In Anne of Green Gables, the beloved 1908 novel by L.M. Montgomery, we meet one of the most likable characters of all time: Anne Shirley.
Anne is a sweet, spunky eleven-year-old orphan who, with her oodles of cheerfulness and charm, wins over everyone she meets. At the beginning of the novel, siblings Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert are trying to adopt a boy to help on their farm but thanks to a clerical error–sweet, funny, fabulously feisty Anne shows up instead. Anne wins over the hearts of the siblings, so they end up keeping her and raising her as their own. Anne of Green Gables follows the mishaps and misadventures of Anne as she adjusts to her new life in the town of Avonlea.
This is one of those rare, non-depressing stories about orphans. No dirty faces asking for more porridge. No working for a mean man who makes you pickpocket people. Just a upbeat story that’s funny and fun to read.
In reading Anne of Green Gables, I find myself wondering—how can I be more like Anne? Anne is such an upbeat, glass-half-full kind of girl. How can I, like Anne, win over everyone I meet? As a huge fan of Dale Carnegie’s 1936 book, How to Win Friends and Influence People, I’m always looking for ways to force people to be my friends and bend them to my will. Maybe you are too. So here are five life lessons you can learn from Anne.
1. Forget that old adage Be a good listener. Instead, be a good talker. Anne is a total chatterbox. She spends countless hours rambling on about everything from trees and birds and flowers to pretty dresses and puffed sleeves. At first, Anne’s constant chatter drives people nuts, but eventually everyone comes to enjoy it. Lesson learned: Just keep talking. Eventually you will wear people out, and they won’t know what do to with themselves when you’re not talking their ear off.
2. Hold grudges–just make sure they are petty grudges. Anne is super sensitive about her red hair. If you mention it, she’s going to hold a grudge, possibly for years to come. Case in point, Gilbert, one of Anne’s schoolmates calls Anne “Carrots,” and in response she thwacks him over the head with her slate. (Did I mention the girl is feisty?) Gilbert spends the next several years apologizing for teasing Anne, but she refuses to accept his apology–even after Gilbert saves her life! Now that’s determination. It takes her years to finally forgive him. Lesson learned: Harboring anger and resentment is kind of fun and makes you seem feisty in a loveable way.
3. Have interesting misadventures. Anne’s mishaps and misadventures are legendary. They include but are not limited to accidentally dyeing her hair green, breaking her ankle by tumbling off a roof, and getting stuck in the middle of a river. Who doesn’t love a girl keen on getting herself into trouble? The lesson here is that people will think your clumsy misadventures are charming.
4. Be fascinated with everything. Anne finds wonder in everything from ice cream and chocolates to sunsets and seasons. I never thought everyday things like dimples, white dresses, and puffed sleeves could bring so much joy, but Anne sees beauty everywhere. Her attitude reminds me of a quote by Albert Einstein: “There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.” To Anne, everything is a miracle.
5. Save a life or two. As if Anne isn’t endearing enough, she’s also a life-saving hero. When her best friend’s sister gets sick, Anne comes to the rescue. The parents are away, and the doctor won’t be able to get there for hours, but no sweat. Anne rushes over, gives the baby small doses of ipecac, and saves her life. Geeze! Isn’t she amazing?
