Monday 19 November 2012

Anne of Ingleside - L.M. Montgomery

The Story...

Anne is the mother of five, with never a dull moment in her lively home. And now, with a new baby on the way and insufferable Aunt Mary Maria visiting - and wearing out her welcome - Anne's life is full to bursting.

Still, Mrs. Doctor can't think of any place she'd rather be than her own beloved Ingleside. Until the day she begins to worry that her adored Gilbert doesn't love her anymore. How could that be? She may be a little older, but she's still the same irrepressible, irreplaceable redhead - that wonderful Anne of Green Gables, all grown up. She's ready to make her cherished husband fall in love with her all over again!

A Reader's Experience...

Now that Anne has children and has built a large, bustling family life, readers come to experience Anne's legacy of laughs, tears, and imagination all over again.

Montgomery's sense of humor shines in this story. The amusing, chattering gossip of the Ladies' Aid. Little Nan's "bargain with God", and her gullable innocence at believing she was switched at birth in a case of mistaken identity. Rilla's  cake delivery mishap. Anne's matchmaking disaster with friends Alden and Stella. What I love about these stories is that I can picture the children as adults looking back on such stories with amusement. Like Anne's own adventures in the very first novel, they capture the naivety and pure, unwavering convictions of childhood.

The story provides a balanced dose of reality, however, with it's share of worries, challenges, and fears. Friendships are betrayed, such as that between Di and her manipulative chums Jenny and Delilah. Anne questions Gilbert's loyalty and fears that he is bored of her. Jem mourns the loss of a trusted pet. Anne and Gilbert both succomb to bouts of serious illness. The encouragement and hope for the reader comes through when personal character and family ties are strenghened and come to triumph in the midst of their struggles. The stories of Ingleside renew faith in the tender and enduring spirit of family.

Also renewed is the spirit of adventure and imagination that Montgomery in infamous for writing. The children explore Rainbow Valley and transform into fairies and pirates. Walter finds his way home to Ingleside from the Parkers. Nan discovers the true nature of the "Gloomy House". The enchanting magic of the world around them not only form unforgettable childhood memories but also remind us that we don't have to go far in order to experience something brand new and exciting. Once we have lived in the world of dreams, the world of reality becomes that much more spectacular as the magic then follows us everywhere. As a reader, I feel that Montgomery challenges us not to lose the magic, but to hold on to it as a most treasured heirloom carrying us through what would otherwise be the most dull and lifeless of days. Material things come and go, but dreams will remain.

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