Anne of Green Gables occupied a central place in my childhood growing up in the 1960s, not only because its protagonist/hero was a girl (a very rare occurrence in children's literature back then) but also because it was written by a Canadian and was set right here in Canada (also very rare in those days).
But most importantly of all, this book helped me become myself and who I was meant to be --
Anne To My Diana
In the mid-1960s, two-parent families were the absolute norm in our little one-horse prairie town. My friend "Tomboy" was the only kid I knew who lived in a single-parent family. Her Mom was a free-spirited artiste who did wild things that no one else's Mom did, like paint murals and pierce her children's ears (even the baby). The family lived in our town only for a couple of years and then moved on again when Mom found a new man.
But for those two years, Tomboy was the most wonderful girl I knew. She taught me how to jump off the roof of the back shed and how to cadge free chocolate milk from the creamery. She was confident and seemingly fearless.
We both adored Anne of Green Gables and spent countless hours acting out that book's adventures. Tomboy was Anne and I was Diana. My crush on Tomboy was so encompassing that I willingly assumed the second banana role, something I would never have done for anyone else. In our own private Avonlea, there was no Gilbert Blythe. We never missed him. We kindred spirits spent our time at the Lake of Shining Waters (which to everyone else simply appeared to be a culvert on the cemetery road).
When Tomboy moved away, she and I swore eternal friendship and gave each other a lock of our hair. I kept hers in my Sunday School Bible. We were faithful pen pals for many years.
Judging from photos she sent, Tomboy remained a very boyish girl until she graduated from high school. Then, completely out of the blue and seemingly overnight, she became a born-again Christian, a total femme and got married.
After that, I never heard from her again. It's like she disappeared off the face of the earth.
Alas, my first heartbreak!
Interesting back story of your life. I never heard of A of GG till I was an adult coming to the US, so it was too late to see why people loved it. Maybe I'll look again.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful memories!!!!! But alas...those born-again Christians...they ruin everything. Curses. LOL!!!!
ReplyDeleteGetting me to thinking about rays of sunshine in my youth. We escaped the one horse towns and lived to tell about it.
ReplyDeleteChildhood love that is so bittersweet - born again Christianity ruined a lot of fine people back in the day.
ReplyDeletei took my daughter to PEI because we loved AOGG so much. i had a friend very much like yours and lost touch when she moved. i've always wondered what happened to her.
ReplyDeleteI liked the Lucy Maud Montgomery series, but my daughter loved it more and we were able to go to PEI when she was about eight years old, maybe older, and went to an interactive Anne of Green Gables Village. It was absolutely magical. I don't think it is in operation anymore, which is a shame. This was a lovely post! Shame about the lost connection. -Jenn
ReplyDeleteIt's strange how christianity seems to make things worse. I'm sure Jesus would be horrified. I think you said you listened to Tapestry, there was an interesting show yesterday about the book "Elizabeth Finch", can't remember the author, but he was saying how christianity was much more barbaric than the Romans. It was an interesting listen.
ReplyDelete@ Pixie -- That episode of Tapestry must have been a repeat, because I heard that interview a while ago and bought the book! The author is Julian Barnes. But I haven't read "Elizabeth Finch" yet though -- must get to it soon!
ReplyDeleteThat is so sad, Debra, that once her life changed she felt she had to cut ties with anything that was part of her past. You know I am Christian but I would never assume to try and change someone or preach to/at them. And, I have gay friends that are like family and I wouldn't trade/change them for the world!
ReplyDeleteI LOVE Anne of Green Gables. Did you watch the show (Netflix, I think) Anne with an E? Hugs- Diana
From the Land of Anne here on the island, sending a warm hug to a fellow Green Gabler!
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed this post. A of G was one of my favorites too.
ReplyDelete@ NanaDiana -- No, I haven't watched the "Anne With An E" series yet, although I plan to catch up with it on CBC's streaming service Gem. It got very good reviews, I know!
ReplyDeleteAnne of Green Gables! A must-read for all baby lesbians. So sweet! I have also had friends cut ties because of the gay. It's sad but I can't help but think that I am better off without them. And, it's their loss... Religion is such a malign influence in our culture.
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I didn't get to read the Gables books until I came back to the U.S. from Germany in 1969. I instantly loved them and couldn't get enough. It was the first time I ever read stories about young girls.
ReplyDeleteAs a little girl, I also read L.M. Montgomery's "Ann stories", but I was completely transported by L. Frank Baum's "Wizard Of Oz" books. I still have the copy that my older, teenaged sister threw away after cleaning out her bookshelf!
ReplyDeleteLove that book!
ReplyDeleteAlso, I totally believe the story of Tomboy. Have seen it happen in real life with boys...
XOXO
Oh dear. You are telling us that as a small child you were heavily influenced by a tomboy? That explains a few things.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry you lost your first love but what wonderful memories to have.
ReplyDeleteI loved Anne of Green Gables when I was young. Somehow I forgot about it until you raised it in the post. Such a heartbreaking story you have written here. Life is filled with stories.
