Anne Of Green Gables

Marilla, a middle-aged spinster who lives with her brother Matthew on the family homestead of Green Gables, is a meticulous woman with no room for fun for most of the novel. “A tall, thin woman, with angles and without curves” (5), Marilla embodies a harshness to her appearance that leaves no room for fun and games, but with an underlying sense of humor shown in rare circumstances. Her practical sensibility finds its match in Anne’s dreamy fantasies, and she tries her hardest to curtail Anne’s wild ideas. Her initial reaction to Anne is one of practicality—there is no need or use for a girl on the farm—but Anne’s quirkiness and idiosyncrasies soon make their way into Marilla’s heart.

Her frequent pings of maternal love by mid-novel—when Anne first slips her hand in hers or hugs and kisses her—reveal a longing for a role she never knew she wanted. Though she does not come out and say she loves Anne until much later, there are critical moments in the novel where one can track Marilla’s increasing devotion to Anne, culminating when she thinks Anne is dead after falling off the roof. Though her upbringing of Anne is a strict one, it is merely a show to cover up the fact that she cannot envision her life without Anne.

Marilla’s inability to say the physical words “I love you” becomes a prominent absence throughout the novel, especially coupled with Matthew’s overt shows of adoration, even though her love for Anne is deeper and stronger than any feeling she has ever felt. She fears that loving someone so much is a sin, but because of this, “Anne herself had no idea how Marilla loved her” (287). It is not until Matthew’s death that Marilla can let go of everything holding her back and reveal to Anne just how much Anne means to her. While Anne does not call Marilla “mother,” the normal definitions of the relationship apply.

Matthew Cuthbert, a quiet man who keeps to himself, has “never been known to volunteer information about anything in his whole life” (2). Often referred to as the “shyest man alive” (3), Matthew is 60 when the book begins, and “his heart troubles him a good deal” (7) which is the rationale for adopting an orphan. Though his initial meeting with Anne shocks him into silence, he quickly becomes attached to the young girl on their short buggy ride home and desperately wants to avoid sending her back to the orphanage. There is something about Anne that captivates him, and their connection throughout the novel grows into a beautiful relationship that doesn’t always need words.

Matthew always takes Anne’s side—he doesn’t make excuses for her, but he’s the voice of reason against Marilla’s harsher nature. As the novel progresses, it is clear that his love for Anne grows deeper and deeper. Though Anne’s relationship with Marilla takes center stage, it is Matthew who never once doubts her. Likewise, Anne is often the only one who can reach the subdued and solitary Matthew. They speak an unspoken language, read each other’s thoughts, and communicate in ways that Marilla cannot understand.

Their buggy ride together at the beginning of the novel represents their entire relationship. He is the one she confides in, the one who will listen to all of her dreams without comment, and the one she turns to when no one else is around. Her effect on his life culminates in the dress buying scene, where Matthew overcomes his greatest fears for Anne to make her happy. She shapes him without changing him, just as he does for her. While tragic and sudden, his death forces Anne and Marilla to reveal their true feelings to one another as they are left alone to cope with his absence.

The first real friend in Anne’s life, Diana Barry is “a very pretty little girl” (103) with dark hair and eyes and a positive attitude. She instantly becomes friends with Anne and doesn’t buy into what society whispers about Anne behind her back.

Though Diana does not have the same creative genius as Anne, Anne quickly draws her into the world of imagination. Anne and Diana are a perfect duo: where Anne falters, Diana excels, and vice versa. Their love for each other makes Anne finally break with her imaginary friends, Katie Maurice and Violetta, as reality is finally better than her dreams. Diana is a well-liked and admired young woman due to her looks and sweet demeanor, and her acceptance of Anne paves the way for the other girls to bring Anne into the fold. Though she is not as smart as Anne, she makes up for it in love and acceptance. Their split in terms of college marks the only real division between the two. 

A flirt, a tease, and one who earns the adoration of all the girls, Gilbert is a handsome, well-liked young man who takes care of his family, which is why he is behind in school. He is mischievous and playful, but he sees in Anne something unlike any other girl in Avonlea, and his playfulness to her is met with a resounding hatred. However, Gilbert does not give up and continues to show Anne how much he cares, supporting her in her successes and failures. He is noble, good-hearted, and kind, with a strength of character that matches Anne’s own. His actions—the rose in the breast pocket, the candy heart, the numerous apologies—while ignored by Anne due to her pride, show that he cares for her.

The competition between them is one of Anne’s driving motivations, even amid her vehement refusal to speak to him. However, it is Gilbert’s selflessness that mainly defines his character. He saves her twice in the novel, once from the piling in the middle of the pond and then at the end when he gives up the Avonlea school so she can stay with Marilla. Both Anne and Gilbert are united by their selfless actions, and the final scene, which shows them walking together down the road, symbolizes the solidification of their relationship. 

Mrs. Rachel, the “all-seeing eye” (2) of Avonlea, involves herself in everyone’s life. She is the closest friend Marilla has, and it is Rachel who first experiences Anne’s wrath when she teases her about her looks. Rachel has an opinion about everything and everyone and expects her opinion to be heard—she “pride[s] herself on always speaking her mind” (8). However, Anne soon charms her too, and she becomes another watchful eye in the community who looks out for Anne when Marilla is not around. She is as proud of Anne as Marilla and Matthew are, and she provides a comforting respite for Marilla after Matthew’s death.