Summaries

Synopsis

Anne Shirley, an orphan, goes to live with her Aunt Marilla and Marilla's brother Matthew. She arrives at their home carrying a large wicker basket containing all her worldly possessions - which consist mainly of a black and white chicken. Matthew takes a fancy to Anne, and on one occasion when she is locked in her room for punishment and given only bread and milk, Matthew drops a bag of food outside her window. But Marilla catches her brother holding the bag up to the window at the end of a long pole. Mrs. Pie, the village gossip, takes a dislike to Anne and tries to make things unbearable for her. Her daughter Josie attempts the same. Meanwhile, Marilla sings the praises of Anne, telling everyone how quiet and refined the young girl is becoming. But then Anne chases a boy who had dropped an apple on her head. She catches him and pummels him as much as she can. This shocks the village minister and gives Mrs. Pie more ammunition to spread her gossip.

One day, Anne cannot find her Aunt's cameo pin, which she had played with while "dressing up" like a lady. She is punished by not being allowed to go to the Sunday school picnic. However, Anne escapes from her window and manages to go. Along the way, she runs into what she believes is a cat, and pets it. But the animal turns out to be a skunk, which causes everyone to run away from her. Then Anne sells the neighbor's cow by mistake.

During her early years, Anne meets Gilbert Blythe, and love slowly blossoms. Anne eventually graduates from high school and is about to go to college when her benefactors lose the money that was to be used for her education. So Anne becomes a teacher in the village school. She is then accused by her nemesis, Mrs. Pie, of beating up Mrs. Pie's son and breaking his arm. Eventually, Matthew dies and Aunt Marilla is going blind, but an operation saves her sight. Anne finally is happily united with Blythe.