ReplyDeleteL.M. Montgomery has been a major influence in the lives of my youngest two daughters. Both have read all her books so many times and both have been to Green Gables. Their mother and I went in 2000 too.
ReplyDeleteMy second youngest did her MA on LM Montgomery and has attended several of the annual conferences in Charlottetown, at least once as a speaker. She went on to do her PhD in Victorian Literature.
I recently watched the CBC movie Anne of Green Gables again as I had not seen it since it was first screened.
Your story of you and Tomboy was bitter sweet. Such is life. You were like Anne and Diana kindred spirits.
Such lovely memories, Debra! I had a similar friend growing up. We lost touch in our teens but I think about her often. I LOVED Anne of Green Gables. I have all the books from the series and now I'm tempted to read them again. And "born again Christianity"...sigh...I'd rather not go there.
ReplyDelete@ The Blog Fodder -- Wow, your daughter has impressive AOGG credentials! And a PhD in Victorian Literature -- I bet with that degree she must be a professor at a university somewhere!
ReplyDeleteI vaguely remember the tv series Anne of Green Gables. I watched a few episodes here and there. But in Québec, the big TV series, novels and historical saga was Les Filles de Caleb. At least your Tomboy didn't marry you to then go work as a lumberjack in the middle of nowhere and started drinking.
ReplyDeleteSo, when is the hunt for Tomboy going to begin? This is the age of the internet you know.
ReplyDeleteSomehow I missed Anne. Perhaps too much of a tomboy myself. When I acquired my grandchildren (2 girls, 1 boy) I bought the older girl a boxed set. Though nothing ever made he happy, she read them through and took them to college, so her sister could not access them.
ReplyDeleteSo sad that you lost touch. I have never read Anne of Green Gables.
ReplyDeleteThat's sad but at least you still have your memories of those lovely days. Tomboy sounds like a fun person to hang out with. We all need a best friend like her.
ReplyDeleteHave a lovely day
Hello Debra, A charming reminiscence of how the right book can infuse your life. Perhaps for me it was perhaps the Tom Sawyer/Huck Finn books, but those were more of a reflection than an influence.
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However, the book that sprung into reality here seems to be The Stepford Wives.
--Jim
I love reading about your childhood adventures!
ReplyDeleteFrom what I remember, when and where I grew up there were more single moms than two-parent households
Sweet xxx
ReplyDeleteI think those born-again people may be running away from themselves.
ReplyDeleteA lovely little snippet/look into your childhood/young adulthood. Too bad your friend decided to cut ties once she got married (I don't think it's 100% right to blame Christianity for the change, but that's just me), but it sounds like the mindset of the 70s{?} was a bit dull and rigid back then. I don't think things started to change until the early 80's, at least in my neck of the woods, as my high school was quite the progressive school back then.There, it didn't really matter what your preference was, you were still treated the same.
ReplyDeleteWe don't do christian ceremonies. It depends on what the deceased has told us. There are some choices. Burn, bury or compost. Or put them up on a cliff. Or give them a sky burial. What they want, is ok. If they don't say, most likely they will be cremated. If there are survivors, we would save the ashes for them. I have a little jar of ashes. I can't believe i am still carrying that. I need to let it go.
ReplyDeleteSuch a great friendship. Argh! Born-again Christians.
ReplyDeleteI was very fond of Anne of Green Gables and also road to Avonlea
ReplyDeleteI imagine if I had the courage to have done boy-boy flings while in middle or high school, I would have probably came across a guy who would've done the 180 and gone the born again route.
Now I understand why you aren't a massive fan of born again Christians. Lol.
ReplyDeleteI cons myself lucky that I could play and run around with my cousin girlfriends in the fields and on hills. These are priceless memories.
ReplyDeleteI wanted to have such strong friendship for whole life but none of them had phone back then nor they could write.
I loved the story about fearlessness of your first crush :)
One of my cousin among us was very brave as well :)
Hope wherever she is she recall you In her daydreaming :)
I would have loved Tomboy for a friend as a girl. Debra. It's funny how some people change when they become born again. They give up their essential selves. I loved all the Anne books, because that was my P.E. I. childhood, and L.M. Montgomery was a relative of my grandmother. I'm glad the books helped you become who you were meant to be.
ReplyDeleteAnne of Green Gables didn't interest me..she didn't punch anyone..I was more interested in being the Black Stallion ... I did watch the latest series of Anne of Green Gables but that actress made my teeth hurt...so gave up on that.
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely testimony to the power of friendship and how books can bring people together!
ReplyDeleteOh Debra. Thanks for checking out my blog and directing me here. It's so wonderful to find another kindred spirit. My childhood friend and I wrote and acted out Anne as well, but I was Anne (and we did not have a Gilbert! Boys! Yuck, pooy!) We also became "blood sisters" by pricking the end of our finger with a needle and putting them together and saying a pledge. Hahaha. We grew apart as teens, but as adults, there was always a Xmas card. Since I moved back home, she's now living fairly close to me. We talk about that time, but I don't think Anne had the same impact on her. Again, thanks for finding me, Sister.
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