Points of View

Anne of Green Gables is written in the third-person omniscient, a point of view that shifts to show the sympathies and motivations most often of Anne and Marilla. As readers, we know Marilla's deep love for the girl she has come to think of her own, even when Anne questions her affections. As readers, we learn of Anne's driving ambitions tempered by her gratitude and obligations to the Cuthberts, as Marilla copes with the loss of her brother, health and financial problems. The shifts in perspective give the reader a greater understanding, and a more sympathetic view of character behavior and action.

Setting

The principle setting for the action is the home of Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert, Green Gables. Much of the charm of the novel is author L.M. Montgomery's loving portrayal of Prince Edward Island's natural beauty as embodied by Green Gables and Avonlea...