What Anne of Green Gables Taught Me About Facing Life's Unexpected Bends
I first read Anne of Green Gables about four or five years ago. At the time, I didn’t fully appreciate it. However, I’ve always believed that rereading books can reveal new lessons depending on where you are in life. So, before diving into something new, I decided to return to Green Gables.
This time, I realized it’s a book I could return to again and again.
Before I get into the review, I want to share why I find rereading so valuable.
The Power of Rereading
I love revisiting books because they grow with you. Why does the same text offer new lessons? I think it’s because we change. The experiences we gather and the other books we read in the interim act as a new lens, helping us feel and understand the story on a deeper level.
What changed for me?
When I first read this 4-5 years ago, I was living in the countryside. I didn’t feel any nostalgia or a particular need for the beauty of nature because it was all around me. But now, living in a big city surrounded by skyscrapers and constant traffic, Anne’s world feels like a necessary escape.
Also, having a full-time job has made me realize how precious free time really is.
A Brief Overview of Anne of Green Gables
Anne of Green Gables, by L.M. Montgomery, tells the story of Anne Shirley, an energetic orphan with a wild imagination who gets sent to Green Gables by mistake. The Cuthberts—the siblings who live there—decide to keep her even though they were expecting a boy to help on the farm.
Starting at age 11, we follow Anne as she grows from a talkative, often troublesome dreamer into a kind, gentle, and wise young lady. She learns through every mistake, and her journey is as much about the community of Avonlea as it is about her own growth.
Lessons I Learned (and Felt) This Time
Disclaimer: Contains spoilers.
1. Finding Beauty in the Mundane
Rereading the book now, I felt nostalgic for a place I’ve never even been to. I’ve never visited Canada or lived in the 19th century, but Montgomery’s descriptions of nature made me feel like I was right there with Anne.
2. The Trap of Modern Vanity
Anne’s struggle with her appearance—specifically her red hair—made me reflect on modern vanity.
In the story, Anne is so desperate to change her hair color that she buys what she thinks is raven-black dye. It turns out to be green, and she has to cut it all off. It’s a classic lesson: vanity can lead to disaster.
Connecting this to our current reality, we are constantly bombarded by “perfect” people on social media. Scrolling through Instagram or TikTok encourages a similar kind of vanity, tempting us to emulate filtered lives. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to look our best, but when we cross that line into obsession, it carries real consequences.
Anne’s lesson hits different in 2026. Even without plastic surgery or extreme dieting in the 1800s, her story reminds us that we need to accept ourselves as we are.
3. Facing Loss: “Memento Mori”
The sudden death of Matthew Cuthbert changes everything for Anne.
When I first read this, it didn’t hit me hard. I hadn’t lost anyone close to me yet. But life has changed since then.
A few years ago, I lost my grandmother. I remember the weight of regret—wishing I’d spent more time with her and told her how much I loved her more often.
Then, last December, I lost my cousin to cancer. It was a shock. He was young, with his whole life ahead of him. Before that, I never really understood what “memento mori” or “carpe diem” actually meant. His death changed how I see things. I don’t want to live with “what ifs.”
I didn’t want to look back and regret delaying my dreams—helping others achieve greatness and reaching financial freedom. So, even though it’s still very much a work in progress, I’ve decided to share Library of All with the world now.
4. Bend in the Road
Anne had plans to go to college, but Matthew’s death and Marilla’s failing eyesight changed everything. She chose to stay at Green Gables to care for Marilla, seemingly putting her future on hold.
But her outlook is what inspired me:
“When I left Queen’s my future seemed to stretch out before me like a straight road. I thought I could see along it for many a milestone. Now there is a bend in it. I don’t know what lies around the bend, but I’m going to believe that the best does.”
I’m struggling with my own life right now. I’m looking for a job, and my savings are running low. It feels like a major bend in the road. I don’t know what’s coming next, but like Anne, I’m choosing to believe that the best lies ahead.
Conclusion
Anne of Green Gables is more than just a children’s book. It taught me how to deal with vanity, cope with loss, and keep hoping even when I can’t see what’s ahead.
Someday, when my situation improves, I will read it again. I’m already curious to see what new lessons the next “bend in the road” will reveal.