“ I’ve loved you ever since that day you broke your slate over my head in school.”
-Anne of the Island
Anne of the Island by L.M. Montgomery is among my all-time favorite love stories.
It’s PG (I’d actually go as far as rating it as G) by all means of today’s standards, and yet it feels more genuine and real. It never fails to give me the warm fuzzies after each read. Sigh, Gilbert, if only you were real!
Hands clasped tightly, Gilbert and Anne slowly paced down the lane, gazing into each other’s eyes. Anne felt enraptured in completion, this was the bend in her road.
-Anne of the Island
“Gilbert, to be sure, was still faithful, and waded up to Green Gables every possible evening. But Gilbert’s visits were not what they once were. Anne almost dreaded them. It was very disconcerting to look up in the midst of a sudden silence and find Gilbert’s hazel eyes fixed upon her with a…
“Say, Anne, did you know that Gilbert Blythe is dying?” Anne stood quite silent and motionless, looking at Davy. Her face had gone so white that Marilla thought she was going to faint.”
-Anne of the Island
“Gilbert, to be sure, was still faithful, and waded up to Green Gables every possible evening. But Gilbert’s visits were not what they once were. Anne almost dreaded them. It was very disconcerting to look up in the midst of a sudden silence and find Gilbert’s hazel eyes fixed upon her with a quite unmistakable expression in their grave depths; and it was still more disconcerting to find herself blushing hotly and uncomfortably under his gaze, just as if—just as if—well, it was very embarrassing. Anne wished herself back at Patty’s Place, where there was always somebody else about to take the edge off a delicate situation. At Green Gables Marilla went promptly to Mrs. Lynde’s domain when Gilbert came and insisted on taking the twins with her. The significance of this was unmistakable and Anne was in a helpless fury over it.”
—Lucy Maud Montgomery
Anne of the Island
‘“I wonder why everybody seems to think I ought to marry Gilbert Blythe,” said Anne petulantly.
“Because you were made and meant for each other, Anne—that is why. You needn’t toss that young head of yours. It’s a fact.”’
—Lucy Maud Montgomery
Anne of the Island
A Love Story
Anne Shirley knew from a very young age the image of her ideal man. She knew she would never accept anything less than this ideal, even if it meant being alone.
Gilbert Blythe was not Anne’s ideal. So after they got over their long, childish spat and became great friends, Anne remained oblivous to the strange feeling in her heart when around him. When Gilbert did the unthinkable and proposed to her, Anne had to turn him down. She was furious at him for spoiling their friendship and tremendously sad without his presence in her life.
Then, quite unexpectedly, she ran into perfection. Royal Gardner. The exact image of her ideal man. Her prince had found her. Inevitably, the two began a courtship filled with all the romance Anne had ever wanted. Her dream was coming true. Except … it did not feel right. Anne realized she did not love Roy. Another proposal. Another rejection. Anne’s ideal had failed her, and her spirit was broken and confused.
Gilbert had seemingly recovered from Anne’s rejection and was running around with a girl named Christine who was everything Anne was not and everything she had always wished to be. Rumours of engagement floated.
Anne was alone and lonely and tired of romance.
Then Gilbert got sick. Very sick. Close to death sick. It hit Anne with the force of thunder. She loved him. She always had. Her ideal, her stupid ideal that she had clung to with desperate fervor, had blinded her to what had been clear as lightning all along.
And now it was too late. Anne spent that night at her windowsill, a storm raging inside and out. The morning poured forth sunshine and joyful news. Gil was alive and well.
Anne and Gilbert went for a walk. He revealed that he and Christine had only ever been friends. The rumours had been just that. Gilbert was just as stubborn as Anne. He had fallen in love with her at first sight, and he knew he could never be with anyone else.
For the third time in her life, Anne Shirley received a proposal of marriage, and, for the second time, it was from Gilbert Blythe. For the first time, she said yes.
“I’ll have to ask you to wait a long time, Anne,” said Gilbert sadly. “It will be three years before I’ll finish my medical course. And even then there will be no diamond sunbursts and marble halls.”
Anne laughed.
“I don’t want sunbursts and marble halls. I just want you.”
