Anne of Avonlea

Anne has not changed much from the young girl readers met in the first novel. Though she is now “half-past sixteen,” her “serious gray eyes” (1) remain the same, and she continually finds herself drifting into daydreams. However, Anne is also growing up and often finds that reality overpowers her vivid imagination of how things should be. Still, it remains difficult for Anne to separate reality from her dreams for most of the novel.

Part of this bildungsroman—or “coming of age” novel—includes the realization that one must take responsibility for one’s actions. Anne’s rush to judgment in the case of Mr. Harrison and the cow—and the later apology—showcase a great maturity in the teenage girl. She is not from Avonlea, so she does not fall victim to the Avonlea prejudices about different people. Rather, Anne makes her own way in life and meets people where they are. In doing so, she earns the love and affection of everyone she meets. The omniscient narration shows that most people who meet Anne walk away with a feeling that she has breathed new life into them or changed their perspective on how things should be.

One of Anne’s flaws, however, is in how she handles failure.