time, one by my bed at home and one in my school desk. I have a distinct memory of not noticing when my teacher (Mr Alder?) called the end of SSR* until a good half hour afterwards, because I was so engrossed in Anne's adventures. Anne was the epitome of 'heroine' for me at the time: I read Little Women at around the same age but the Marchbanks girls were never any kind of match for the glory that was Anne. As for the Sweet Valley High and Babysitters' Club series - bitch please.

So no doubt at all that I thought she was fabulous, idolised Anne, loved the books and the character - but I had no idea that so much of my life has been informed by a "wanting to be Anne". 

Some of these wantings have no secret in their origins and are of the nature of family jokes: an obsession with red-hair and freckles and puffed sleeves for example. And some things I always recognised as Anne-originating, like the constant seeking of "kindred spirits" when I was a wee girl and also a vague recollection of trying to name various sites in Whitby with appropriately romantic names (I never remember any of those sticking in that most un-romantic of places). The boy I had a crush on in primary school was in my imagination very much a Gilbert Blythe (was it the relentless teasing??).

However, I am shocked and horrified that my long-term obsession with attic or garret bedrooms was an Anne thing, because I was sure that was All Me. I'd forgotten how betrayed and confused Anne felt when Diana started her relationship with Fred, and in that I recognised my own reactions to my friend's relationships with boys when I was a similar age (losing the kindred spirit etc). It's almost as though this memory of the books and the character of Anne are no longer conscious but rather something molecular. There's almost too much in which I recognise myself - and sometimes it's more evocative than something I can itemise.

I'm a bit freaked out how much LM Montgomery has constructed my character.

Oh but SO many good quotes. If I was designy I could make them pretty and pin them on Pintrest.

It's been my experience that you can nearly always enjoy thing sif you make up your mind firmly that you will. Of course, you must make it up FIRMLY. - Chapter V, Anne of Green Gables.

"Oh Marilla, looking forward to things is half the pleasure of them", exclamed Anne. "You mayn't get the things themselves; but nothing can prevent you from having the fun of looking forward to them." Chapter XIII, Anne of Green Gables.

"... When I left Queen's my future seemed to stretch out before me like a straight road. I thought i could see along it for many a milestone. Now there is a bend in it. I don't know what lies around the bend, but I'm going to believe that the best does." Chapter XXXVIII, Anne of Green Gables.

"... Don't you know it's only very foolish folk who talk sense all the time?" Chapter XVIII, Anne of Avonlea.

"A flattering looking glass is a promoter of amiability" Chapter XIX, Anne of the Island.

"... I really have learned to look upon each little hindrance as a jest and each great one as the foreshadowing of victory." Chapter XXXVII, Anne of the Island.

Also: I've noticed that the Gilmore Girls and the island/Avonlea of Anne seem to have very similar communities, and both texts have the same sort of tone despite being set roughly 100 years apart. Does anybody else have any thoughts about this? Is it the molecular memory of Anne (!) that lead me to my love of GG?

Also: you have noted no discussion of the TV series? That's because I never liked the girl who played Anne, she didn't seem right at all. Something about her nose.

*Sustained Silent Ready, which is you know, sitting around reading, but with a fancy acronym.