The Romance of adolescent years. August 12, 2007

Picture: Pretty Megan Follows (in 1985) as the orphan girl Anne Shirley; aka, Anne of Green Gables, Anne with the ”e” and ”Carrots”

Beginning of this weekend was a wonderful disovery of Anne of Green Gables when I decided to watch Anne of Green Gables DVD of the wonderful 1985 movie/TV adaptation of Lucy Maud Montgomery’s book. This movie was made, aptly, in Canada by CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation) in conjunction with other national broadcasters, PBS of America and ZDF of Germany.

 

 

 

I had heard a lot about Anne of Green Gables and even seen bits of some of the TV adaptations of the series of Anne books but never really got into it. I never read the book or completely knew the plot or story. I was aware that it was set in idyllic Prince Edward Island and lots of people with romantic disposition swooned over it. But after watching the series I realized how charming it really is. Moreover, as I trained my eyes on the book, I find it is full of beautiful writing, sweeping emotions, and wonderful humor. What else? ROMANCE. Yeah. So, I will try to read at least the first 3 of the Anne books in the near future. Great stuff.

 

 

 

This leads me to conclude I am overwhelmingly attracted to the well written stories of childhood years with all the ADVENTURES, QUIRKS, DISCOVERIES and ROMANCE. Anne of Green Gables resonates with the same strain of charming writing about young folks as portrayed in my favourite books: Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Adventures of Tom Sawyer, To Kill a Mockingbird and to some extent Gone with the Wind. So, I encourage you to dip into some of this stuff and delight in it.

 

 

 

For now, I am posting a collage (Anne/ Gilbert romance) of some of the scenes from Anne of Green Gables’ 1985 TV adaptation which captures the magic of the book.

 

 

Gilbert teases Anne of Green Gables on her first day in school.

Anne ignores and Gilbert persists….

Gilbert calls her ”Carrots” because of her red hair (that she is really ashamed of/she wants ”Raven Black” hair) …Moreover, Gilbert gives her the tug.

Short tempered Anne gets mad.

She breaks a slate over Gilbert’s head.

 

This is at the very end of the movie, LOTS of things have occured and LOTS of water has gone under the bridge. Gilbert comes to Anne across a vast expanse of green grass, riding on a black horse and gives her a good news. He again calls her ”Carrots” and Miss. Anne Shirley is angry no more.

 

 Anne’s god- mother, guardian and best friend Marrila wonders how come she warmed up to Gilbert and Anne replies. Here is a sweet original dialogue from the book:

 

 

 

“I didn’t think you and Gilbert Blythe were such good

 

friends that you’d stand for half an hour at the gate

 

talking to him,” said Marilla with a dry smile.

 

“We haven’t been–we’ve been good enemies. But we

 

have decided that it will be much more sensible to be

 

good friends in the future. Were we really there half an

 

hour? It seemed just a few minutes. But, you see, we have

 

five years’ lost conversations to catch up with, Marilla.”