Anne of Green Gables Man and the Natural World

Open Anne of Green Gables to any page and you'll probably find a detailed description of a garden, flower by flower, or all the trees Anne encounters on a walk to school, or the sun rising through the window. This book's practically a kaleidoscope of nature scenes.

Avonlea makes for the kind of childhood your grandparents told you about, where kids roamed free outside. Which great for Anne, who loves beauty and didn't get a lot of it until she came to Avonlea. It's meant to remind us of how free Anne is to be a kid in Avonlea, and also helps readers to feel like they're right there with her—part of the town and its magic.

Questions About Man and the Natural World

1. How do L.M. Montgomery's descriptions of the natural world reflect her characters' moods?
2. Why does Anne think about plants like they are people?
3. What is the role of flowers in Anne's life? Of plants? Of the sea?
4. Why is the view from Anne's window described so often in the story?

Chew on This

Anne's imagination is deeply tied to her love of nature.

Through her descriptions of the natural beauty of Avonlea, the author encourages readers to fall in love with Anne's new home.