Summary
Summary of Anne of Green Gables
Key ideas
Key idea 1
An unexpected girl charms Matthew
Matthew Cuthbert goes to Bright River station expecting a boy who can help him and his sister Marilla on their farm. Instead, he finds Anne Shirley, a small girl with red braids, a battered bag, and plenty to say. On their drive to Green Gables, Anne gives the blossoming orchard road a beautiful name.
Matthew usually avoids conversation, but her delight quietly charms him. Before Marilla even hears about the mistake, an unlikely friendship has begun on a buggy seat.
Key idea 2
Responsibility begins to look like love
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Key idea 3
Anne feels everything deeply
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Key idea 4
Friendship reveals Anne's practical courage
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Key idea 5
Pride protects an old hurt
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Key idea 6
Imagination needs guidance rather than silence
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Key idea 7
Belonging gives Anne room to grow
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Key idea 8
Landscape and voices reveal inner lives
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Key idea 9
Ordinary days make a family
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The rest of the summary, written and spoken, and the whole book: free to start.
Read the rest freeWho it’s for
For readers who love warm, funny stories about growing up, small communities, and strong-minded girls, and for anyone who enjoys beautiful landscape and nature writing.
What this book is
A boy was expected at the station. A girl got off the train instead. Anne of Green Gables, by L. M. Montgomery and first published in 1908, tells of an eleven-year-old orphan who arrives by mistake at a farm on Prince Edward Island. Anne Shirley has red hair, freckles, and an endless supply of words. She talks to trees and gives lovely places names of her own. The aging Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert asked for a boy to help on the farm. What they get is Anne.
In this summary
- 1A girl arrives where a boy was expectedFree
- 2Marilla decides to keep the child
- 3Anne meets Avonlea and loses her temper
- 4A bosom friend and a dreadful mistake
- 5Pride, school, and Gilbert Blythe
- 6Imagination leads Anne into trouble
- 7Growing up and reaching for more
- 8What the book says about finding a home
- 9How Montgomery tells the story
Key point 1 of 9
A girl arrives where a boy was expected
In the village of Avonlea on Prince Edward Island, sharp-tongued Mrs. Rachel Lynde watches shy Matthew Cuthbert drive past in his best clothes. She cannot guess where he is going. It is a world where everyone knows everyone's business.
Matthew and his sister Marilla are growing older, and their farm, Green Gables, needs more hands. They arranged to adopt a boy from an orphanage. At the Bright River station Matthew finds no boy, only a small girl with a battered bag and red braids.
She is Anne Shirley, and she has plenty to say, though beauty can leave her silent. On the drive home she names the blossoming orchard road the White Way of Delight, and Matthew, who normally flees conversation, is quietly charmed. He decides to leave the news of the mistake to Marilla. Their friendship begins on a buggy seat.
That’s 1 of 9 key points.
The rest of the summary, written and spoken, and the whole book: free to start.
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Check yourself
Why does Marilla's decision to keep Anne matter?
Right. “A household that asked for a farmhand now holds a child who needs a family, and love enters the house disguised as a responsibility.”Not quite. “A household that asked for a farmhand now holds a child who needs a family, and love enters the house disguised as a responsibility.”
What lies beneath Anne's lasting anger toward Gilbert?
Right. “What looks like childish stubbornness is really fear of being hurt again.”Not quite. “What looks like childish stubbornness is really fear of being hurt again.”
What does the book suggest Anne should do with her imagination?
Right. “The book never asks Anne to give it up, only to learn to steer it.”Not quite. “The book never asks Anne to give it up, only to learn to steer it.”
Who’s who
- Anne Shirley
- Anne is an imaginative, talkative orphan who arrives at the Cuthberts' farm longing for a home and friendship.
- Matthew Cuthbert
- Matthew is Marilla's shy, gentle brother, a farmer who welcomes Anne despite having expected a boy.
- Marilla Cuthbert
- Marilla is Matthew's practical, stern sister, whose orderly household is challenged by Anne's imagination and chatter.
- Diana Barry
- Diana is Anne's kind, dark-haired neighbor and closest friend, sharing her imaginative games and secrets.
- Gilbert Blythe
- Gilbert is Anne's clever schoolmate, whose teasing offends her and fuels their rivalry in the classroom.
- Mrs. Rachel Lynde
- Mrs. Rachel Lynde is the Cuthberts' outspoken neighbor, who closely watches village affairs and freely criticizes Anne.
- Miss Stacy
- Miss Stacy is Anne's inspiring teacher, encouraging her pupils to think independently and pursue their ambitions.
About this edition
Every format is free to start, and print and large print are at cost.
- LengthAbout 107,000 words
- Reading timeAbout 7 h 10 min
- FormatseBook, large-print eBook, audiobook, 15-minute summary; paperback, hardcover and large print at cost
- LanguagesEnglish and 12 other languages
Questions about Anne of Green Gables
What is Anne of Green Gables about?
It tells of Anne Shirley, an eleven-year-old orphan who is sent by mistake to an older brother and sister on Prince Edward Island. The book follows her growth, her friendships, and her search for a real home.
Why did Matthew and Marilla want a boy?
They were growing older and needed help with the work on their farm. They asked for a boy from an orphanage who could do chores, but a girl was sent by mistake.
Is Anne of Green Gables a true story?
No, it is a work of fiction published in 1908. Montgomery drew on her own childhood and the landscape of Prince Edward Island.
Is Anne of Green Gables hard to read?
No. The language is clear and the chapters are short and episodic. The humor and warmth make the book easy to follow for young and adult readers alike.
What is the main message of Anne of Green Gables?
The book suggests that every person needs to belong, that imagination brings joy to ordinary life, and that forgiveness and second chances help people grow. Love can change both the giver and the receiver.
